Luke 8 v 6. “Some fell on the rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because it had no moisture.”
Jesus explained that another response to the message of the Kingdom is its reception with joy. But this joy is short lived because they have no root. There are people who seem to really believe the message, but it is only for a while. When tough times come they fall away.
All too often we meet people who seem to be sincerely converted but then we are disappointed to hear that they have returned to their old lifestyle. Jesus says this is because they have no “root”. It is possible to have a very favourable response to Christianity without actually being truly converted. A truly converted man or woman has something that has taken hold of him/her. Jesus calls it a “root”. It is a way of speaking about that deep and supernatural change brought about in the heart by the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is a reminder of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7 v 21: “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord”, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven”. Notice the person who Jesus refers to says “Lord, Lord”. To Jesus himself – “to me”. In other words Jesus plainly teaches that there are such things as spurious conversions. This should encourage us all to be more discerning and not so naïve when people make religious claims. We should ask the Lord to give us insight and patience to see if those who say they are Christians have taken “root”.
It should also be a warning to all of us who are Christians. It is possible to say “Lord, Lord” for many years. But one day the test will come when we will be called upon to act on our Christian faith. All of us should have a genuine “spiritual” root. Let’s all examine ourselves before God so that we will pass the test.