Greetings, children of the Most High,
Today, let’s look at the final type of bad soil in the Parable of the Sower, which is the thorny soil:
“And others are the ones sown among the thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.”
— Mark 4:18-19
Similar to the previous type of soil, this illustration refers to the seed that fell among the thorns in the parable:
“Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.”
— Mark 4:7
Just like the seed that fell into rocky soil, this seed initially showed some progress. However, the problem here wasn’t that the root didn’t go deep enough. Instead, it was the numerous obstacles the plant faced, preventing it from yielding a crop.
We see that there is a specific goal in conversion and salvation. Salvation is a journey with an end in sight. It’s not enough for a plant to appear to grow; it must bear fruit for the goal to be achieved.
The people represented here receive the word and seem to be on the path of salvation. However, they never reach the stage that truly validates their conversion—the yielding of the fruit of righteousness.
Jesus emphasizes this point when He tells His disciples that only those who endure to the end will be saved:
“But the one who endures to the end will be saved.”
— Matthew 24:13
True salvation is the kind that goes all the way to the end. This can be confusing at times. We might see someone respond to the gospel and appear to be on the right path, showing signs of true conversion. They express love for God and His people. Yet, one day—seemingly out of the blue and after a series of struggles—this person denounces their faith and follows the way of the world.
This is always shocking, especially if it’s someone we have been closely involved with, someone we have invested time and effort in to disciple and nurture in the faith. The apostle Paul expressed a similar disappointment at the end of his life:
“Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia.”
— 2 Timothy 4:9-10
Paul mentions Demas, a fellow worker whom he had previously commended in his letters to the Colossians and Philemon. Now Paul says that Demas has loved the present world, suggesting that Demas abandoned the faith and ministry because of his attachment to worldly things:
“Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.”
— Philemon 23-24
This reminds us that salvation is not a one-time event at the moment of professing faith in Christ. True salvation is an ongoing, lifelong journey, as the apostle Paul explains in his letter to the Philippians:
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
— Philippians 2:12-13
The reason Jesus gives for the downfall of the person represented by the thorny soil is this: “the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word.” Let’s take a closer look at these three factors:
1. The Cares of the World
The word used here for “cares” refers to anxieties and worries. The apostle Peter uses the same word when instructing Christians to cast their cares upon Christ:
“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”
— 1 Peter 5:7
Peter’s audience was scattered throughout Asia Minor, fearing for their lives due to persecution for their faith.
The “cares of the world” encompass all matters that trouble a person—ranging from daily needs to fear of persecution, even to the point of death. These worries are like thorns that choke the word, preventing it from bearing fruit.
2. The Deceitfulness of Riches
The second factor choking the word is the deceitfulness of riches. This is a common tactic the devil uses to lead people astray, as seen in his temptation of Jesus in the wilderness:
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ‘All this I will give you,’ he said, ‘if you will bow down and worship me.’”
— Matthew 4:8-9
Scripture repeatedly warns against the love of riches. Paul warns Timothy about this danger:
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
— 1 Timothy 6:10
The author of Hebrews gives the antidote to the love of money—contentment:
“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
— Hebrews 13:5
3. The Desire for Other Things
This phrase refers to a strong desire, especially for forbidden things, which is often associated with lust. Scripture tells us that this desire leads to sin and ultimately to death:
“But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”
— James 1:13-15
The thorns that choke this person represent worldly desires. Scripture warns against such desires, and the apostle John calls it the “lust of the flesh“:
“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.”
— 1 John 2:15-16
In the end, the thorns of worry, riches, and worldly desires prevent the person from bearing fruit. Jesus told His disciples that one of the signs of a true believer is their fruitfulness, which proves their discipleship:
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”
— John 15:8
In our evangelism, we should expect some people to be choked by these thorns. However, this should neither surprise us nor discourage us from continuing to sow seeds through evangelism.
We must also continually examine ourselves to ensure we don’t fall into self-deception, thinking we are saved when we are not producing the fruit of repentance, righteousness, and salvation.
May the Holy Spirit assure us of our salvation through the bearing of fruit in keeping with repentance.
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