In Stony Places
“He that receiveth 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.”
The seed sown upon stony ground finds little depth of soil. The
plant springs up quickly, but the root cannot penetrate the rock to
find nutriment to sustain its growth, and it soon perishes. Many who
make a profession of religion are stony-ground hearers. Like the
rock underlying the layer of earth, the selfishness of the natural heart
underlies the soil of their good desires and aspirations. The love of
self is not subdued. They have not seen the exceeding sinfulness of
sin, and the heart has not been humbled under a sense of its guilt. This
class may be easily convinced, and appear to be bright converts, but
they have only a superficial religion.
It is not because men receive the word immediately, nor because
they rejoice in it, that they fall away. As soon
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as Matthew heard the Saviour’s call, immediately he rose up, left all,
and followed Him. As soon as the divine word comes to our hearts,
God desires us to receive it; and it is right to accept it with joy. “Joy
shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7. And
there is joy in the soul that believes on Christ. But those who in the
parable are said to receive the word immediately, do not count the
cost. They do not consider what the word of God requires of them.
They do not bring it face to face with all their habits of life, and yield
themselves fully to its control.
The roots of the plant strike down deep into the soil, and hidden
from sight nourish the life of the plant. So with the Christian; it
is by the invisible union of the soul with Christ, through faith, that
the spiritual life is nourished. But the stony-ground hearers depend
upon self instead of Christ. They trust in their good works and good
impulses, and are strong in their own righteousness. They are not
strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Such a one “hath
not root in himself”; for he is not connected with Christ.
The hot summer sun, that strengthens and ripens the hardy grain,
destroys that which has no depth of root. So he who “hath not root in
himself,” “dureth for a while”; but “when tribulation or persecution
ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.” Many
receive the gospel as a way of escape from suffering, rather than as
a deliverance from sin. They rejoice for a season, for they think that
religion will free them from difficulty and trial. While life moves
smoothly with them, they may appear to be consistent Christians.
But they faint beneath the fiery test of temptation. They cannot bear
reproach for Christ’s sake. When the word of God points out some
cherished sin, or requires self-denial or sacrifice, they are offended. It
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would cost them too much effort to make a radical change in their
life. They look at the present inconvenience and trial, and forget the
eternal realities. Like the disciples who left Jesus, they are ready to
say, “This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” John 6:60.
There are very many who claim to serve God, but who have no
experimental knowledge of Him. Their desire to do His will is based
upon their own inclination, not upon the deep conviction of the Holy
Spirit. Their conduct is not brought into harmony with the law of God.
They profess to accept Christ as their Saviour, but they do not believe
that He will give them power to overcome their sins. They have not
a personal relation with a living Saviour, and their characters reveal
defects both hereditary and cultivated.
It is one thing to assent in a general way to the agency of the
Holy Spirit, and another thing to accept His work as a reprover
calling to repentance. Many feel a sense of estrangement from God,
a realization of their bondage to self and sin; they make efforts for
reform; but they do not crucify self. They do not give themselves
entirely into the hands of Christ, seeking for divine power to do His
will. They are not willing to be molded after the divine similitude.
In a general way they acknowledge their imperfections, but they do
not give up their particular sins. With each wrong act the old selfish
nature is gaining strength.
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The only hope for these souls is to realize
in themselves the truth
of Christ’s words to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.” “Except a
man be born from above, he can not see the kingdom of God.” John
3:7, 3, margin.
True holiness is wholeness in the service of God. This is the
condition of true Christian living. Christ asks for an
