love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control
These are the Fruits or should i say outward expressions, attributes or behavior’s one would expect to see from someone who has decided to abide in Christ and his spirit is now living in them. Now although Jesus promises to give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks, i sometimes think that not everyone does or is ready to receive the Spirit and perhaps this is why the fruit is sometimes lacking. When we look at the scripture about the sower there is also another dynamic at work. Matthew 13. That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear. In verse 18 Jesus explains the parable to his disciple’s.. 18 Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ”So by this we can see that the heart that receives it has certain characteristics which is brought out more in the English standard version. As for that seed in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
So there would seem to be another element to not only those who are saved which i believe are those who hear and receive it but then those who continue on to produce something in way of fruit have a significant character set. The bible also speaks of Gods word as being likened to a hammer. Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? and Isaiah 55:11 My word that comes from my mouth will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I send it to do. And Hosea 10:12 – I said, “Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.
Is this Gods way of preparing a heart to be the kind that receives gods seed word of salvation into a heart that is able to produce the fruit he desires? Can be saved but be unfruitful in the long term? I think only the seed that falls on rocky hard hearts are mentioned as ones who fall away. Can we ask the lord to make our hearts like those who don’t fall away and produce much fruit? Is it possible that many people in churches today are still in need of a heart change but have been undergoing this work over many years and who will one day hear the gospel message and shout eureka. Now i understand! then because the work of God in their hearts over time they begin to show forth good fruit? Are we all at different stages of heart transformation? Its true that much of the salvation preaching of Finny, Wigglesworth and Spurgeon were from amongst the ranks of church goers who assumed themselves to have already been saved but many had no idea what salvations even really was. They were still getting to heaven on good merits alone or so they thought… to be continued. This is becoming problematic as its getting convoluted and to wordy….In being saved by Grace it still seems to need the understanding that to receive his grace you need to be at the right place as well either in heart or timing. How many false conversions are really just seed sown on the path? How many kind of know what salvations is about and embrace it but don’t really have any root in themselves? what does it even mean to have a root in yourself? https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/no-root-in-themselves/#flipbook/