Sown among Thorns

They have sown wheat but reaped thorns; They have put themselves to pain but do not profit. But be ashamed of your harvest Because of the fierce anger of the Lord   Jer12:13 

The entire Church System of today should be 'ashamed of their harvest and declare a national day of repentance like ancient Nineveh, crying out to God for a reprieve from His fierce Judgment. But because they are 'rotten to the core' and the axe of repentance has never been laid to the root of their sinful indulgence, they continue to Sow among the thorns of corruption and guile, crying 'Peace, peace' believing that no evil will befall them. (Jer6:14-15) Shamelessly they sin in the face of a Holy God as enemies of the Cross, arrogantly assuming Christ obeyed in their place and absolved them future judgment.

Well did the Prophets say of them:

Because with lies you have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to save his life Ezk13:22 

They make the heart of the righteous sad with their arguments in favor of sin and constant stream of excuses why they can't Obey God and do what is right. The hand of the wicked is strengthened against anything good and decent, they call evil good and good evil, take darkness for light and light for darkness! Isa5:20. The Righteous are impugned and pursued, their love repaid with hatred and disgust. . (Ps35:12) The good seed is trampled under foot and choked out by sin and shame. 

 
But the false Church System attempts to legitimize their sordid existence by spinning the Parable of the Wheat and Tares in favor of sin. The argument goes that Christ qualified this concept in Matt13:24-30, 37-43. By teaching a 'hidden concept of the visible and invisible Church residing on earth waiting for the Judgment in which it will be finally revealed WHO is Saved and who was faking it. Here is the first part of the Parable:

Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.

The first major discrepancy in the ‘invisible’ concept is that the True Servants of the Lord IMMEDIATELY recognize the presence Tares among the Wheat. They did not sit back and wait for the final harvest (end of the age) they KNEW something was wrong right away! The reason the Lord directed them to refrain from gathering up the Tares at the moment is that the FIELD represented the WORLD, NOT the Church!  As is perfectly clear in the next section: 

He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The 'field is the world, not the Church (Ekklesia, not a building) Although a Tare or Darnel can closely resemble Wheat (as a farmer knows) in that they have the 'appearance of wheat on the outside, growing in the field, but inside the seeds are replaced with a black powder like substance that has the potential to spread its poison to the wheat if it is opened up too early. The camouflage is almost perfect but on careful evaluation a  'genuine farmer' can tell the difference. This is the perfect illustration of 'You shall know them by their fruits' Matt12:33-37, the professing teachers and preachers who have a 'form of godliness but deny the power of a godly life through the inability gospel. They are 'poison to your soul and deadly to the field (world) They are the 'Darnel that His genuine Servants can recognize the dangerous influence immediately and take action to purge out the leaven in their midst (1Cor5:6-8) and warn others in the field to 'be not deceived' by appearances.

Christ is NOT presenting an illustration of His true Church on earth, He is explaining the condition of the World in which exists ‘Wheat’ & ‘Tares’ together until the end of the age. His Church (Ekklesia) is NOT invisible they are CLEARLY Visible as Lights in a Dark Place, the Salt of the earth, holding forth the Word of life to a crooked and perverse generation! Phil2:15-16. Christ refers to the Ekklesia as a lighted city set on a hill visible to all:

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Mt5:14-16  (not a building or temple, but a people ‘called out to testify of His Truth!)

Nothing in Scripture even remotely suggests that His Church is something invisible to the naked eye, known only to God. In fact it’s the VERY Opposite! Everything points to a people actively involved in Preaching the Word and Contending for the Truth to keep it pure. They oppose everything false and pull down the Strongholds of fallacy keeping people bared from the Kingdom. In Scripture a Tree is KNOWN by the Fruit it produces. It is said that a Good tree cannot produce Bad Fruit and a Bad tree cannot produce Good fruit. (Matt12:33-37) This also is shown to separate the sheep from the goats in that everyone will give account in the Day of Judgment for the content of their heart and the words that came forth from it.

False teachers are known by their Fruit, Mt7:15-20, shown as the bad trees baring only thorns and thistles; Sowing the Word into the thorny hearts of sin Lk8:14, promising people Liberty while they remain Slaves to their corruption. (2Pet2:18) Nothing is hidden to the True Disciples of Christ (Matt10:24-27) it will be brought to Light from the housetops, proclaimed to the World! (Acts17:30-31)

The Parable of the Sower also reveals how the Seed is shown in the world: Mt13:18-23, The SEED (Word of God) is Sown into the World at large, along the wayside, among thorns and stony places and on good ground. The Sower gone out to Sow are those among His ‘Called out ones’ (Ekklesia, his servants) Preaching the true Word to mankind. As Paul said in 1Cor3:6-8

