Why Do Some People Ignore God’s Words?

Brother Richie Juatco: All of us are unique in how we tend to receive information. When we recognize and understand our own tendencies and have self-awareness, we are able to find solutions to learn efficiently. Now, the same principle applies to receiving God’s truth. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught that people receive the Lord God’s message in four distinct ways, depending on the state of their heart.

Now, why do some people fail to benefit from God’s words and, more importantly, what solutions does the Bible offer so that anyone, no matter where they begin, can receive the benefits of the biblical truth? 

Stay with us. This is what we’ll be studying today, here on The Message. 

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Why Do Some People Ignore God’s Words?

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The Message

Brother Richie Juatco:  Hi. Thanks for joining us. I’m Brother Richie Juatco. 

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Brother Mark Vasquez

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Richie Juatco

Why Do Some Ignore God’s Words?

Minister of the Gospel

Brother Mark Vasquez: And I’m Brother Mark Vasquez. 

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Why Do Some Ignore God’s Words?

Brother Mark: For Christians, the greatest teacher in history is the Lord Jesus Christ. He taught God’s words in ways that people could easily relate to and understand. And one of His most effective teaching methods was the use of parables. 

In one parable, the Lord Jesus Christ described a farmer scattering seeds across a field—yet not all the seeds produced a harvest. Their growth depended entirely on the condition of the soil where they landed. Now, Brother Richie, what was the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ, He was teaching through that parable? 

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The Parable of the Seeds

Brother Richie: You know let’s just, let’s go to that parable and read the explanation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We’ll go to what’s written in Luke, chapter 8. We’ll read verses 11 to 15. It says here, 

“This is what the parable means: the seed is the word of God. The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear; but the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved. The seeds that fell on rocky ground stand for those who hear the message and receive it gladly. But it does not sink deep into them; they believe only for a while but when the time of testing comes, they fall away. The seeds that fell among thorn bushes stand for those who hear; but the worries and riches and pleasures of this life crowd in and choke them, and their fruit never ripens. The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.

[Luke 8:11-15 Good News Translation]

Brother Richie: Here, the Lord Jesus Christ, He explains the meaning of His parable and how there are four types of people who receive God’s words. Now, in this episode, we are going to focus on the first type of person.

Brother Mark: Brother Richie, how did the Lord Jesus Christ describe that first type of person? 

Brother Richie: Well we read that, “the seed is the word of God. The seeds that fell along the path stand for those who hear; but the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts in order to keep them from believing and being saved.” So although this type of people, they hear God’s words, maybe they attended a Bible study, or observed a worship service with the preaching of God’s words—it did them no good. They might not even remember what they heard, or maybe they weren’t even paying attention. 

Brother Mark: Why wouldn’t they remember? Or why weren’t they paying attention? 

Brother Richie: Well we read that, “the Devil comes and takes the message away from their hearts.” Now, why does the devil do this? We read “in order to keep them from believing and being saved.” So clearly, it’s vital to understand and believe God’s message in order to be saved.

Brother Mark: You know, Brother Richie, that makes perfect sense, that since the devil does not want anyone to believe in God’s words, that he would be the one to take away God’s message from them even if they heard it. Now, how does the devil do this? How does he take away God’s message that the people already hear? 

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How does the devil take away the message people hear?

Brother Richie: So let’s read that same verse, but we’ll read it in another translation so that we could get a better understanding. Again, we’ll read Luke, 8, the verse is 12. It says here, 

What is the seed that fell beside the path? That is like the people that hear God’s teaching, but then the devil comes and makes them stop thinking about that teaching. So those people cannot believe the teaching and be saved. 

[Luke 8:12 Easy-To-Read Version]

Brother Richie: So here we get a better understanding of what the devil does to take God’s teachings from people. What does he do? We read that “the devil comes and makes them stop thinking about that teaching.” 

Brother Mark: Brother Richie, who does the devil do this to? 

