Tag Archives: Jesus

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A Homosexuality “Fact Checker” for Born-again Christians

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A Homosexuality “Fact Checker” for Born-again Christians

James R. Aist

“With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape.” (Proverbs 11:9)

Introduction

Without question, homosexuality has become one of the most important religious, social and political issues of the 21st century. The homosexual movement has forced itself to the forefront in virtually all aspects of our society and culture, including marriage, family, church, politics, government, education, media and human rights. Therefore, I believe that it is incumbent upon born-again Christians to become well-informed about homosexuality, even though this is not a topic that is either enjoyable or entertaining. To help you get an idea of how well-informed you are, or are not, about homosexuality, I have developed this quick and easy–to-use “Fact Checker”. It will not only show you your current level of knowledge of the facts and truth about homosexuality, but it will also point you to key resources that will correct any misperceptions that you may have picked up from the liberal media or well-meaning, albeit misinformed, friends, relatives or co-workers.

User’s Guide

Below are 24 True/False Statements. Read each statement carefully, and write down your answer – either True OR False – before going on to the next statement. Do not scroll all the way down to the Correct Answers section until you have finished responding to all of the statements; that would defeat the purpose, now, wouldn’t it? With each answer in the Correct Answers section, I provide a link to an article that will elaborate on the correct answer, just in case you would like to explore that particular point more fully. (NOTE: you will not receive a grade for your performance on this exercise, and it is impossible to fail. This is merely a teaching tool for your own personal benefit.)

True/False Statements

1.  The Bible does not condemn “same-sex attractions” as sin. Is this True or False?

2. Jesus would be friends with homosexual sinners. Is this True or False?

3. Science has proven that homosexual people are “born gay.” Is this True or False?

4. Because there are some loving, committed homosexual relationships, God approves of “gay marriage.” Is this True or False?

5. God gives “same-sex attractions” to some people, making them homosexual. Is this True or False?

6. Some born-again Christians are homosexual. Is this True or False?

7. Many homosexual people change to heterosexual spontaneously, without any intervention. Is this True or False?

8. There is no such thing as a “homosexual pedophile”. Is this True or False?

9. A homosexual lifestyle is, on average, equivalent to a heterosexual lifestyle in terms of longevity, monogamy, health and parenting outcomes. Is this True or False?

10. The so-called “gay agenda” is an invention of right-wing, Christian fundamentalists. Is this True or False?

11. In general, it is relatively easy for a homosexual person to change to a heterosexual orientation. Is this True or False?

12. Modern biblical scholarship has shown that the Bible does not really condemn homosexual behavior. Is this True or False?

13. Jesus wants to change the sexual orientation of homosexual people. Is this True or False?

14. God does not require practicing homosexuals to repent in order to inherit eternal life. Is this True or False?

15. The best source of up-to-date, unbiased and reliable information on homosexuality is our mental health organizations. Is this True or False?

16. Homosexual people were “born that way” and cannot change to heterosexual. Is this True or False?

17. The Bible records the first known transformation of homosexual people to a heterosexual orientation. Is this True or False?

18. The homosexual movement seeks only to gain tolerance of homosexuality, not acceptance and approval of it. Is this True or False?

19. Homosexuality was removed from the “official” list of mental disorders in the early 1970s because new, scientific evidence proved that homosexuality is not a disease. Is this True or False?

20. Religiously and secularly mediated change in sexual orientation occurs at rates comparable to those achieved by therapists and counselors for treatment of psychological disorders and behavioral problems, such as alcoholism. Is this True or False?

21. There are more ex-gays than there are gays. Is this True or False?

22. There are two “false Bibles” that deviate substantially from the actual text of the ancient manuscripts upon which modern English versions are based, in order to leave a false, favorable impression of God’s view of homosexuality. Is this True or False?

23. God loves heterosexual people more than homosexual people. Is this True or False?

24. Homosexuality occurs in all cultures and tribes. Is this true or false?

 

Correct Answers

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

1.  The Bible does not condemn “same-sex attractions” as sin. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

2. Jesus would be friends with homosexual sinners. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

3. Science has proven that homosexual people are “born gay.” This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

4. Because there are some loving, committed homosexual relationships, God approves of “gay marriage.” This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

5. God gives “same-sex attractions” to some people, making them homosexual. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

6. Some born-again Christians are homosexual. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

7. Many homosexual people change to heterosexual spontaneously, without any intervention. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

8. There is no such thing as a “homosexual pedophile”. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

9. A homosexual lifestyle is, on average, equivalent to a heterosexual lifestyle in terms of longevity, monogamy, health and parenting outcomes. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

10. The so-called “gay agenda” is an invention of right-wing, Christian fundamentalists. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

11. In general, it is very difficult for a homosexual person to change to a heterosexual orientation. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

