A Sort of Believers Never Saved: The Danger of Miscarrying by a False, Ineffectual Faith

Luke 8:13. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the [reconstructed: word] with joy; and these have no root; which for a while believe; and in time of temptation fall away.

Our blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, the great prophet of his church, and the apostle and high priest of our profession, was accustomed to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven in parables, and in parables to utter things that have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. Great truths were thus parabolically delivered, enigmatical and hard to be understood and discerned — a singular judgment upon gospel-despisers for their contumacious infidelity — lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and should be converted and healed. Our Savior therefore spoke to them in parables, and without a parable did he not speak to them (Matthew 13:15). But who is wise shall understand these things, and he who is prudent shall know them. These mysteries, though mystically revealed, the true followers and disciples of Christ shall be instructed in them.

Our Savior, in the chapter wherein you find our text, observing the infidelity and unfruitfulness of great numbers of his hearers and followers, put forth a parable admirably adapted to the purpose — to set forth the various efficacy of the word, the seed of faith, upon four different sorts of hearers, namely, by the parable of the sower and the seed that fell upon four different sorts of ground: the highway, the stony ground, the thorny ground, and the good ground.

The parable is (1) propounded in verses 5, 6, 7, 8; (2) expounded in our text and context.

In our text, under the parable of the seed that fell on stony places, or on the rock, our Savior is detecting a sort of hearers upon whom the word, the seed of faith, falling, had two notable effects: (1) moving the affections — when they hear they receive the word with joy — and (2) operating faith — which for a while they believe. The seed of the word, received with joy, produced this fruit of faith, which is described three ways in our text.

First, from its sprouting and springing: it sprang from a sudden pang and flash of joy in hearing.

Second, from its lasting and continuing: they believe for a while, and indeed it was but for a while — it was not long and lasting.

Third, from its wasting and withering, occasioned by the scorching sun of temptation: in the time of temptation they fall away. So in Matthew 13:6, when the sun was up they were scorched, and the reason is rendered: because they had no root, they withered away.

So in our text: these have no root; which for a while believe, etc. Their faith was not well grounded and rooted, but like the seed that fell on the rock, where possibly there was some earth on the top of the rock, or worked into the roots of the rock, but no depth of earth. Hence the roots being shallow, when the sun arose the moisture was soon dried up, and the sprouting soon turned to withering.

So it was with the seed of faith that fell upon these hearers: there was some shallow earth, but the rock at the bottom, the heart unbroken, unhumbled, unsubdued. Hence the seed had some sprouting but took no rooting: their flashy affections in hearing the word had no principles to maintain them, and therefore came to nothing. The root of the matter was not in them: they wanted depth of earth; the plow had not gone deep enough, and therefore, though the earth were good and the seed good, yet not being well covered it miscarries. Exoriuntur sed Exuruntur: the roots are burnt up, like the wicked (Job 18:16) — his roots are dried up beneath, and above his bud is cut off.

Thus we see what becomes of the faith of the stony ground hearers: they had a faith, but not being well grounded and rooted, it was not sound and saving — they fell away and missed heaven in the height of their hopes, notwithstanding their faith.

Amidst the many truths that are deducible from this text, we are to take notice of this one, from those words: who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.

Finis.