now having no root in himself rather exists for a time and when suffering or affliction comes through the word, he falls away (Matthew 13:21)
Jesus tells the parable of the sower. The goal of sowing is that the seed takes roots and the implanted word grows up to endure the thorns to bear fruit, some thirty, sixty, and some hundredfold. Throw away any notion that you can bear fruit by sowing money, what is sown is the word of God. What is needed to mature, to bear fruit, is deep roots and endurance. Let us look at how this process is worked out in us and why sometimes we do not endure.
Persecution, the deceit of riches, and the cares and anxieties of this world are the thorns that try to choke us out. Jesus told a parable where the devil plants seeds among the true seeds. The purpose of the weeds and thorns is to choke out growth. Paul tells us in contrast to building up or growing the church there will be doctrines of men based on deceitful scheming and human cunning to keep the church children tossed to and fro (Ephesians 4:14-15). Truth however will increase faith and faith is energized through love, thus the church grows up, truth in love.
Through rooting we endure the tough seasons. What are we to be rooted in? Paul writes "According to the riches of God's glory, he grants dominion power through his Spirit in the inner man, Christ dwelling in your hearts through faith, the one rooting and founding in love..." (Ephesians 3:16-17). We are rooted in agape love. And we are rooted in faith, "so just as receiving Christ Jesus the Lord walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established of faith just as you were taught..." (Colossians 2:6-8). Were you taught these things, built up and established in Christ, rooted and founded in faith and love? In this scripture, Paul warns us there will be those who want to take us captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to the elemental spirits of this world and not according to Christ.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me... (Psalm 23:4)
now having no root in himself... he falls away (Matthew 13:21)
Faith and love are the roots Jesus speaks of. Without a proper foundation, the house will fall when the storm comes. Without deep roots when the thorns try to choke us out, we will fall away. Now, there is no condemnation for those in Christ. If the Spirit of Christ dwells in you then you are his own. There are testimonies from God and from men and that from God is much greater. The Spirit testifies that we are his children (Romans 8:16). Even if men say otherwise, as a child of God you will have the Spirit whose testimony is greater.
Your identity as a child of God is of great importance, it is the rooting and foundation that must be established first. Think about it, why use this language of rooting, founding, and grounding? Until a proper foundation is established for your home you don't start adding walls and putting a roof on... but often this is what is done in the church. We want the pretty house but we do not spend enough time on the foundation. And this affects growth tremendously.
now having no root in himself rather he exists for a time and when suffering or affliction comes through the word, he falls away (Matthew 13:21)
Yes, we might serve and give and do other works in the name of Jesus but these are not foundations, so when persecution and affliction come we will not endure because of these things. We endure because we are rooted in faith and love. When Paul writes the trial, whether it is affliction or persecution or whatever, can not separate us from the love of God, what does he mean? It is because we are rooted in faith and love which allows us to grasp, know, and experience a greater love of God (Ephesians 3:16-19). Nothing can separate us from his love thus we do not fall away because we know of his love in such a way that roots us.
Agape love endures, and we who are founded in love will endure. This rooting in faith and love is how we will endure the thorns and grow up to bear fruit. Now, it says some thirty and sixty meaning God still prunes the fruit tree so that it bears more fruit (John 15:2). So how do we apply this teaching in practical matters when it comes to enduring a trial?
Persecution comes as in the parable of the sower and you do not endure, or fall away. This is not falling away forever but just that you did not endure. God sealed you with his Holy Spirit as his child and testifies to you that you are his own. Jesus told the disciples if someone repents and asks for forgiveness to forgive seventy times seven, in other words, they were to forgive again and again. It doesn't make sense in the natural if someone kept doing something to us and asking for forgiveness, we would think he is not sincere or is playing some game... But when we understand how God works in the spiritual in regards to building a foundation we understand. Knowing the flesh is opposed to the Spirit so we do the things we do not want to, we begin to see how the grace of God has effects.*
God doesn't want us to continue, to not endure the trial, he wants us to mature. But if we do not, we are not to condemn, flog, or beat ourselves up as if somehow that would change us. Nor does our Father condemn us, or kick us out of the family. No, if we do not endure it is a foundation issue, an identity one. We need to go back to the basics. God chose us as his own so it is to his glory that we conform to the image of his son. So God goes back to the foundational things that will help us to endure into maturity, rooting us in faith and love, making himself known as our heavenly Father who loves us. Again, and again if necessary until we have a sure foundation knowing our identity as his children, and grow up enduring the trials to bear fruit of being sons and daughters putting away childish things.