Unbelief; The Reasons Behind it – Matthew 13

In the Parable of the Sower, The Messiah identifies several characteristics that will hinder belief. I focus on belief in this article because “without belief it is impossible to please Yah.”(Heb 11:6) All other manifestations of fruit stem from believing HIS Word. The hindrances to belief that are identified in this parable are usually glossed over. May that not be the case with you…

The text of the Parable;

Mat 13:4 “The Sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some indeed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them.”

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:18-19 “You, then, hear the parable of the sower: “When anyone hears the word of the reign, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that sown by the wayside.”

The Creator has given everyone autonomy in choice. I say this because earlier in the chapter, Yahshua states that some are not given ears to hear, eyes to see nor a heart to receive HIS Word, quoting Isaiah 6:9-10. Isaiah 6 focuses on the distinction between himself and those around him. Isaiah recognizes his uncleanness and admits it. Most of those around him were practicing lawlessness and rebellion. Isaiah hears the Word of Yah and sees his condition. The ninety percent do not. Why didn’t they? In the parable of the sower, The Messiah is applying Isaiah 6 to the current time. Because the majority were living in lawlessness (in opposition to HIS Commands), they too would not understand HIM and would not receive HIS Word into their hearts. The influence upon them is in direct proportion to their connection with the devil and his kingdom(this world). This prohibits them from understanding HIS Word. In fact, in John chapter 8, The Messiah likens the fruit of their lives as proof that they are sons of the devil. Consider;

John 8:43-44a“Why do you not know what I say? Because you are unable to hear My Word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you wish to do.”

Before we get to feeling too good about ourselves in comparison, we need to consider these words;

Ephesians 2:1-3 “And you were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the authority of the air, (birds of the air) of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, as also the rest.”

Notice that Paul is speaking to them regarding their past, because when they had heard HIS Word they repented and were now able to hear clearer, receive more and increase in belief regarding the Word of YAH. Those who continue to walk “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the authority of the air”, professing believer or not, do so through unbelief on the wayside…

The parable;

Mat 13:5-6 “And others fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered.”

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:20-21 “And that sown on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived, and when pressure or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.”

This person at first is joyous to receive HIS Word, but notice in verse 6, “But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered.”I can’t help but think that The Messiah used this wording to express something deeper. The influence of sun worship on world religions is remarkable! Is HE warning HIS own regarding this matter? I can say that when we saw the practices of sun worship permeating Christianity, our coming out of it was not without pressure! We have seen numerous people stumble under that “pressure” (lit; trouble, anguish) and the “persecution” (lit; pursue) described here! But for us who endure, the blessings have far outweighed the pressure!

Mat 5:10-12 Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness sake, because theirs is the reign of the heavens. Blessed are you when they reproach and persecute you, and falsely say every wicked word against you, for My sake. Rejoice and be glad, because your reward in the heavens is great. For in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Mat 10:22 “And you shall be hated by all for My Name’s sake. But he who shall have endured to the end shall be saved.

The parable;

Mat 13:7 “And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:22 “And that sown among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this age and the deceit of riches choke the word, and it becomes fruitless.”

The one who hears HIS Word, but because the cares of this age or literally; the distractions offered in this life’s pursuits, will find themselves deluded by pursuing riches just as the devil tried to trip up The Messiah in offering HIM the reigns of the world… Consider;

Mat 4:8 Again, the devil took Him up on a very high mountain, and showed Him all the reigns of the world, and their esteem, and said to Him, “All these I shall give You if You fall down and worship me.” Then Yahshua said to him, “Go, Satan! For it has been written, ‘You shall worship Yahweh your Elohim, and Him alone you shall serve.’ (quoting Dt. 6:13)

1Ti 6:9-10 “But those wishing to be rich fall into trial and a snare, and into many foolish and injurious lusts which plunge men in ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some, by longing for it, have strayed from the belief, and pierced themselves through with many pains.”

