by From the National Institute of Health on Aging: “Hearing loss is a common problem caused by loud noise, aging, disease, and genetic variations. … People with hearing loss may find it hard to have conversations with friends and family. They may also have trouble understanding a doctor’s advice, responding to warnings, and hearing doorbells and alarms. … Hearing problems that are ignored or untreated can get worse. If you have a hearing problem, see your doctor.”
Many people have trouble hearing, maybe they don’t realize it or won’t take advice about it. Pride and stubbornness exasperates relationships as a result. We don’t want to admit that we have a problem, but when finally drawn into submission to its reality, we realize how foolish we were to fight it.
Many Christians have a spiritual hearing problem, maybe they don’t realize it or won’t take advice about it. As a result, they’re unable to comprehend and enjoy the deeper things of God. They’re still on the spiritual bottle, incapable of digesting meatier doctrines of God. In 6:1, Paul said “let us go on unto perfection,” spiritual maturity. This is possible by one word in 6:3, “DO!” As born-again believers, we have our foundation in Christ. As we grow to become a student of His Word, we learn the ABCs of Christ. Correction to our spiritual hearing loss then comes when we choose to “DO” the ABC’s as an obedient child of God.
Evidences of spiritual immaturity (Hebrews 5:11-14):
- “ye are dull of hearing,” not listening to God’s Word
- “ye ought to be teachers” but “have need that one teach you again”
- You cannot handle the “strong meat” of God’s Word
- You’re “unskilful in the word,” unable “to discern both good and evil”
Evidences of spiritual maturity (Hebrews 5:14; 6:1-3):
- You don’t just hear God’s Word, but you “DO” it
- You exercise what you hear … “who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil”