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

The proper preaching of Repentance and faith proven by deeds, Acts26:18-21, is the effort put forth to convict the world of Sin, righteousness and Judgment through the Holy Spirit, so people will respond by breaking up the fallow ground of their hearts to 'receive the implanted word that is able to save their souls. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls Js1:21 This is the only way they can escape their delusions and become a DOER of the Word and not just an unfruitful hearer. Js1:22. If the Seed is Sown among thorns (the thorny hearts of rebellion) it will never take root and produce a good and godly life of obedience to God. Some can 'believe for a while' as Lk8:13 says, but its based on the false message of magic covers and liberty in sin. NOT on a heart broken up in repentance proven by deeds. (2Cor7:10-11) That's why so many in the Churches 'whither quickly and are choked out by the cares of the world, they never Crucified their love of self-indulgence in the process of repentance. John says: Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. Jh12:24  This is the 'good ground' in which the Seed takes root goes through its transformation and then produces a harvest. ONLY an honest and good heart 'prepared through repentance will actually 'return to obedience and live a godly life through faith.

In the Church Systems the Word is being Sown among thorns in the un-repented hearts of those who get 'saved in their sins and never crucify their flesh with its passions and desires, Gal5:24, Rom6:4-6, because they are told man lacks the ability to rightly obey God and must accept the fact they are born in a sinful condition that severely limits their ability to do what is right. When they buy into this fallacy the Word is automatically choked out and producing nothing. They can go on ever learning but will never come to a real Knowledge (precise and correct) of the Truth. 1Tim6:5

What is the Good Ground spoken of by Jesus;

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 Lk8:15

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” Matt13:23

But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Mark4:20

This is where a person becomes a 'Doer of the Word not a hearer only deceiving himself' Js1:22. Knowing that man does possess the capacity within himself to obey God and do what is right, the  'Noble and Good heart is the 'Honest heart not looking for more excuses (hidden guile) to be absolved from his duty to obey. He receives the Word, understands the imperative to repent and accepts his responsibility to produce deeds worthy of that repentance. 

By Definition:
 

Good Ground:  kalos:
denotes that which is intrinsically "good," and so, "goodly, fair, beautiful," as (a) of that which is well adapted to its circumstances or ends, e.g., fruit, Matt. 3:10; a tree, Matt. 12:33; ground, Matt. 13:8,23; fish, Matt. 13:48; the Law, Rom. 7:16; 1 Tim. 1:8; every creature of God, 1 Tim. 4:4; a faithful minister of Christ and the doctrine he teaches, 1 Tim. 4:6; (b) of that which is ethically good, right, noble, honorable, e.g., Gal. 4:18; 1 Tim. 5:10,25; 6:18; Titus 2:7,14; 3:8,14. The word does not occur in the Apocalypse, nor indeed after 1 Peter.

Nobel and Good Heart: Kalos:

and agathos occur together in Luke 8:15, an "honest" (kalos) heart, i.e., the attitude of which is right towards God; a "good" (agathos) heart, i.e., one that, instead of working ill to a neighbor, acts beneficially towards him.  In 1 Thess. 5:15, "follow after that which is good" (agathos), the "good" is that which is beneficial; in 1 Thess. 5:21, "hold fast that which is good (kalos)," the "good" describes the intrinsic value of the teaching. See BETTER, FAIR HONEST, MEET, WORTHY.

This is what makes all the difference in the world how the Seed (word) is being Sown into the hearts of men. The Seed itself is 'incorruptible and more precious than gold, 1Pet1:23, it will never take root in a heart 'corrupted by sin. There must be a Purging of the Vessel to make it Fit for the Master's use! 2Tim2:20-21, that has to happen in Repentance; where there is a clearing of wrong doing, vehement desire change, a fear of God and zeal to obey Him, which results in a Purity of heart that will KEEP His Word, not trample it underfoot claiming inability.

Obedience to the Truth Purifies the Heart, 1Pet1:22, ONLY then Can the Implanted Word take Root to the Saving of the Soul. Js1:21-22. Man is perfectly capable of a self-cleansing repentance in a season of godly sorrow for sin in response to the Gospel message. He certainly can't 'Save himself but he can repent. It's God who Supplies the Word (Seed) and calls all men to Repentance unto life, and its HIS BLOOD that Redeems us from the Corrupting influence of sin and remits our past sins. Our part is to Humbly Obey, lay aside our filthiness and overflow of wickedness, STOP all the known vile Sins, empty the heart of guile and deceit and Seek His Mercy. There is no magic COVER for Sin!  

Christ is looking for that Good and Noble Heart in which to Sow His Seed. The False teachers have Trampled Down the Vineyard and Filled the world with TARES. The People have placed their eternal well being in a System that is Rotten to the Core. They Stand on a foundation of Lies waiting for the Reapers to gather them for the furnace.