In the third chapter of “Do You Believe Jesus” I emphasised, the vast majority of mankind has not yet been called by God. Those of the first resurrection will number a mere 144,000 individuals. They make up the firstfruits of those adopted into the family of God, called to become members of Gods’ government or Kingdom. At that point they represent the only group of “saved” among all those who were ever born, and they don’t achieve this status until the resurrection. At this point they are only heirs to the promise, they have not yet attained it. They are those of the first resurrection, described by Jesus in his parable as the seed that “fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit”. Jesus also described other seed:

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 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. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: Matthew 13:4-7 (KJV)

What about these groups, what is their fate?

All of these groups, metaphorically represented by seed are only those who have been called. The vast majority of humankind, though billions of them believe they have been saved, have never understood God’s true message. They read it in their Bibles but do not comprehend.

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. . . Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: Matthew 13:11, 13-14 (KJV)

Their minds have been “concluded”, meaning “shut up” by God. They do not yet have the ability to understand through no fault of their own. God elected to withhold this knowledge from them so that at some future date he might have mercy on them.

 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all. Romans 11:31-32 (KJV)

Untold numbers of professing Christians are not represented by this parable as are the majority of all who have ever lived, God withheld this knowledge from them.

Getting back to Jesus’ description of the seed sown by the sower and their fate. If only the seed that fell upon good soil become part of the firstfruits, what of that seed that fell by the wayside, and that seed that that fell upon the stony places or among the thorns, what will become of them? Read on, Jesus spelled it out.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. Matthew 13:19 (KJV)

Certainly this group will be included in the second resurrection. For Jesus himself said he would not judge those who failed to understand and believe.

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. John 12:47 (KJV)

Jesus’ description of the other groups is quite another story, however.

But he that received the seed into 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. He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. Matthew 13:20-22 (KJV)

 These groups represent called individuals who believed and accepted the message but in the end failed to carry through and endure to the end. They had no doubt been recipients of the holy spirit of God but somehow let it all slip away and have become guilty of the unpardonable sin. They are headed for the lake of fire. Jesus put further emphasis on this in the parable of the tares:

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.Matthew 13:37-43 (KJV)

Do you believe Jesus?