12. Modern biblical scholarship has shown that the Bible does not really condemn homosexual behavior. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

13. Jesus wants to change the sexual orientation of homosexual people. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

14. God does not require practicing homosexuals to repent in order to inherit eternal life. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

15. The best source of up-to-date, unbiased and reliable information on homosexuality is our mental health organizations. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

16. Homosexual people were “born that way” and cannot change to heterosexual. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

17. The Bible records the first known transformation of homosexual people to a heterosexual orientation. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

18. The homosexual movement seeks only to gain tolerance of homosexuality, not acceptance and approval of it. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

19. Homosexuality was removed from the “official” list of mental disorders in the early 1970s because new, scientific evidence proved that homosexuality is not a disease. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

20. Religiously and secularly mediated change in sexual orientation occurs at rates comparable to those achieved by therapists and counselors for treatment of psychological disorders and behavioral problems, such as alcoholism. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

21. There are more ex-gays than there are gays. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

22. Two “false Bibles” deviate substantially from the actual text of the ancient manuscripts upon which modern English versions are based, in order to leave a false, favorable impression of God’s view of homosexuality. This is TRUE. Check it out HERE

23. God loves heterosexual people more than homosexual people. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE

24. Homosexuality occurs in all cultures and tribes. This is FALSE. Check it out HERE.

Well, how’d you do? Did you learn anything? Do you now have a better understanding of the various issues concerning homosexuality?

(For more articles on HOMOSEXUALITY, click HERE)

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Are Christians Bound by Old Testament Laws?

Ten Commandments

Are Christians Bound by Old Testament Laws?

 James   R. Aist

 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” – Jesus (Matthew 5:17)

Introduction

I don’t know about you, but, until recently, I have not had a well-informed response to unbelievers who say that Christians are hypocrites, because they do not obey all of the biblical laws, but selectively disobey many of the Old Testament laws while insisting that everyone should obey the others. How would you respond to such a charge? Are unbelievers correct in making this accusation, or are there biblically sound reasons why Christians are not bound by some of the laws prescribed in the Old Testament?

Now, I’m not claiming to be an expert on this topic, but I have studied it enough to be able to provide what I believe to be a valid and reliable overview and to point you to some additional resources (links) that will enable you to study this question to your personal satisfaction and draw your own conclusions, if you are so inclined. So, let’s jump right into it.

Categories of Old Testament Laws

While the Bible does not formally and explicitly list categories of Old Testament laws, it is possible for us to recognize and define, in retrospect, three categories of them. This exercise reminds me of the way in which we recognize the biblical doctrine of the trinity, even though the Bible does not directly and specifically name and list it as a defined doctrine. Therefore, I am reasonably certain that this is a valid, biblical approach to this topic.

There appears to be widespread – albeit not at all unanimous – consensus on the following categories of Old Testament laws:

1) Civil Laws – Ancient Israel was a theocracy, in which God himself, through the Jewish religious establishment, provided the civil laws and their enforcement that were necessary for justice and order to prevail in that culture. This represents the legal system of the Jewish theocracy. Therefore, these were the laws comprising the criminal code, and they prescribed the punishment for various crimes, such as murder, adultery and theft. Because there is no longer a biblical theocracy in existence anywhere, these laws do not apply to anyone, including Christians. That is not to say, of course, that Christians are allowed to murder, commit adultery and steal. It just means that those particular laws were established as part of a theocracy that no longer exists, and that one has to look elsewhere in the Bible to find laws that are binding in today’s world;

2) Ceremonial Laws – Often referred to as the “Mosaic Law”, these laws provided the Jews of ancient Israel a temporary process by which their sins could be covered and they could be made, or kept, “clean”. They were a representation, or type, of something better and permanent that was to come at the appointed time. These laws included such things as animal sacrifices to cover sins, mandatory observance of religious festivals, various restrictions on food and washing of the hands before eating. When the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ, appeared, He become the perfect, sufficient, final and effective sacrifice for all of the sins of mankind. By dying on the cross to pay the price for our sins, Jesus replaced the ceremonial laws, rendering them obsolete, unnecessary and ineffectual. Therefore, Christians are not bound by these Old Testament laws, and, in fact, are instructed in the Bible to not practice them; and finally…

3) Moral Laws – These laws are distinct from the “Mosaic Law” and are the biblical laws that establish and define how we are to behave toward God and toward each other. They are most notably embodied in the Ten Commandments, but are to be found also in other biblical instructions and commandments, especially as laid out in the New Testament. Examples include laws against idolatry, murder, adultery, fornication, the practice of homosexuality, stealing, lying, gossip, slander, drunkenness etc. In considering the extent of the moral laws, it is important to keep in mind that the Bible does not mention, specifically, many of the sins that people are capable of, such as child sexual abuse and wife beating, but it is not difficult to recognize that such things violate Jesus’ new commandment to “love one another” and are, therefore, sinful. The Bible presents these laws as permanent and applicable to everyone, including Christians. They have not been replaced nor have they expired. Rather, they are universally valid and binding forever. One notable exception is that the Fourth of the Ten Commandments – to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy – expired at the first coming of Jesus (click HERE)

Concluding Remarks

I hope that this brief discussion of Old Testament laws and the Christian will be informative and useful to you. If you would like to read a more comprehensive treatment of this subject, please select an article listed below and click on the link provided. I particularly recommend the series by Morrison (1997) for detailed study.

