Thorns and Thistles

 Thorns and Thistles

What is the symbolism of sin?

 

 

As Saints we need to understand the Word, and the work we are called to do.

We need to understand the world around us and what is going on in our lives, and the lives of people we are in contact with.

Why do we sin?

Why do we have difficult lives?

The reason is because Adam chose to eat of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, after being warned not to.

This brought death into the world. It caused humans to have a corrupted nature. It allowed Satan to take dominion of this world from Adam.

That is why we sin. That is why we die. and that is why there is a power that seems to rule over this world.

But, God did not leave us like that.

He came and brought a curse, “for our sake”. (Gen. 3 KJV)

The curse did not bring death or sin or Satan, those things already existed because of the fall. And God does not cause us to sin. That is not His character.

We commit sins because of what is in us from the fall. Our corrupted nature. This is important to understand. It’s like the symptoms of a spiritual plague. The plague of Sin.

God laid down His curse not as a punishment but as a tool to cause us to turn to Him and be saved. He is our only Hope.

He created the woman to be a helper to the man. So, the curse plays on her desire to help and nurture. It causes her to seek God for salvation and help, through her desire for family. She needs help and God is the only help.

 The man is not cursed. But, the earth is cursed, so that no matter what he does, it only brings forth thorns and thistles. His hard work, is supposed to cause him to turn to God for salvation and help.

This is literally true. But, there is a symbolic truth involved, because thorns and thistles are symbols of sin.

It means that all his works are sin. It means that no matter how hard he tries he cannot produce good. This symbolism is supposed to teach us that there is nothing we can do to fix ourselves, only Christ can do that.

Everything around us are symbols of the truth of God. Every aspect of reality is interwoven with the truth of His Word.

So, let’s look at more thorns and thistles.

Paul says that Jesus Christ was made sin for us. (2 Cor. 5:21)

God made a sinless Christ into sin for us and nailed it to the cross.

He nailed Sin itself to the cross.

Notice how Jesus was given a crown of thorns and a robe of scarlet. (Matthew 27:27-30)

These are the symbols showing He was made sin for us.

Sin and it’s power over us has been destroyed on the cross if we turn to Him. If we ask Him to save us and confess Him as our Lord. (Rom 10:9-10)

That doesn’t mean we don’t sin. Remember every work we do is filthy rags. It is all sin, unless we do it through and in Him.

And when we sin we confess our sins to Him and He is faithful and just to cleanse us of ALL sin. (1 John 1:8-10)

But, ALL of our sin is gone in Him. It is as though we had never sinned at all. Christ’s blood washes us clean. So, clean that we do not sin, even in the midst of our sin. It is not held to our account.

But, have we really turned to Him? Do we really know Him?

That is important.

In these last days we need to make sure we are in Christ. He is our Ark for salvation.

The scriptures teach that there will be people who think they are saved, because they are relying on their own works, instead of the finished work of Christ.

Are we relying totally on Him, or are we trying to do things ourselves, and only producing thorns and thistles?

Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?”— (Matt. 7)

The fruits of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance, do not come from the flesh. They come from the Holy Spirit in us and working in us. Our fleshly works only produce thorns and thistles.

Are you growing in the Spirit? Are you producing good fruits? Are the people you seek to follow as leaders really producing good fruits?

The narrow way that leads to life is Jesus Christ and Him alone for salvation. It is not by works. It is not by flesh which produces thorns and thistles. It is not because you quit sinning. You cannot quit sinning, its all thorns and thistles without Christ.

 Jesus tells us of the Sower in Matthew 13.

The Word of God goes forth into the World.

Some people become quickly deceived by Satan and demonic forces and cannot understand the Word, or refuse to receive it.

Others hear it, and are overjoyed that God will forgive them of sins and work in their life. But, trouble comes and people make fun of them or persecute them. So, they turn away from God. They never knew Him. They had no root, in Him.

Some people hear the Word, but thorns and thistles choke it out. They let the problems of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke out the Word. They never turned to God and let Him save them. The sin and flesh in their life overpowered the Word. They relied on their own works and wealth to save them.

But, when we are willing to let God work, and give ourselves to Him. When we are broken enough, like good soil prepared for the Word. We can turn to God and be saved. Growing in Him.

God keeps coming. His Word is everywhere. He does not just try one time and you are done. He keeps working to save us till we are dead.

We might be hard hearted, but over time He breaks us and softens us so that we can hear Him speak and accept Him. Then, His Word grows in us a mighty Oak, that thorns cannot stop. God works to prepare the soil of our heart to receive Him. We cannot.

Never stop turning to God. Never stop relying on Him alone for salvation, not by our works but by His grace and goodness.

By His Holy Spirit working in us, we can produce fruit, instead of the thorns and thistles of the flesh.

The Word speaks that in these last days there will fall away great numbers of Christians who never really knew Him. They will beat the men servants and maid servants. They will give in to persecution and have no root in God. They will have no oil of faith in the their lamp, when He comes. They will be rejected. (2 Thess. 2:3, Matt. 25, Luke 12:45,)

Make sure you are with the Lord.

Time is drawing near.

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Bio: Chris Bunton is a writer, poet and blogger.

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