The parable of the Sower - believing is the condition for a person to be saved.

[JLB]

What comes first believing or salvation?

• Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:11-15


In this passage, Jesus teaches the key to salvation is to believe.

All those in this parable heard the message of salvation.

Only those who believed were saved.

 

[Christ_empowered]

I respect your take on scripture and your faith.

As you know I lean towards predestination etc. it’s my understanding of the Bible that salvation is God’s work in our lives. And so…

I always liked the parable of the sower because it encourages the believer to be good soil and to avoid the snares of Satan and the world and also to be rooted.

I relate it to the branches of the vine. Abide in me and I shall abide in you. In me ye shall bear much fruit.

An acorn dies to become an oak tree…ye must die to be born again…

Thing is I think salvation is about Jesus Christ calling His people…the sheep who know His voice…to Him. And no one can snatch a single soul from His hands…

 

[Hidden In Him]

What comes first believing or salvation?

• Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience. Luke 8:11-15


In this passage, Jesus teaches the key to salvation is to believe.

All those in this parable heard the message of salvation.

Only those who believed were saved.

I agree. As a prooftext against teachings like OSAS and Calvinist understandings, I find the rest of the parable that much more convincing. The idea that one can receive the word of God with joy and yet not be born again, who does that? Who reacts to receiving the word of God joyfully without the Holy Spirit doing a work in their hearts? And yet the text states that because they do not continue to give themselves to the word until it truly takes deep root, they fall away and die. The very nature of the parable depicts spiritual GROWTH, and specifically as a result of receiving the word of God. But yet they die away spiritually despite that growth because they failed to count the cost of what it takes to endure till the end.

 

[JLB]

I find the rest of the parable that much more convincing. The idea that one can receive the word of God with joy and yet not be born again, who does that? Who reacts to receiving the word of God joyfully

It’s plainly the joy of salvation.

 

[JLB]

I agree. As a prooftext against teachings like OSAS and Calvinist understandings, I find the rest of the parable that much more convincing. The idea that one can receive the word of God with joy and yet not be born again, who does that? Who reacts to receiving the word of God joyfully without the Holy Spirit doing a work in their hearts? And yet the text states that because they do not continue to give themselves to the word until it truly takes deep root, they fall away and die. The very nature of the parable depicts spiritual GROWTH, and specifically as a result of receiving the word of God. But yet they die away spiritually despite that growth because they failed to count the cost of what it takes to endure till the end.

Yes sir.

In the parable of the sower, the second group does indeed become saved and are persecuted BECAUSE they are saved and end up falling away, which contextually means as a Jew they return to Judaism; a religion that believes Jesus is a false prophet and teacher.