The parable;

Mat 13:8-9 “And others fell on good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Messiah’s explanation;

Mat 13:23 “And that sown on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields – some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The one who receives(hears) the Truth of HIS Word and comprehends(understands) it, who allows HIS Spirit to teach, comfort, guide, empower and gift him, will bear fruit in proportion to the amount of submission that he / she gives to HIS Word and HIS Spirit!

Rom 10:17 So then belief comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Elohim.

John 14:15-17 “If you love Me, you shall guard My commands. And I shall ask the Father, and He shall give you another Helper, to stay with you forever – the Spirit of the Truth, whom the world is unable to receive, because it does not see Him or know Him. But you know Him, for He stays with you and shall be in you.”

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Set-apart Spirit, whom the Father shall send in My Name, He shall teach you all, and remind you of all that I said to you.”

John 16:13 “But when He comes, the Spirit of the Truth, He shall guide you into all the truth. For He shall not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears He shall speak, and He shall announce to you what is to come.

1Co 12:4 And there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit1Co 12:9 and to another belief by the same Spirit

Gal 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, (belief), gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no Torah.

Verses depicting unbelief;

Mat 13:58 “And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.”

Why? Because they saw HIM, not as The Messiah, but according to the flesh; Joseph and Mary’s son. The fleshly perspective (in Adam) does not understand nor believe…

Mat 17:19-21 Then the taught ones came to Yahshua by Himself and said, “Why were we unable to cast him out?” And Yahshua said to them, “Because of your unbelief, for truly, I say to you, if you have belief as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move. And no matter shall be impossible for you. But this kind does not go out except through prayer and fasting.”

Belief comes through relationship with Truth, (Word + Spirit) which results in selflessness.

Mar 9:24 And immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “I believe Master, help my unbelief!”

A truthful confession of our belief (and unbelief), results in answers.

1Tim 1:13 me, although I was formerly a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an insulter. But compassion was shown me because being ignorant I did it in unbelief.

Ignorance of The Truth results in unbelief. Scriptural belief is based only on The Truth.

Heb 3:18-19 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter into His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they were unable to enter in because of unbelief.

Those who begin but do not continue to act on HIS Word will not continue in belief.

The choice is yours. Will The Messiah find you believing when HE returns? Luke 18:8 “But when the Son of Adam comes, shall He find the belief on the earth?”

The Law of The Spirit

THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT

The following paragraph from a typical commentary is supposed to help the reader understand and rightly apply Romans 8:1-8. The perspective seen in this commentary reflects that perspective held by much of today’s traditional Christianity regarding The Law (Torah or Instruction) of YAHWEH. Unfortunately an unspiritual approach has enabled this perspective to be propagated. May you see the contradictions and inconsistencies of this commentary and today’s un-scriptural view of  the Words of YAHWEH!

The commentary states;

How does the Christian live a righteous life without a constant struggle to keep God’s Law? Paul introduced another universal principle: the law of life lived in the power of the Spirit (8:1-2). Old Testament Law failed to produce righteousness. So in Messiah God condemned “sin in sinful man’’ and provided His Spirit, who enables believers to fully meet the Law’s requirements without “trying” (vv. 3-4). We focus on responding to God’s Spirit rather than on trying to keep laws (vv. 5-8). If we’re controlled by the Spirit who brought life to Messiah’s dead body, He will bring life to us who are spiritually dead (vv. 9-12). Our obligation is not to the Law, but to respond to the Spirit’s promptings (vv. 13-16).

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah YAHSHUA.”

Some would have us believe that Paul is making a distinction between the The Law of YAHWEH and Messiah YAHSHUA. However, if we are to stay with the context of the previous chapter we realize that Paul addresses the condemnation that comes upon those who “add to and/or subtract from” (Dt. 4:2 & 12:32) HIS Word and as the result are guilty of creating their own (or another) law! This, the Pharisees were guilty of. This also, today’s Christianity is guilty of.

