"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.
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."
"The saddest condition a man can be in is to sit under the most lively ordinances with a dead, stupid, untouched heart.
To hear God's word, and see his providences, and yet not to understand and perceive his will.
Thus does God choose sinners' delusions (Isaiah 66:4), and bind them over to the greatest ruin, by giving them up to their own hearts' lusts (Psalm 81:11,12) let them alone (Hosea 4:17) my Spirit shall not always strive,... Genesis 6:3."
Christ's Object Lessons p.46,47 E.G.W./Matthew Henry
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.
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."
"The saddest condition a man can be in is to sit under the most lively ordinances with a dead, stupid, untouched heart.
To hear God's word, and see his providences, and yet not to understand and perceive his will.
Thus does God choose sinners' delusions (Isaiah 66:4), and bind them over to the greatest ruin, by giving them up to their own hearts' lusts (Psalm 81:11,12) let them alone (Hosea 4:17) my Spirit shall not always strive,... Genesis 6:3."
Christ's Object Lessons p.46,47 E.G.W./Matthew Henry
