Concluding Thoughts on The Parable Of The Sower

      In our consideration of the Parable of the Sower from Matthew 13 we have considered the along-the-path soil, the rocky-ground soil, the among-the-thorns soil, and the good soil. In order, these soils represent the unbelieving heart, the shallow heart, the crowded heart, and the faithful heart. However, no discussion of this magnificent parable can conclude without considering this very important point—hearts can change.

This is a wonderful and comforting thought as we consider the first three hearts described by Jesus. Even the most militant unbeliever may finally be won to Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 1:12-14). The shallow heart that tucked tail at the first taste of persecution may someday approach the Word more carefully, digging deep and developing saving faith. The crowded heart may eventually come to recognize the brevity of life and the futility of filling it with temporal, worldly pursuits. The lost need not remain lost for our God is ready, willing, and able to receive everyone who will come to Him on His terms (2 Peter 3:9; Romans 2:4). Foolish man often confuses God’s restraint in judging evil as evidence that He does not exist (Ecclesiastes 8:10; Psalm 10:4, 11), rather than recognizing it as the extraordinary patience and mercy it really is.

If the heart that has yet to stand renewed before God finds comfort in the knowledge that hearts can change, the faithful heart finds the thought sobering. That a faithful saint may choose to become unfaithful and fall away from the living God is beyond dispute if one will take the Scriptures at their word (Hebrews 3:12 uses that very language. Consider also 2:1; 4:11; 6:4-6; 10:26-31, 39). Rather than uselessly arguing whether such a one was ever saved in the first place we would do much better to examine our own lives in light of such passages as those listed above and ask if anything besides our words alone prove our claims to faith and trust?

It is difficult for Satan to get a saint who has been enlightened, tasted the heavenly gift, shared the Holy Spirit, and tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, to leave all of that behind to fall back into the world. It is difficult for him to convince them to crucify again the Son of God to their own harm and hold him up for contempt. It is difficult, not impossible. In fact, it is bringing such a one to repentance rather than them falling away in the first place that the Hebrew writer calls impossible (Hebrews 6:4-6).

That hearts can change reminds the saint of the need for constant vigilance and self-awareness. One need only sit still doing nothing for the current to sweep him out over the waterfall. The currents of temptation will just as easily pull the inactive saint over the waterfall of spiritual death. It is for this reason Jesus says that the good heart bears fruit and yields results. That’s what faithful saints do. They bear, they produce, and they act. How can they make any claim to faithfulness otherwise?

Hearts can change. Rejoice in that knowledge if your heart is one that needs changing. Thank God for His patience and mercy, but don’t presume on them. If you need to change, change. If your heart is of the good soil, keep it up! May the God from whom all blessings flow strengthen your resolve to remain faithful to the end!