- Grace vs Works.
- Predestination vs Free Will
The Parable of the Sower
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:1-8 ESV)
The Parable of the Sower Explained
"Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty." (Matthew 13:18-23 ESV)
The Parable of the Weeds
He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, "Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."'" (Matthew 13:24-30 ESV)
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matthew 13:36-43 ESV)
In the parable of the sower, the seeds fell on four types of ground: the road, rocky ground, thorny ground and good soil. Except for those seeds which fell on the road, the seeds that fell on the other three types of soil initially produced something. Only in the good soil that they persist till the end.
In the parable of the weeds, both wheat and weeds looked the same in the field. It is only at harvest time that the wheat can be distinguished from the weeds.
What has this got to do with "Once saved always saved"?
From the perspective of the world (and some Christians), true and false Christians look alike. Nobody can see their hearts and tell the difference. They grow and produce some fruits. But ultimately, only those who persist till the end are revealed to be true. For those who do not persist, they seem to be Christians who have "fallen away".
The clearest example is Judas Iscariot. Is he not among the twelve? Did he not perform all the miracles that the other apostles did? When Jesus told the twelve that one of them would betray Him, none of them suspected Judas Iscariot.
When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. And as they were eating, he said, "Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me." And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, "Is it I, Lord?" (Matthew 26:20-22 ESV)
But the Bible tells us very clearly that Jesus had kept all that was given to Him by the Father.
While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12 ESV)
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. (John 10:28-29 ESV)
There are many Christians who thought that they are Christians, but are never truly saved. Like Judas Iscariot, they have joined Jesus with other motives. When they fall away, the world thought that salvation can be lost. But the Bible tells us that they are not of us from the beginning.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. (1 John 2:19 ESV)
Again, Judas Iscariot was the best example. Long even before the birth of Jesus, it has been prophesied in the Psalms that one who ate bread together with Jesus would betray Him.
Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me. (Psalm 41:9 ESV)
But no one would have known until it happened. So did Judas Iscariot "fall away" or he was never among the chosen? But Jesus chose the twelve apostles, right?
Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." (John 6:70 ESV)
But Jesus knew whom He had chosen and Judas Iscariot was not among them.
I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.' (John 13:18 ESV)
Once you can understand how Judas Iscariot was chosen and also not chosen, you will know how to interpret the Bible correctly and you will understand why a true Christian is "once saved always saved".
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:21-23 ESV)
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