Of The 4 Types Of Christians Are You?
Let Jesus Reveal Your Christian Faith Reality At This Moment
The Parable of the Sower Introduction
The Parable of the Sower is one of the most famous parables of Jesus Christ. It is found in the three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) and is a powerful lesson on the importance of faith and the consequences of not having faith.
In the parable, a sower goes out to sow his seed. Some of the seed falls on the path and is eaten by birds, some falls on rocky ground and is scorched by the sun, some falls among thorns and is choked, and some falls on good soil and produces a plentiful harvest.
Keep reading to find out which category of believer you are in this moment. This lesson can gauge your faith status to know where to begin with Christ. Your Christian renewal begins with this knowledge.
Jesus Clarifies His Spiritual Reference of “The Seed”
Jesus explains that the seed is the word of God and the different types of soil represent different types of people who are exposed to God’s Word.
The 4 types of Christians:
- People who hear the word of God but do not understand it are like the seed that fell on the path and was eaten by birds.
- Those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but have no root and so wither away are like the seed that fell on rocky ground and was scorched by the sun.
- Another type of person hears the word, but they are choked by the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth. They are like the seed that fell among thorns.
- Finally, those who hear the word and understand it and bear fruit are like the seed that fell on good soil and produced a plentiful harvest.
What This Famous Parable Teaches
The Parable of the Sower is a powerful reminder of the importance of faith. It is recorded in three of the four biblical Gospels; Matthew 13:1-23, Mark 4:1-20, and Luke 8:1-15.
It teaches us that those who have faith and understand the word of God will bear much fruit, while those who do not have faith will not understand the word and will not bear fruit.
The parable also teaches that we must be careful not to let the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke our faith. The Parable of the Sower is a timeless reminder of the importance of faith and the consequences of not having it.
The Parable of the Sower Scripture
Listen to the Parable of the Sower scripture from Mark 4:1-20. Click here for the audio. If you wish to read the scripture from the three gospels, go to The Parable of the Sower scripture page. Then return to this lesson. For this study, I’ll be referring to the parable from Luke 8:1-15.
Luke 8:10. The Reference to the word as a mystery:
In Luke 8:10 Jesus says that the Word (scripture) is a mystery to the world without kingdom living. The mystery is the fullness of God’s Word in a Christians life through the salvation experience. Without this transformation, the Word in it’s entirety is only a mystery.
Living the Word is action taking as opposed to having unproductive standards we learn from the world. Jesus is telling us that ignorance of God’s Word, stubbornness, having a negative nature, lack of trust in God, living on the fence as a Christian, or having a disregard for the salvation experience by putting people before the Word of God makes the Bible a mystery.
Even new believers can quickly shift from worldly thinking to a standard of receiving God’s blessings by having the desire to learn God’s wisdom and by following it daily. Find your standard of Christianity below and move forward with thankfulness straight to the fourth level (more on that below).
The 3 Unproductive Christian Standards
- The Word is sewn within a Christian’s heart, but Satan steals it immediately before it can take root. In this experience the Word never reaches the heart. It goes into one ear and out the other.
- The Word is sewn within the believer’s heart joyfully, but their foundation is rocky and shallow. It has no root. When hard times come because of the Word to test them, they quickly reject God by rejecting His Word. These are the people shaking their heads in agreement with their pastor’s sermon on Sundays, but the rest of the week, they turn away from the very truth they heard. They are not bad people, only afraid to trust God.
- The Word comes to this believer but it is unfruitful due to the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and desire for things. Greed and pride causes a severely insecure nature. It must be overcome to move forward with Christ.
The 4th Standard Overcomes The 3 Unproductive Standards
Caution as a Christian brings great wisdom and success. It leads us to the fourth standard Jesus gave the people who gathered together to hear Him speak. We need to judge what we listen to and what programs we follow. If they keep us from the fourth standard of Christian growth, they should be rejected.
The third standard is caused in a large part from churches teaching false doctrine about the faith message. Many church leaders want to please their members and society to keep their churches growing. Rather than preaching to save souls by teaching the engrafted Word, they share worldly messages. I’ve visited churches that teach giving to receive financial increase. These ideas keep Christians from centering on God.
Other influences can be caused by listening to personal growth programs like the “secret” or becoming apathetic to the Word. However, whatever might be keeping Christians from the fourth standard, it can be overcome. Jesus said we need to learn the Word and live it to transform our lives.
Creating a Strong Foundation Of Jesus Christ
Without a foundation of Jesus Christ that is solid, the monster of selfishness will corrupt those who don’t know better, and who are desperate for money and things. However, by following the fourth standard, we can trust God for whatever we need and receive it.