(For more articles on BIBLICAL TEACHINGS, click HERE)

 

Recommended Resources for Bible References and Further Study:

A) More-or-less brief articles

Wright, C.J.H. 2013. Learning to love Leviticus. (click HERE)

Kretzmann, P.E. 1924. The Difference Between the Moral and the Ceremonial Law.  (click HERE)

Phillips, R.D. 2000. Which Old Testament Laws Must I Obey? (click HERE)

B) More in-depth, comprehensive resources

Anonymous. 2007. The Ten Commandments and the Ceremonial Law (Mosaic Law). (click HERE)

Morrison, M. 1997. Which Old Testament Laws Apply to Christians Today? (click HERE)

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Homosexual Born-Again Christians: They Do Exist!

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Homosexual Born-Again Christians: They Do Exist!

James R. Aist

(Note: the numbers in parentheses refer to specific references listed at the end of the article)

“The Lord is…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) “…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

Introduction

The Bible repeatedly and consistently condemns homosexual behavior as sin (Genesis 19:5 with Jude 1:7; Leviticus 18:22; Leviticus 20:13; Romans 1:26-27; I Corinthians 6:9-10; and I Timothy 1:10). This fact has led some to conclude that it is not possible to be a born-again Christian and, at the same time, a practicing homosexual person. But there are limited circumstances in which this seeming impossibility actually does exist for a relatively short time.

Before I delve into this topic further, let me state clearly and unequivocally that I do not believe that one can die an unrepentant, practicing homosexual — so-called “Christian” or not — and spend their eternity in heaven. The Bible is also unequivocal on this point (I Corinthians 6:9-10; Hebrews 10:26-27). So, please read on and hear me out. I believe there is something important here that all born-again Christians should realize, as we seek to gain a better understanding of homosexuality from a biblical perspective. But first, I need to lay a foundation upon which to construct the points I want to make.

Three Stages of Repentance

The first step on the road to repentance is to agree with God that what you have done is wrong, i.e., that it is “sin” (1 John 1:9). This may be experienced as Godly sorrow and/or a change of heart regarding your sin (2 Corinthians 7:10, 1 Kings 8:46-47). As a result, you will feel compelled to confess in your mind and with your mouth that you have sinned (2 Samuel 12:12-13).

The second step on the road to repentance is to actually turn from your sin (2 Chronicles 7:14, Matthew 3:8, Acts 26:20). That means that you make a quality decision to stop doing the sinful thing you have been doing and then follow through on your decision and stop doing it. This is where the genuineness of your commitment to your decision is tested and proven; it’s the really hard part. Without turning, your confession is, at best, questionable and to no avail.

The third and most rewarding step on the road to repentance is perseverance. It is common experience to be tempted to return to some of our old, sinful ways after we have turned from them. Unfortunately, it is also common experience to give in to such temptations by choosing to do so (James 1:13-14). To really conquer sin means not only to confess and turn from it initially, but also to persevere in our repentance to the end.

Justification and Sanctification

When we become born-again, all of our past sins are instantly forgiven. We refer to that wholesale forgiveness event as “justification.” But, sadly, we remain vulnerable to various temptations that can lead us to sin again (1 John 1:10). For purposes of illustration and later reference, here is a partial list of specific sins mentioned in the Bible: covetousness, drunkenness, envy, gluttony, gossip, greed, hatred, hypocrisy, idolatry, jealousy, laziness, lust, lying, murder, pride, profanity, rage, selfishness, sexual immorality of all kinds (e.g., adultery, fornication, homosexual sex), slander, theft and vengeance. Can you identify any sins in this list that you are still having trouble with? I can see a few that I am still struggling with.

Over time, the Holy Spirit, with our cooperation, cleanses us from more and more of our remaining sins in a process called “sanctification”, whereby we are convicted of a residual sin, confess it (1 John 1:9), turn away from it and, eventually, conquer it. This is why we born-again Christians often detect sin in both ourselves and in our fellow believers, even though we are already “saved”; these are simply sins that we have not yet allowed the Holy Spirit to cleanse us of. The presence of such sins in our lives does not mean, necessarily, that we are not yet saved; it may just mean that we are still a “work in progress.” This is not at all to minimize or trivialize our need to be sanctified; God did not call us to a life of compromise; rather, He called us to a life of holiness.