Brother Richie: Well we read, “the people that hear God’s teaching.” So if there are those that they do get the chance to hear God’s teachings but they don’t think about them at all, it’s other things that get their attention and focus, well, now we understand—it’s the devil that’s behind that. 

Brother Mark: But how does he do that? What is the devil doing to make people, what is he doing to make them stop thinking about God’s teachings even though they just heard it? 

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What does the devil do to make people stop thinking of God’s teachings?

Brother Richie: That’s a good question. Let’s get our answer from what’s written in II Corinthians. We’ll read from chapter 4, verse 4 also. It says this,

They do not believe, because their minds have been kept in the dark by the evil god of this world. He keeps them from seeing the light shining on them, the light that comes from the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

[II Corinthians 4:4 Good News Translation]

Brother Richie: Now we see why there are people who stop thinking about God’s teaching, even if they just heard the teaching. 

Brother Mark: What’s the reason? Why do people stop thinking about the teaching? 

Brother Richie: Well, we did read that, “They do not believe.” So they hear the truth of God’s words written in the Bible—but they don’t believe it’s the truth or they don’t believe it’s God’s words. And that’s why it’s easy to get them to stop thinking about it. 

Brother Mark: Why do people view the Bible this way? Why do they view the teachings of God in that way? 

Brother Richie: Well, we did read, “because their minds have been kept in the dark by the evil god of this world.” 

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Why Do Some Ignore God’s Words?

Brother Richie: So now we know that if the devil can do this to everyone, he would—but he’s not able to. So who is the devil able to do this to? Who are these people and those people, Brother Mark, why is the devil able to darken their minds? 

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Why is the devil able to darken the minds of others?

Brother Mark: Well, let’s read why the devil is able to darken the minds of others. Let’s read now in the Book of Ephesians, we’ll read 4:18,

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

[Ephesians 4:18 New International Version]

Brother Mark: The Bible mentions people who “are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God.” 

Brother Richie: Now, how are these people made ignorant or darkened in regards to the truth or a life with God? 

Brother Mark: Well, we learned that it is “due to the hardening of their hearts.” Therefore, those who have hardened their hearts are easily kept in the dark by the devil.

Brother Richie: Now, Brother Mark, these people like that, what are they hardening their hearts to? 

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What do some harden their hearts to?

Brother Mark: Well, let’s read here in the Book of II Timothy. We’ll read II Timothy, 4, we’ll read verses 3 up to verse 4,

For the time is coming when [people] will not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction, but, having ears itching [for something pleasing and gratifying], they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number, chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold, And will turn aside from hearing the truth and wander off into myths and man-made fictions. 

[II Timothy 4:3-4 Amplified Bible]

Brother Mark: Here, the Bible describes those who have hardened their hearts and are easily kept in the dark by the devil. And who are they? They are people who do “not tolerate (endure) sound and wholesome instruction… And will turn aside from hearing the truth.” 

Brother Richie: So these people really do not want to be told what to do, even if it’s sound and wholesome instruction for their own good. Now, since they don’t want to tolerate God’s instruction, who do they want to listen to then? 

Brother Mark: Well, we read, “they will gather to themselves one teacher after another to a considerable number.” And what’s the criteria of the teachers that they selected for themselves to follow? Well we read, they were “chosen to satisfy their own liking and to foster the errors they hold.”

Brother Richie: So what is going to happen to them in the end? 

Brother Mark: We read what will happen. It says they will “wander off into myths and man-made fictions.” So even if these types of people hear the truth of God’s words, they will not learn from them—they will not think about them, because they do not truly value them. 

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Why Do Some Ignore God’s Words?

Brother Richie: You know, the devil will take that message from their hearts as easily as taking a seed from the surface of a road or a path, and he does this to those who listen to God’s words but do not value them. Now, Brother Mark, how does Apostle Paul, how does he describe that situation of teaching God’s words to people and then they just go back to the way that they were living before they even heard the words? 

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How does the Bible describe those who hear God’s word but don’t value it?