Not living the fullness of the Word is like using a recipe for an amazing chicken dish, but only using part of the ingredients. It’s not going to taste as it’s supposed to, and it will probably be quite a disappointment.
There are many life, health, and wealth programs that are popular. We must study the Word on whatever category of help we need to rightfully judge a program and it’s standards. Otherwise they will corrupt the Word of God we have planted within us. This is especially true for new or baby Christians. We do this as well with people who wish to tear us away from God.
Mark 20 describes what living the Word of God produces using the seed cultivation process as a metaphor. Verse 20 says, “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.” The fourth standard is the perfect instruction on how to accept God’s Word in order to produce a crop of whatever you desire.
Reinforcing The 4th Standard From Mark 4:20
Jesus breaks down the 4th standard in Mark 4:20 in a manner so simple the truth of it is clear. It will deeply reinforce in you how to receive from God with the right motives.
Here is a paraphrase of Mark 4:20:
- hear the Word (most affective method: personal affirmations)
- accept it (believe/trust God)
- produce a crop (receive!)
Our desires being met will actually bring us closer To God by having good soil for the Word of God to be sown.
Raise Your Christian Standard To The 4th
Understanding how to have instruction for the fourth standard is a bit easier and less complicated than the reasons for falling into the cracks of the first through third standards.
In verse 11 we’re brought back to Kingdom living. We’ve already discussed what that’s about in a previous lesson. Jesus isn’t telling us in verse 19 that we can’t desire wealth because it will cause the Word to be unfruitful in our lives, He’s saying to put the kingdom first, not our desires. This way what we get will always be in our best interest so that it will produce a hundred times what was sown.
Standard One
What if we put our desires first or have fear over the cares of this world? How do we overcome this? Here’s a breakdown:
If the first standard causes Satan to steal the WORD from us, are we powerless? What do we do?
- learn the Word (start with basic principles from the New Testament),
- identify with Christ,
- and then take the power He gave you in Jesus’ name to have authority over Satan
Jesus defeated Satan. You can’t do anything to try and defeat Him. Jesus did that for you. All that is necessary is to act like it’s true because it is. Don’t act like a whipped puppy, and feel sorry for yourself. This is letting Satan defeat you.
Use Jesus’ name in the face of trials and disappointments by saying, “thank you Lord for blessing me with victory! I have it this moment.” This is building your house (your being) on a firm foundation of Jesus Christ. I am a part of your kingdom and enjoy kingdom living.
Take your authority in Christ and do what He did. Use the Word of God to move past Satan and upwards with Christ. Once again, take your eyes off evil and put them on Jesus. If you feel as if you have no power over Satan, make a specific affirmation to get you out of the moment of fear and helplessness.
Examples To Help You Speak God’s Word:
“The Word says that I have power over all the power of the enemy in Jesus’ name, therefore I am financially prosperous no matter what circumstances are presented to me. I AM FINANCIALLY WEALTHY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST!” Use this for safety and protection, healing or for whatever you need.
More important, here’s one about changing one’s desires from “me” first to building a solid foundation of Jesus Christ. “Thank you Heavenly Father for re-creating me through the regenerative power of Jesus Christ. I have been redeemed and blood bought from the curse of the law. In Christ Who strengthens me, I can do all things and I put the Kingdom first!”
Look for a church that will help you live the Word to recreate your soul in Christ through Christian transformation.
Standard Two:
Many Christians desire to trust God, but they fear relying on Him when things go wrong. For seasoned Christians who have had the opportunity to seek after the truth but refuse to do so, it’s more serious. It’s also doubtful they will ever obey God’s truth except for an incident that may give them a new reality through an experience of suffering.
Such people refuse to trust God first because they don’t want to change their thinking or admit they were wrong in some ways. Others may fear looking foolish. This is because of pride and self-centeredness (putting their comfort zone before God’s truth). Also, some people honestly believe they know everything and find it difficult to believe God knows more.
Standard Three:
Greed, power and pride will always separate us from God. Allowing these qualities to dominate our lives, we lose our balance and stumble. It isn’t possible to develop a strong foundation of the Word with temporal things such as riches and material goods.
Everyone can change if they want to. We can all turn around a 180 degrees by adhering to Christian transformation which allows the Holy Spirit to create in us the changes we need. Planting the seeds of God’s Word and living them, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us.
The 4 Types of Christian Conclusion
If you fit into any of the first three standards, just remember that if you want to change you can. It’s never too late with God. Love yourself according to 1Corinthians 13:1-8. Follow the Word and it will be easy to forgive yourself and all others. More forward with God and don’t look back.
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