Lose Your Salvation? The Gift You Did Not Deserve or Earn? No Way

The following question from GotQuestions.org has just been assigned and answered by Fletcher Law.

QUESTION RECEIVED:
Is Matthew 13 verse 18-23 saying that a believer can lose his/her salvation?

MY ANSWER:

Everybody can have an opinion but Scripture rightly applied trumps all.
Let's look at the text for our answer.

Matthew 13:18-23 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Sower Explained

18 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

So some hear and do not understand. (vs. 19) "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road."
No salvation or commitment here.
This reminds me of Acts 8:30-31,(NASB) "30 Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him."
Phillip explained the scripture here. It is the gospel that does the work. Christ's offer to redeem repenting sinners happens after the gospel was explained through scripture.
In the parable there was no one to explain the gospel and the "evil one" snatches it away.
No salvation was received or lost so far in the text.

How about the man who has a shallow or "rocky" understanding? "Rocky" after hearing the Word jumps for joy and thinks the seed is great. Like folks do at a juiced up revival or youth rally. "Rocky" thinks the gospel is just the latest great thing. there is no repenting of sins in response to the gospel. Easy come - easy go. He does not receive the gospel in his soul or heart. The "believer" was not a "Believer".

Matthew 13:20 "20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away."
No salvation gained or lost here in this biblical text.
Romans 8:6 says about false believers- "6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel;".

Matthew 13:22 (NASB) "22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

The man loved things of the world more than Jesus. Like the "Rich Young Ruler" in Luke 18, the man in the parable yearned for the world and it's possessions not Christ. Like "The Rich Young Ruler" the man in the parable heard the word, seemed like a candidate to be a Christian, and he walked away from the precious gift of Christ due to his own greed for false treasure.
No salvation gained -no salvation lost.

Jesus has to have all of you or none of you. God is a jealous God. You receive His gift supplied by the atoning death of his Son or you are described as His enemy.

The prophet Nahum said-
Nahum 1:2(NASB)
"2 A jealous and avenging God is the LORD; The LORD is avenging and wrathful.
The LORD takes vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies."

Jesus Christ said-
Luke 14:33(NASB)
"33 So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions."

Now let's look at the man who was saved in this parable.
Matthew 13:23 (NASB) "23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

The saved man heard, he understood the gospel and received it with true understanding of the gospel. That is true joy, not the superficial reaction of a man caught in the world. His fruitful life demonstrates his salvation. He knew he was a sinner. That Jesus Christ offered the free gift of salvation. Christ died to pay the sin debt for mankind. When we repent and trust that Christ died for our sins we are saved. We have forgiveness of sins, peace with God and become citizens of Heaven.

Romans 5:15 (NASB)
"15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many."

So- Lose Your Salvation? The Gift You Did Not Deserve or Earn? No Way!