Dull of listening

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Hebrews 5:11-12 NLT

Christians are expected to demonstrate growth in their Christian life. But what a tragedy when there are those who do not desire to grow up in their faith. This is what the writer of Hebrews is addressing from the text. The lack of spiritual growth prevents having further opportunities to gain knowledge from God’s Word. “There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen” (Hebrews 5:11). The writer delivers a powerful accusation to those who ignore God’s expectation of spiritual growth for there are those who became dull of listening. He is not accusing them of being intellectually deficient but they seemed to be not willing to listen. They had become spiritually lazy that they can no longer receive valuable lessons that will guide them to make right decisions. This is not the initial spiritual posture of a person who just came to know Christ as Lord and Savior. A new believer in Christ has an intense desire to grow in faith at the beginning of the spiritual journey. They are looking and joining for opportunities in learning new biblical insights and this became an experience for these new believers. But not anymore for when the desire started to die down so did listening from God’s Word. They did not grow applying spiritual truth learned from His Word. As the saying goes, “use it or lose it,” and there are those that lose it. “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others” (Hebrews 5:12). The Lord Jesus Christ addressed the same problem of those who failed to handle the truth of God’s Word. “To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them… For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear… and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them” (Matthew 13:12, 15). We are expected to have enough spiritual knowledge that will be valuable in helping others. We are called to edify others in their faith so we better listen to His Word and grow in our walk with Him.

Blessings,