Fruitful or Fruitless Salvation?

July 17th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

Matthew 13:5-7, 20-21 “Other [seeds] fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out… 20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”

Jesus preached a sermon in Matthew 13 revealing the various kinds of people who hear the gospel preached. Some hear it, and the devil immediately comes and steals it away (Matt. 13:19). Others hear it and believe it but ultimately fall away. One of their kind is depicted as seeds sown on “rocky places” without “much soil.” This person exists today as one who hears the gospel “and immediately receives it with joy.” They profess Christ! Yet since the soil was thin, as the parable teaches, when the sun came up it scorched the shoot, and it withered and died. Jesus thus likens the rocky, shallow soil to one who seemingly receives Him by faith, yet “when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.” These folks do not expect to suffer for their faith. When they do, they abandon Christ. Lacking a “firm root,” when the strong winds of life blow hard, they fall over. Having only the truth without knowledge, they are not able to endure the trials associated with faith in Christ. The Apostle John said, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).

Another kind of perceived Christian is represented by soil with thorns underneath the surface. Like the rocky soil, they too sprout up, but the thorns grow in around their roots, choke them, and keep them from bearing fruit. Whereas those represented by the rocky soil fell away (Gr. skandalizo) “because of the word,” the thorny-ground people, because of the anxieties of the world and their desire for wealth, are merely said to become “unfruitful.” Chuck Swindoll says, “It perfectly describes many American Christians, who embrace the Word of God and call themselves followers of Christ but never sacrifice anything significant. They merely add the Bible and Sunday sermons to their cluttered mental storeroom, along with money, possessions, and all the anxieties that accompany wealth. Years pass, and they never progress in their spiritual walk. The ‘worries’ Jesus had in mind are the cares associated with losing something we hold too dearly. That’s the danger of material wealth: We too easily think in terms of loss prevention.”

Worldly desires replace Christ in some people’s lives. So they live out their days bearing no fruit. These are spiritual “adulteresses” (Jas. 4:4) who turn from trusting in Christ to trusting in their wealth. James says, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself and enemy of God.”

Food For Thought
True salvation cannot be lost. Jesus’ parable proves, however, that some who think they have salvation actually don’t. They may come to church for a time, but they either fail to endure their trials, or become overwhelmed with the love of riches and worldly anxieties. Some fall away, and we never see them again while others just remain fruitless. As for you, prove yourself true by faithfully enduring all that God puts before you each day, and make strides to never let the desire for riches and fame take the place of Jesus Christ in your life. Be found faithful!