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Christ’s Object Lessons
Satan has many helpers. Many who profess to be Christians are
aiding the tempter to catch away the seeds of truth from other hearts.
Many who listen to the preaching of the word of God make it the
subject of criticism at home. They sit in judgment on the sermon
as they would on the words of a lecturer or a political speaker. The
message that should be regarded as the word of the Lord to them is
dwelt upon with trifling or sarcastic comment. The minister’s character,
motives, and actions, and the conduct of fellow members of the church,
are freely discussed. Severe judgment is pronounced, gossip or slander
repeated, and this in the hearing of the unconverted. Often these things
are spoken by parents in the hearing of their own children. Thus
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are destroyed respect for God’s messengers, and reverence for their
message. And many are taught to regard lightly God’s word itself.
Thus in the homes of professed Christians many youth are educated
to be infidels. And the parents question why their children are so
little interested in the gospel, and so ready to doubt the truth of the
Bible. They wonder that it is so difficult to reach them with moral
and religious influences. They do not see that their own example has
hardened the hearts of their children. The good seed finds no place to
take root, and Satan catches it away.
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.