 
The following piece was first published in the January 1965 issue of The Christian Pathway. Written by Elder Ralph Harris.
THE PITCHER PLANT
Several years ago my wife and I were handed a small tract entitled The Pitcher Plant in which the deceitfulness of sin, the power of Satan, and the way of the world is illustrated by the beautiful pitcher plant. The following account was given:
“It has somewhat the shape of a tall pitcher, small at the bottom and larger at the top. It secretes a fluid that attracts insects to itself and which they like very much. Drawn by the smell of this fluid, the various bugs, flies, etc. enter into the mouth of the pitcher plant and begin to eat the good tasting fluid which is around the edges. Desiring more and more of this nice fluid, they crawl down farther and farther into the plant to where it is plentiful.”
Slippery, little, spike-like fibers pointing downward on the inside of the plant make the going down very easy, but bar the way out. When the insect tries to climb back out of the plant, these little spikes are like an army of swords lined up against it. Escape is impossible, and at last the entrapped, struggling insect’s strength is all used up and it falls into the pit of the plant. Here it is drowned by the very fluid it desired.”
What a picture this is of man’s fall in the garden and his natural course ever since. Once Adam had sinned he lost forever the former life of bliss and happiness he had enjoyed in the garden. The cherubim and a flaming sword prevented further access to the tree of life. He plunged his entire posterity into mortal death, which resulted in alienation from God and the loss of all power to please Him.
Since this fall, man by nature is on a downward course, coming forth from the womb speaking lies; conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity; the things of the Spirit of God are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them for they are spiritually discerned. He cannot please God. He can no more do good than the Ethiopian can change his skin or the leopard his spots. He delights in his abominations and will not seek after God for there is no fear of God before his eyes.
The above mentioned tract was of course dispersed by those of Armenian thinking and their appeal was for all those on this downward course to accept Christ as their personal Saviour and thereby be freed from eternal death. But let us notice how convincingly their own illustration renders such an appeal useless.
In the first place, we find that the little insects are not concerned about the consequences of their pleasure binge. This certainly is the attitude of the unregenerate world. The average American, according to recent surveys, spends more time watching television than he does at work. Millions of people jam the ballparks every Lord’s Day. The rise in crime is faster than the rise in population. But are these people concerned with the results of such a course? Does it strike fear into their hearts to warn them of approaching doom? If so, why are these things on a rapid increase all the time? Where there is true godly sorrow there is a turning from these things.
But does this not show plainly the natural course of man? He finds some way to justify himself regardless of his sins. Some will say, “Well, I don’t see any harm in this or that,” as though their opinion in the matter is all that is to be considered. Others will say, “Well, the preacher does it, so there must not be any harm in it,” as though the preacher could not be wrong. And others just plainly do not care whether it is right or wrong.
Secondly, we find that the pitcher plant is very attractive to insects. They like its substance very much. It tastes very good to them and they desire more and more of it. This is exactly the attitude of unregenerate men and women toward sin. That is why they will not seek God. That is why they will not exchange ungodliness for righteousness. They love sin. It is a sweet morsel to them and they desires more and more of it. And thus it is as Paul said, “There is none (that is, none of such characters) that seeketh after God” (Rom. 3:11).
And thirdly, the pitcher plant illustration gives us this striking point concerning the little insect’s plight. It says, “Escape is impossible.” How true this is of “them that perish”. If man were required to meet one condition in order to become a spiritual man, then none of Adam’s race would ever see heaven. “They that are in the flesh cannot please God.” As it is with the insect that is a captive to the pitcher plant, so it is with a man who is a captive of and servant to sin. Escape is impossible so far as his own ability is concerned and the answer of Christ when He was asked, “Who then can be saved?” still applies. “With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.”
So the pitcher plant offers strong argument against the idea that a man in nature can climb out of death in sins into freedom from the judgment of God. It illustrates the necessity of salvation by grace. This is only one of many examples where even nature itself exposes false ideas and doctrines. How our hearts should burn with love toward Him who hath revealed unto us things that no carnal eye hath seen. It is not of the wisdom of this world, which comes to naught, but of the wisdom of God in a mystery. May He add His blessings.