Brother Mark: Well, let’s read how Apostle Paul describes this, if someone were to hear the teachings of God, but they don’t truly value them. We’ll read that together here in the Book of Galatians. We’ll read 4, we’ll read verse 11,

I am afraid that all my hard work on you may have been wasted. 

[Galatians 4:11 Revised English Bible]

Brother Mark: It is never a good thing to waste the hard work and efforts of those who bring to us God’s words. 

Brother Richie: You know, that is unfortunate that all that work is wasted on them. You know, they don’t even remember—it did them no good. How can we recognize people that are like that, that all that work was given but it is as though nothing happened?

Brother Mark: Basically, how can we recognize the ones who waste receiving the words of God?

Brother Richie: That’s right. 

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How does the Bible describe those who hear God’s word but don’t value it?

Brother Mark: Well, let’s read that together here in the Book of James. We’ll read James, 1, we’ll read 23 up to verse 24,

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

[James 1:23 -24 New King James Version]

Brother Mark: According to what we read, God’s word is like a mirror that shows us our actual situation. And since God is our Creator, through His words, we’re able to understand His purpose of creating us or the intention of what we were created for. 

Brother Richie: You know it’s true. By hearing God’s words, we are able to realize just how close or far we are to where we’re supposed to be. And if we’re not doing what God instructs us to do, by hearing those instructions we’re able to realize that, and then make the necessary corrections in order to live properly.  But who are those who they don’t benefit from knowing their actual situation? 

Brother Mark: Well, we read here in this verse, it says “like a man observing his natural face in a mirror… and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.”

Brother Richie: What type of a person is like that? 

Brother Mark: We also read here, it says, “if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer.” These are the people who cannot remember the words of God that they heard, or they had no intention of doing them anyway. And so, unfortunately, they will not benefit from God’s word because they do not truly believe in them. 

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Why Do Some Ignore God’s Words?

Brother Richie: Now, just in case anyone listening to this episode might fall under this category— maybe. Maybe you’re here simply because you were nice enough to give in to the invitation, maybe one of your friends or relatives insisted that you join them here to listen.

Brother Mark: Or, Brother Richie, maybe some of our viewers, maybe you’re watching on your own because someone you care about sent this video to you. And maybe because you have your own reservations and maybe skepticisms and are not really planning on continuing to listen to or make any changes in your life, because you have other priorities. 

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What does the Bible advise those who are uncertain?

Brother Richie: That’s right, Brother Mark. So just in case—just in case anyone watching might fall under this category—this is the biblical advice we would like you to have, since you’re already here listening to God’s words written in the Bible. What advice or instruction are we referring to? We’ll read that here in the Book of Psalms. We’ll read from Psalm 34 and the verse is 8, and it says this,

Oh, put God to the test and see how kind he is! See for yourself the way his mercies shower down on all who trust in him.

[Psalm 34:8 The Living Bible]

Brother Richie: Here we can see the kindness and compassion of God, even to those who are not yet fully convinced in Him and His teachings. 

Brother Mark: What’s the advice of the Bible for those people?

Brother Richie: Well, we read that. It said, “Oh, put God to the test and see how kind he is!” How kind is our Creator, and what is the challenge to those who might doubt that? We read, “See for yourself the way his mercies shower down.”

Brother Mark: Brother Richie, when you said, when the Bible mentioned, “put God to the test,” how can someone do this? How can someone put God to the test? What do they have to do? What has to be done?

Brother Richie: That’s a good question. It’s like, who are the ones that God’s mercy showers down on? We read, it’s “all who trust in him.” Therefore, the Bible gives a challenge to all those hesitant to believe God’s teachings. What’s the challenge? Trust God’s teachings and see what happens. 

Brother Mark: But how can one do this? How can one prove that he or she, they truly trust in God and in His words?

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How do we show we trust in God and His words?