Paul expresses this in Romans 7:22-23,

For I joyfully concur with the Law of YAHWEH in the inner man, but I see a DIFFERENT law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind (the Law of YAH), and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.”

An All Knowing ELOHIM would know that men would eventually replace HIS Law with their own law. The other law that Paul refers to in Romans 7 is that law that his sect had taught him to walk in prior to his coming to the unadulterated Law of YAH through his conversion in MESSIAH YAHSHUA! These two laws are in opposition to each other and cannot be reconciled. Paul describes the struggle that he has as he commits to the Law of YAHWEH through the renewal of his mind as a recipient of HIS SPIRIT, while at the same time his flesh wars against YAH’S Law at every turn. But YAH ALSO foreseeing this, promises the remedy to HIS own in Ezekiel 36:26-27;

“Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put MY SPIRIT within you and cause you to walk in MY Statutes, and you will be careful to observe MY Ordinances!”

In Messiah, one has the capacity to walk in obedience to HIS Law, by the power of HIS SPIRIT.

So again, we see Paul stating in Romans 8:1 that the condemnation of walking in law according to man is overcome by those who allow the SPIRIT to accomplish HIS work of causing HIS people to walk in HIS STATUTES and ORDINANCES. (HIS Law) Paul further clarifies this as we move on…

Romans 8:2

For the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahshua has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

Some (in their lawlessness) would have us to believe that this “law of the Spirit” is a law that is completely disconnected from and in contradiction to the already established Law of YAH! How can that be? We must ask ourselves; Has the Spirit of YAH somehow established HIS own set of laws? Has the Spirit of YAH decided to act on his own accord? Consider what YAHSHUA says concerning the character/nature and ministry of HIS Spirit:

John 16:13

“But when HE, the SPIRIT of Truth comes, HE will guide you into all the truth; for HE will not speak on HIS own initiative, but whatever HE hears, HE will speak; and HE will disclose to you what is to come”

John 14:15-17

“If you love me, keep MY Commandments. And I will pray the Father , and HE shall give you another Comforter (HIS SPIRIT), that HE may abide with you for ever; the SPIRIT of TRUTH whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth HIM not, neither knoweth HIM: but you know HIM; for HE dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”

John 14:26

But the HELPER, the Set-Apart SPIRIT whom the FATHER will send in MY name, HE will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

From these verses it is apparent that the only Law/Commandments that The SPIRIT of TRUTH is to have anything to do with is The Word, the  Commandments uttered by YAHWEH HIMSELF!

Some even attempt to take their argument further and would have us to believe that the Commandments that YAHSHUA is referring to in John are only those which HE established during HIS earthly ministry! Lets keep in mind what John the apostle says in regards to who YAHSHUA is! According to his gospel in chapter 1, verse 1;

In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with YAH and the Word was YAH. HE was in the beginning with YAH.”

John says that YAHSHUA came as The Word / YAH incarnate. So, if YAHSHUA is both The Word & ONE with YAH, when did HE begin to speak the things that the SPIRIT is to “bring to our remembrance?” Some would have us to believe that YAHSHUA began to speak beginning in the New Testament. How can that be if HE is described in the New Testament as YAH The Word??? If YAH does not change and YAH’S Word does not change, how do we scripturally rationalize having TWO opposing sets of YAH’S Law in existence? (i.e. one set of laws in the Old Testament and another set in the New Testament)

So, since HE is The Living Word of YAH, when YAHSHUA states that the Set-Apart SPIRIT will “bring to your remembrance all that I said to you” HE is referring to the process of the fulfillment of Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 with HIS Statutes, HIS Ordinances being now on the hearts and in our minds of those who receive HIM! Those who would rather have a New Testament (ONLY) YAHSHUA with a New Testament set of commandments are perverting the Scriptures and have fallen into what the New Testament refers to as “lawlessness” (anti-law) or the attitude and actions of rejecting the Law of YAHWEH. For that they will have to stand before The Living Law of YAH and give an account. I fear that it will not be a pleasant experience for them…

Many who reject this truth cite verse 3 in Romans 8 to somehow try and establish a case for YAH’S Law being “weak and beggarly”. But notice where the real weakness lies…

Romans 8:3

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, YAH did; sending HIS own SON in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, HE condemned sin in the flesh,”

There are two possible applications to what Paul refers to here.

