Week 24 – God Grows Faith

God Grows Faith

1 Corinthians 3:6-8

There were people I’ve shared the gospel with who seemed eager to follow Jesus, only to fall away from His teachings. There were others I crossed paths with who were in a weakened, fragile, or unsure stage of their faith. After walking with them and encouraging them in the Lord, they grasped and held on to the truths of Scripture, developed their own relationship with Jesus, and seemed to soar in the purposes and plans God had for them. Sometime later, however, they stopped following Jesus as well. What happened? We hear of it often: “Jailhouse conversions,” “I need a healing conversion,” “I’m at the end of my financial rope conversion,” or “failed relationship conversion.” These people seem so passionate and sold out for Jesus at the onset of their faith journey, but then they fall away.

In the parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:18-23), Jesus describes three types of people who hear the Word of God: 1) Those who hear the Word of God, yet because of a lack of understanding, the evil one comes along and snatches away the Word that was sown in their hearts; 2) Those who hear the Word of God and immediately receive it with joy, yet when their faith is challenged or attacked, they fall away; 3) Those who hear the Word, but fall away from its truth because of the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches. What determines whether or not the Word “sticks” is the soil of the heart. Was the soil of their hearts hard like a path or pavement, bumpy and unstable like rocky ground, or prickly like thorns? The Word of God will not be absorbed into any of these types of surfaces. “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty” (Matthew 13:23-ESV).

Our directive as Christians is to share the gospel and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20). Although it’s disappointing to see some we’ve poured into grow cold in their faith, it’s irrelevant to our call. In 1 Corinthians 3:6-7, Paul reminds us, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.” This should ease our burden. It still breaks my heart when people fall away from the faith; however, I have to entrust them to our loving God, who desires that no one perishes but that all come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

My friends, do not be discouraged when there is no sustained commitment to Jesus as a result of your sharing the gospel and discipling someone. We are free to share His Word, and we can then trust Him to work out salvation in each soul.