4:16,17
Some seem to receive the word with joy, but there is no depth to their belief. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they fall away. So we see the importance of having deep roots (Col 2:7). We should also note that trouble and persecution come because of the word. The word of God sets us on a different path to the one the world is on, so there will inevitably be clashed. We need to be firmly rooted in Christ.
4:18,19
With yet others the things of life quickly crowd out the word, so it never takes root at all. Anything that is not the gospel is a potential danger. The worries of life can blind us to the truth, and note the implicit assumption that there will be “worries of this life”. We need to know how to handle the worries, otherwise they will strangle the word. Then there is the deceitfulness of wealth. Now wealth is not wrong, but it can easily become a snare. It can deceive us into thinking we are secure for some reason other than God’s care for us.
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