Brother Richie: Let’s read the answer in what’s recorded in the Book of James. In fact, we did read that earlier, James, chapter 1. We’ll go back there, but then we’ll read now, verse 22. It says, 

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

[James 1:22 New King James Version]

Brother Richie: Here is the very clear and simple way to prove we really do trust God’s words.

What should we do? We read that we should “be doers of the word.” So we should actually do what God instructs. If we trust God’s words—then we will follow, obey, or implement them in our lives. 

Brother Mark: So the Bible’s clear of what we should do with the teachings of God. But, Brother Richie, what are we taught not to do with God’s teachings?

Brother Richie: Well, we did also read that, “not hearers only.” So we should not just merely hear God’s words and then feel as though we’re already religious, or we will already receive God’s mercy, because if we do that what does the Bible teach? The Bible teach[es] that we would be “deceiving [y]ourselves.” 

Brother Mark: So, Brother Richie, what are those mercies that God will shower down on those who actually use His law or teaching by using them as a guide in their life?

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What are God’s mercies that are given to the obedient?

Brother Richie: Well, let’s just keep reading from the same book and chapter, but we’ll read from verse 25 now. It says, 

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

[James 1:25 New King James Version]

Brother RIchie: Here the Bible mentions what will happen if a person “is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work.” What will happen to those who really do trust God and do what He commands? We read “this one will be blessed in what he does.” We should understand that God is the One who wants to bless us—but blessings from God come from obeying His teachings and instructions. 

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Why Do Some Ignore God’s Words?

Brother Mark: Brother Richie, that’s wonderful to hear that God wants to bless us, and that is what the devil does not want to come to any of us. The enemy of God does not want anyone to believe in God’s words, in order to prevent us from following them and receiving the blessings that God wants to give to us—especially the blessing of salvation. 

Brother Richie: That’s right. But here inside the Church Of Christ, we want you to receive God’s blessings, especially the blessing of salvation. And this is the reason why the Church puts so much effort in these episodes, so that we can bring you God’s words written in the Bible. And we urge you to think deeply about God’s message that you’re hearing and test them by applying them in your life. 

Brother Mark: For those not yet of the same faith but keeping an open mind, we encourage you to keep learning more of God’s written words taught here inside the Church Of Christ. Come  visit a congregation near you. Or if you want, ask us a question now, by clicking the link in the description and inquire how to listen to the basic teachings of the Bible. 

Brother Richie: Now, if you’re already going through those lessons, or wherever you are in your spiritual journey, make sure that your journey does not stop here. Keep watching and growing with us and stay constantly tuned in to The Message. 

On behalf of all of us here at The Message, we’re very grateful for you joining us in this episode. But before we conclude, please join us for a short prayer.

Brother Richie: Our Heavenly Father, we thank You so much from the bottom of our hearts, for allowing us to once again hear Your words written in the Bible. It is Your words, truly, that we need. It is Your words that we are able to know our situation of where we are in regards to how close we are to what You intend, dear God. We praise You for Your kindness and we truly do honor Your most holy Name. 

We are asking You, please allow Your words to sink deep into all of our hearts. We know, dear God, that it is You, ultimately, that chooses who to call to be Your people, who will be able to fully understand Your teachings. We are asking you, dear God, have mercy on everyone listening. Please allow Your teachings to truly be with us, that it is what we always think about, it is what we use as our guide. We even ask that You protect us from our enemy. We know that he does not want any of us to believe in Your teachings. We’re asking that You please give us the guidance and protection we need, so that we will be able to obey and receive Your promised salvation. 

Our Lord Jesus Christ, thank You for Your teachings. Thank You for allowing us to know the truth that comes from God. We are asking You, Lord, please intercede on our behalf. Bring us close to Him. Ask Him to forgive us of our sins, that we will be able to be worthy of His love and compassion. 

We thank You, dear God. We thank You for the Church Administration that You are using to guide Your nation in these last days. Be with them always and help us to be able to clearly receive Your teachings, obey them, so that we can always have the unity that You are expecting. 

We believe You hear our prayer. We ask for all these things through the name of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Amen.

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