Please consider Jesus Christ's following message, in the Book of Luke, about each of the ways that people respond to the Word of God. God is and always has been calling each and every one of us to, "...repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus Christ".
Luke 8:4-21 4 And when much people were gathered together, and were come to
him out of every city, he spake by a parable:
5
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he
sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the
air devoured it.
6 And some fell upon
a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked
moisture.
7 And some fell among
thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and
bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9 And his disciples asked him, saying, What might
this parable be?
10 And he said,
Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom
of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing
they might not understand.
11 Now the
parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12
Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil,
and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be
saved.
13 They on the rock are
they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no
root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
14 And that which fell among thorns
are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and
riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
15 But that on the good ground are
they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it,
and bring forth fruit with patience.
16
No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel,
or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that
they which enter in may see the light.
17
For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither
any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.
18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever
hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
even that which he seemeth to have.
19
Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not
come at him for the press.
20 And it
was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand
without, desiring to see thee.
21 And
he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren
are these which hear the word of God, and do it.
