December 13, AD2011

In the parable of the sower, Jesus spoke of the seed “sown on the rocky places.” He explained that, “this is the man who hears the Word, and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, when affliction or persecution arises because of the Word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20, 21).

Jesus was speaking of a man with an old, Adamic or natural heart, not a Christian with the new heart of the New Covenant.

Yet, some Christians are shallow-hearted as well, though not in the ontological sense, but in terms of heart condition and functionality. They are spiritually immature and function in flesh-like ways out of the soul that is functionally divided from the heart’s spirit and indwelling Holy Spirit. The Word takes shallow root in the soul’s mind, emotion and will, but not deep root in the spirit.

In good times, such Christians rejoice in God and their Christianity, but in times of affliction and persecution, they tend to drift away from fellowship with the indwelling Spirit of Christ.

Shallow heartedness is common among new “babies” in the faith, but also among those who have experienced stunted spiritual growth. They are superficial—soulish or fleshly—Christians who lack spiritual depth. They may talk the talk, but they don’t walk the walk.

Many attend churches that advertise themselves as “Bible-believing,” but in reality are pastor-believing. Those who affiliate with such churches are not being nourished by the Word, but by Word substitutes—synthetic theologies that are little more than ear candy and eye candy for the flesh.

The sad consequence is that many Christians have ears and eyes that are not open to critical truths and realities of God’s Word. They might read the Bible, but do not study it. Their dull minds rely mostly on the teachings of others, and who is to say such teachings are true or are wrought with omissions, errors, deceptions, and false theologies?

The faith of a deceived person or a Scripturally illiterate person is shallow faith that is not deeply rooted in the Word of God. Such is the plight of many who blindly follow even a godly pastor as a substitute for personal Bible study.

Paul wrote to Timothy:

[P]reach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

Study the Word, I emphasize; do not simply read words. Study whole-heartedly in prayerful partnership with the Holy Spirit who will illuminate for you the true meanings of the words in His Word.

Please, my friend, do not become a blind follower of this teacher or that teacher. If they have been called of God and are true to their calling, they will tell you the same thing.

The apostle Paul cautioned:

[E]ach one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?...For Christ did not send me to baptize [in my name], but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void (1 Corinthians 1:12-13, 17).

Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting to death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? (Romans 6:16).

Examine everything carefully (1 Thessalonians 1:5:21).

I pray you will not slip into the dark depths of shallowness.
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