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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 22 - Sower
Matt. 13:23
23 But [de] he that received seed [speiro] into [epi] the good [kalos] ground [ge] is [esti] he [houtos] that heareth [akouo] the word [logos] , and [kai] understandeth [suniemi] it; which [hos] also [de] beareth fruit [karpophoreo] , and [kai] bringeth forth [poieo] , some [hos] [men] an hundredfold [hekaton] , [de] some [hos] sixty [hexekonta] , [de] some [hos] thirty [triakonta] . KJV-Interlinear
23 'And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.' NASB
Mark 4:20
20 'And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.' NASB
Luke 8:15
15 'And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. NASB
From unproductive soil to soil that produces far beyond any reasonable expectation, the soil is not the issue in the spiritual life, but the attitude of the person is. Or rather, the person is the soil and the attitude is the ingredients within the soil which are either used or not. We can all look into the Word of God and evaluate ourselves and see if we measure up to hardened soil, or to the emotional rocky thin soil, or the weedy preoccupation type of soil, or the good soil which produces far beyond anything that the world can produce.
In the days of Jesus, a good return would have been eight to ten bushels for each bushel planted, but in Jesus' illustration a believer in fellowship and advancing in his spiritual life will produce 10,000%, 6,000%, or 3000% beyond the normal average, (100, 60, 30). In our world today an investment which earns 5% to 10% is pretty good given the state of the world economy. In years past when the markets were very bullish, a return of between 15% and 25% was not unrealistic. But these returns are nothing when compared to the productive returns that accompany the Christian life for the mature or positive believer.
The person with good soil is the person who is positive and desires and is motivated to seek out and learn the Word of God. Too many have 'no time' for Bible study. But I'll just bet that most of you spend no more than 15 minutes each day in your Bible studies. That is hardly anytime at all when you consider the possible benefits that will accompany your spiritual growth. Just imagine what your life would be if you spent maybe a little more time contemplating the spiritual side of your life.
Not all believers are equal. Some pursue Bible doctrine with a passion. Others give it some slight passing interest. Both will benefit, but the former will benefit far more.
One of the objectives of the spiritual life, actually one of the most prominent measures of the spiritual life is found in the 'fruit' produced in one life. What is fruit? That is your production or the results of your spiritual life.
Now put this all into perspective. God gives us life. God gives us doctrine. God gives us time. Those are the three capital elements God gives each one of us to invest during our life time. Some will put their capital under a rock and earn nothing. Others will invest diligently (study and learn and grow up) and earn great returns. Many folks will be somewhere in between. Which are you?
Our spiritual life is like a circle which repeats itself throughout our life. We hear doctrine. We learn it. We understand it. Thus far this is good, but knowledge known, is of no value unless it is used. So the doctrine we learn and understand enters our soul and builds a fortress, a palace, a temple within our soul. This is an empty shell. A framework of doctrine only. A home not furnished. Now we apply doctrine to our life. This is our production, (gold, silver, and precious stones), our furnishings within the structure which we have built from the framework of doctrine we have learned.
A home site is no place to live unless you build a home. A home which is just made of its framing, still is not ready to live in. You have to finish the construction before you have a dry inside. Still it is not a home. The next step is to furnish the home and decorate it and finish the landscaping. Once this is all finished, then you have a real home to move into and enjoy to the fullest. An incomplete home cannot be enjoyed to its fullest potential, and yet most people have spiritual lives which are in various stages of construction, if at all.
One day when we go to heaven we will stand before Christ (the Judgment Seat of Christ) and we will receive our evaluation. We will have either wood, hay, and, stubble (the production of the sin nature - that is a home site with garbage all around it and through it), or we will have gold, silver, and precious stones (the production of the spiritual life - that is a magnificent home) decorating our soul. Most folks will have a combination of both within their souls. Christ will burn away that which is worthless (wood, hay, and stubble). The gold, etc. will stand up to the cleansing fire and consequently be the basis for exceedingly great blessings (beyond all we can imagine or ask) above and beyond the norm that other believers with no spiritual growth, will receive.
In Christ we are designed for fruit bearing (productive), Eph. 2:10+. We were not designed to just be bumps on a log in this life.
Production is not the source of salvation nor even blessing. We are not saved 'by' production of good works. Any unbeliever or out of fellowship believer can do good things in life. But we are advanced in our spiritual life 'for' fruit bearing or good works production, if you will.
What are good works? Anything done while in fellowship. Remember that fellowship is that state or sphere where sin does not exist. Why? Because we have confessed our sins to God the Father and He in turn places us in that status (fellowship) as a result. When we commit a sin then we are immediately out of fellowship and must confess that sin in order to regain the fellowship status. While in fellowship only good can proceed from your life. Since fellowship is a sinless state, then no bad can come out of it.
As you remain in fellowship and advance through your Bile studies, and consequently grow up and mature, you utilize more and more of the doctrine you know, this results in your applying more doctrine to your life. The circle of wisdom continues.
We listen, we hear, we learn, we understand, we apply, we do it all over again. We listen more, we learn more, we understand more, we apply more and we do this all our life. Application of doctrine enhances our understanding and accelerates our spiritual growth. We .. grow .. Up! That is our obligation, our responsibility, our objective in this life. We gain by growing up.
Can an infant earn a living and enjoy life to its fullest? No. The baby has to grow up and then apply life's principles in order to have a decent life. So too in the spiritual life. We do not believe in Christ and stop there. We have to grow up. Only when we grow up will we receive the benefits of that growing process. To do otherwise is simply throwing away opportunity.
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Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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