“Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away.” — Matthew 13:5-6
There is a science fiction novel called The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. It was one of my favorite books before the Lord intervened on me. The title is taken from Jesus’ parable but that is about the extent of the connection. The book is about a young girl creating her own religion in the a post-SHTF America. Her religion is a blend of eastern mysticism and stoicism with an impersonal god loosely identified with “change” or “impermanence.” Christians in this world are genocidal maniacs who have rallied around a charismatic demagogue who promised to “make America great again.” This book was written in 1993. The message is to take hold of the changing world around us and “shape God” by our own efforts. While never directly expounded in the novel, it could be that Butler’s interpretation is that mankind is the sower and the seeds are our efforts to change the world for the better. Most efforts do not pay off but some do and yield much fruit.
This novel shows the problem of an unregenerated person trying to expound the Bible. They can't do it! “…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God[1].” For more evidence of this biblical truth see Jordan Peterson and Ben Shapiro talking scripture together. When I first read the novel I googled the title and the parable. I couldn’t make sense of the parable from the Bible alone, it didn’t quite make sense but on some level it made me nervous.
Years later, when I visited a Baptist church for the first time the preacher seemed pleased with my very basic testimony and understanding of salvation. I knew at that point that something had changed within me and that I earnestly wanted to find a church and understand the Bible. But I was somewhat unsettled by the haste of this Arminian church to declare me saved and receive me into the fold. I remembered this parable and knew that it was possible for someone to hear the word and yet bear no fruit.
“But he that received seed into the stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.[2]”
Christianity did not seem like a logical path for me — I wasn’t raised in a church, my family had no desire to serve the Lord and I had gone through my adult life as a secular humanist. I feared that by and by, when life got difficult, or I simply got bored I would return to my vomit[3] like the dog that I am.
If you suffer from these kinds of thoughts the remedy is in the Scriptures. If your church is Arminian they simply will not teach you these things so listen up:
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.” — Ps 37:23-24
Having been born of the Spirit, we must also be made perfect by the Spirit, not by the flesh[4]. If you look to yourself to be spiritual, you will be discouraged. You must look to Jesus, the author AND finisher of our faith[5].
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.” — John 15:4
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