The bible says that unless the spiritual earsare opened by the holy Spirit one cannot understand the gospel. It is God who gives understanding by revelation of the word.(bible-logos (written word) becoming rhema (living active word). Unless the Father grants a person ears to hear they will not hear his word because they cannot hear. We are not to trust in the imaginations of our heart for faith to come but in the word of God. Let us examine Mark chapter 1 and compare it with other scripture
Mark 1: 10-10-12 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
Jesus taught in parables on purpose and many did not understand what he was talking about because it was not given unto them to understand.
Mark 1: 1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
God told Isaiah that he would save some but he would also harden the hearts of others.
Isaiah 6:9-10 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
When the Lord preaches through his people the word of God it is not always to get them saved. Sometimes it is to bring judgement in their lives. The preaching of God’s word may actually harden the hearts of those who have no ears to hear.
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 2 Corinthians 2:15,16
The parable of the Sower and the hearts of those who had heard Gods word.
4 : 3,4 15 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
vrs 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
The devil comes to take away the word that was preached. It was sown in a heart that was living in the wayside which is a side or edge of a road. The seed falls by the wayside. The hearers fail to continue, they give up and fall by the wayside. So we can see that these hearts did not continue in what they heard because they loved this present world. They were too busy and concerned with the affairs of this life.
Timothy 4:10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica.
1 John 2; 15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
IN Vrs. 6,7 the word was sown on stony ground. There was not much soil, so the seed was sown on the surface, which is really not a true conversion. When persecution and trials come they take off. These want all the blessings but they do not want the cross. These get offended when you preach about suffering for Jesus and about being persecuted for his sake because they like to hear about prosperity and blessings instead.
And some fell on stony ground where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
Vrs. 16,17 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
Then there are the heart of thorns. vrs 7,18,19
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. vrs 18,19And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
These hearts loves fame and fortune. They hear the word but they do not receive it. They are of the world and belong to the world, and that is why you will see no spiritual fruit in their lives.
Then there is the good soil. The heart that is prepared by God to receive the word. The heart or spirit of man must be made new by God that is born again. Then the soil is able to hear and receive because the heart is a converted heart.
Psalm 53;1-,3 The fool hath said in his heart,There is no God. Corrupt (DEPRAVED) are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
John 8:44 Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Romans 3:10-12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Ezekiel 36;26-27 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Vrs 23-25 says If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
God’s word brings faith, faith to believe. Do you have ears to hear?
The Gospel of Grace Ministries 