  1. Paul is saying that the Law of YAH was rendered weak “through the flesh”, being written on stone it was not capable of empowering anyone to obey it.

  2. Paul is saying that men have taken YAH’S perfect Law and polluted it by “adding to it and/or subtracting from it” making it weak and fleshly.

In either case, or even the combination of these two possibilities, it makes no difference, YAH sent HIS SON, The Living Word to inaugurate the New Covenant through HIS sinless life (as witnessed by HIS Law), proving HIMSELF to be the atoning sacrifice for OUR sins as The LAMB of YAH!

Romans 8:4

that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Look at how perfectly this all fits together in context! Because Messiah YAHSHUA, (being YAH / Word incarnate) walked according to The Law of YAH, exposing the law of man (lawlessness in unbelief), and lived sinless so that HE would be an acceptable sacrifice on the for our sins, as proven by HIM being victorious over sin and death, we now by having HIS Law upon our hearts & minds are empowered by HIS SPIRIT to walk in obedience to HIS Law and experience victory over the flesh! Blessed be HIS Name!

Romans 8:5

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
Simply put; “If your religion is based on what man (Adamic flesh) establishes, (unbelief, disobedience, additions to / subtractions from HIS Law), that is where your allegiance will be. If your religion is based on what YAH establishes, (Belief, Truth, HIS Law in your heart & mind) being quickened by HIS SPIRIT , then consequently your allegiance will be to HIM/HIS Word!” Paul states it this way so that you and I can objectively determine exactly where our own allegiance lies!

(See article, “Measuring Belief Systems By The Commandments“)

Romans 8:6

For to be carnally (fleshly) minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

Being fleshly minded in unbelief, (having your allegiance to what man establishes) will result in death. This is what Paul referred to earlier in verse 2, as “the law of sin and of death.”

Being spiritually minded in belief, (having your allegiance to what YAH establishes) will result in life! This is what Paul referred to earlier in verse 2, as “the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah Yahshua…”

Romans 8:7

Because the carnal(fleshly) mind is enmity against YAH; for it is not subject to the Law of YAH, nor indeed can be”


Notice which mind cannot be subject to The Law of YAH! It’s the Adamic/carnal/fleshly mind who is not experiencing The New Covenant as prophesied in Jeremiah 31, Ezekiel 36 and witnessed on The Day of Pentecost in Acts 2! It’s the carnal/fleshly mind who rejects YAH’S Law, written on the heart/mind, empowered by HIS SPIRIT causing obedience to HIM! But today’s Christianity is being taught that it is the spiritual minded believer who is to reject YAH’S Law, saying that obedience to YAH’s Law is “legalism, bondage, etc.” and is irrelevant to him/her today!!! That is diametrically opposed to what we have just read in The Scriptures!

Romans 8:8

So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please YAH.”

Those with their allegiance to what man establishes cannot please YAH because they have their minds set on a man made standard that either pollutes YAH’S Law by adding to it and/or subtracting from it OR they reject YAH’S Law altogether. Both cases are examples of “lawlessness” (anti-law). According to YAH’S Word “without belief it is impossible to please YAH.” True scriptural belief can only be experienced by hearing, (understanding, perceiving) believing YAH’S commentary by HIS Spirit of HIS Word, producing obedience in and through the life! True scriptural belief cannot be experienced in believing and obeying man’s law; his traditions and practices… One Law is of belief; “the law of the SPIRIT of life in Messiah YAHSHUA.” The other law is of unbelief; “the law of sin and death.” I encourage you to choose wisely…

(See article, “Works of Torah EXPOSED!“)