Of the four soils in Matthew chapter 13, which ones do you think actually represent people who are truly saved?
The four types of soil are described in Matt. 13:3-9 as the path, which has been made impenetrably hard by the foot traffic, the shallow rocky soil, the soil where thorns are growing, and the good soil. Of the four types, I think only the third and fourth represent saved believers.
In the parable, the seed represents the Gospel. When sown among hard-hearted non-believers it can’t take root. It’s like seed sown on the hard path.
When the Gospel is sown among people looking for an emotional experience, everyone gets excited but within a day or two it’s like they never heard it, and the first time someone criticizes them for it they abandon new found belief. They can’t defend it because they never allowed it into their heart. It was all on the surface. This is the seed sown in shallow rocky soil.
The seed sown among thorns represents most Christians today who are so distracted by the things of this world that they are not fruitful at all. In their heart they’re believers, and on Sunday you’ll find them in Church, but the rest of the week they’re trying to get as much out of this world as they can, and it’s hard to tell them from their unbelieving counterparts.
The seed sown in the good soil represents fruitful believers who are a small minority of today’s Christian population. They have applied Romans 12:1-2 and are no longer conforming to the pattern of this world. They have given themselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice and are seeking His will for their life.