The Soil of the Heart

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up.

The seed sown is the Word of God.

Jesus explains the way side soil symbolizes the hard heart which has no place for God’s Word.

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

Such a man does not pretend to be a Christian.

The next heart is described as stony ground whose soil has many impediments, yet the man joyfully professes Christ by reciting a ‘Sinner’s Prayer.’

This is the heart of a man who has ‘carnal faith.’

For a time he was considered by many a ‘brother in Christ.’

But alas, he became more and more offended when studying God’s Word. For it taught doctrines which he considered ‘evil’ and so refused to believe them.

He found a liberal pseudo-Christian denomination which held the false beliefs he cherished and joined with them instead.

The third heart is described as thorny ground whose soil would not allow the Word of God to thrive.

This is the heart of the 'carnal Christian.'

Though always claiming to be a true believer, his worldly witness, worldly desires, and worldly lifestyle belie his profession.

He had not been born of the Spirit.

His faith was 'carnal.'

But the fourth heart is the exception:

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

He is the man who was first born of the Spirit, regenerated that he could hear and understand the Word.

Having had the soil of his heart prepared by the Holy Spirit – soil called 'good ground' -- the man is now able to believe upon Christ with a saving faith which justifies, bearing much fruit for Christ, his Vine.

He is the one man who can rightfully call Jesus ‘Lord,’ for He has the Holy Spirit.

No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Lamentably, there are many who disbelieve the clear teaching of the Parable.

1. The soil does not prepare itself for the reception of seed.

It requires preparatory work by the Sower.

The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.

The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

2. No heart is naturally ‘good.’

Man requires a new heart. A good heart.

No one is good except God alone.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

3. The man born of the Spirit will produce the fruit of a Christian.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

The carnal Christian theory is pure fiction.

The carnal Christian is one who brings forth carnal faith.

Carnal faith does not save.

It damns.

 

So true, brother. They are forever adding their own ‘seed,’ seed which is contrary to the Word of God.

Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled.

 

Yes, brother, the supernatural effectual call which always, without fail, takes the Elect to justification, sanctification and glorification.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

 

John Piper always preaches a sound, biblical and necessary sermon.
Thanks for sharing, brother!

For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

 

Yes they do, brother.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

The gracious gift of the Holy Spirit is necessary to see/discern the Kingdom of God as well as hearing His Word with understanding.

The blessing of saving grace opens blind eyes and deaf ears.

Doctrines which are abhorrent to the natural mind are sweetness and joy to those who have had their hearts prepared by grace to receive the truth.

 

DHK wrote:

The Parable cited in the OP disproves the Synergist doctrine of faith being the sinner’s gift to God.

The heart of natural, unregenerate man has numerous insuperable obstacles which he cannot, by his own power or will, remove.

The soil of the natural, unregenerate heart is hardened, stony and full of thorns.

Before the seed of the Word can be planted, the heart must be prepared for its reception.

Soil cannot prepare itself.

Neither can the heart prepare itself.

The work of preparation is done by the Sower who sends His spiritual plow, the Holy Spirit, who removes the old heart and creates a new heart.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

The old heart is not capable of doing that which is righteous: i.e. believing with justifying faith.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness;

Scripture nowhere describes man’s heart as good or righteous.

Rather man’s heart is condemned as evil.

For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

A new 'good' heart is absolutely essential before it can bring forth justifying faith.

And lastly, regeneration is of grace alone.

If regeneration is conditioned on anything, man’s faith included, then regeneration is of justice: man receiving what he rightfully deserves.

If regeneration is of justice, then salvation must be of justice, for regeneration is intrinsic to salvation.

In fact, the Pelagian, Arminian, non-Cal view of God’s foreknowledge is nothing less than Election being of justice, for it is conditioned on God’s foreknowing which men will receive Jesus: men who receive Christ earn the right of Election.

Thus, since Election unto salvation is the decree out of which flows all the graces necessary to achieve its purpose, salvation is of justice.

No matter how one looks at their view, whether faith is their gift to God, or Election is based on man’s foreseen faith, their Gospel is not a Gospel of grace.

 

In reading Non-Conformist John Owen’s The General Work of the Holy Spirit in the New Creation I could not help but share a few of his insights.

If only we had more spiritually mature Christian thinkers-expositors like him in today’s professing Christian Church.

Owen always uses the appropriate Scripture in supporting his views.

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Owen continues:

John Owen rightly recognizes our faith is the gift of God.

Those are strong words. In essence, Owen says that to credit oneself as possessing that which can bring forth anything spiritually good is to deny God, the only cause of all that is spiritually good.

Of course, justifying faith is a spiritually good thing which many professing Christians claim to have wrought themselves.

Owen reminds them that in our flesh, dwelleth no good thing (Romans 7:18)

Conclusion

14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Owen understands by the phrase ‘show it to you’ is meant ‘make it known to you.’

Owen and all like-minded Christians through the Ages have known that faith is the Elect’s gift from God the Father who has placed the communication of that gift (and all spiritual gifts) into the hands of Christ, our Mediator who, in turn, irresistibly communicates this by His Spirit, to the glory of God in Christ.

How do we know this?

The Holy Spirit has made it known to us.

Why then do our opponents not know this wonderful God-honoring, God-glorifying truth?

Has the Holy Spirit failed in the very work He has been divinely commissioned to do?

 

Carnal Christianity can be seen everyday on 'Christian television.'

It is a man-centered religion.

It's theology consists of perversions of Scripture with a humanist twist.

The 'Sinner's Prayer' or baptism is the means of salvation.

Conformity to the admonitions and commands of the Lord in Scripture is not necessary.

The fact of no change within the heart is readily seen in the fruitlessness of the carnal professor.

The thorns and thistles are evident to those with eyes to see.