Same-sex Attractions

Same-sex attractions are powerful temptations, but biblically speaking, they are not sins. To have such attractions is akin to a married heterosexual man having opposite-sex attractions to women other than his wife. These attractions are temptations to sin and nothing more; they are not sin, although they would lead to sin if acted upon, either mentally or physically. Apparently, same-sex attractions are not something that many choose initially. Rather they seem to occur initially in most homosexual persons without their volition or intent. This is an important distinction that Christians need to be aware of. The Bible condemns homosexual sex acts, but it does not condemn the initial experience of being tempted by same-sex attractions. If the Bible did condemn the experience of being tempted, then Jesus would not have been without sin, would He?

Furthermore, Jesus said “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28). Thus, “acting” on either opposite-sex or same-sex attractions includes “looking lustfully” as well as the physical, sexual act itself; both are sin, and, as such, they are to be renounced, resisted and repented.

And finally, same-sex attractions are not of God; they are of the devil and are evil, as are all temptations to sin (click HERE). There is nothing good about either same-sex attractions or the practice of homosexuality in any context.

Who Are these Homosexual Born-again Christians?

Now let’s see if we can identify just who these homosexual born-again Christians are, keeping in mind that born-again Christians already have eternal life and will spend their eternity in heaven with God (1).

There are many born-again Christians who are homosexual in the sense that they experience only same-sex sexual attractions and feelings, and they have chosen to live a life of celibacy in order to maintain their sexual purity. They are tempted to sin sexually, but they do not actually sin by acting on those temptations, either mentally or physically. Their same-sex attractions will not keep them out of heaven, because they are not sinning sexually. It is relatively easy to recognize that these folks are truly born-again, homosexual Christians who will be in heaven with us. Who among us does not struggle with temptations of our own, having to refuse to give in to them in order to maintain our Christian integrity? But none of that disqualifies us from heaven. Take another look at the sins I listed above, and see for yourself if I am not right about this.

But there is another situation in which we can recognize truly born-again, homosexual Christians. I am talking now about practicing homosexuals who have been born-again and have not yet repented of their homosexual practices, but they will soon (“I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” – Ezekiel 36:27, and “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God.” – 1 John 3:9). This situation is not unlike that of a heterosexual man who is fornicating with a woman, gets born-again, and continues to fornicate with the unbelieving woman for a while. Because the man is now born-again, the Holy Spirit will begin to convict him of his sinful lifestyle, and eventually, he will stop fornicating with her, thus repenting of his sexual sin. In the same way, a homosexual person may get born-again and continue to live in a sinful, homosexual relationship for a while, until he/she is convicted by the Holy Spirit and discontinues the practice of homosexuality. In both of these cases, the person who was involved in a sinful, sexual lifestyle, continued to live in sin for a while, even though he/she was already a born-again Christian. Now reflect back on what was said above about repentance and sanctification, and you will see that, after they were saved, their lingering sins were of a sexual nature, whereas for the rest of us, lingering sins may be of a different nature, such as rage, gossip, slander, greed, or lying. We must keep in mind that the lingering presence of such sins in our lives does not mean, necessarily, that we are not yet saved; it may just mean that we are still a “work in progress” and in need of additional repentance. And, this truth applies regardless of the particular nature of one’s sins, including homosexual sins. My assumption is that, among those homosexual people who identify themselves as Christian, there are always some who really are born-again believers. These are the ones who will soon repent and leave their homosexual lifestyle behind because the Holy Spirit in them will not allow them to continue to live that way, and many have already done so (2).

The Arch Enemies of Homosexual Born-again Christians

We should all be aware that there are many people who name the name of Jesus but are not helping homosexual born-again Christians become who Christ really wants them to be. I will not belabor this point, but I will call out these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” for what they are, based on what they are doing, regardless of how well-intentioned they may be. Firstly, there are those who seem to have only condemnation, and no compassion, for those who have turned out to be homosexual. They are quick to point out the sinfulness of homosexual behavior, but seem to ignore the fact that God loves homosexual people and wants them to repent and receive the good news just as much as He wants the rest of us to do so. Secondly, there are the purveyors of “gay theology”, who tell homosexual people that God approves of homosexual sex and that it is not necessary for them to repent in order to spend their eternity in heaven (3). And thirdly, there are those who teach the “gay gospel”, saying that, although God considers homosexual sex to be sinful, he does not require repentance in this case because His grace somehow gives homosexual people a dispensation, or exemption, that will enable them to spend their eternity in heaven despite their sinful lifestyle (4). Many of the homosexual, born-again Christians have believed these heresies and will, therefore, have to reject them in order to repent and become the men and women that God intended them to be all along.

Demonstrating the Love of Christ

So then, how can we show the love of Christ to homosexual born-again Christians? Perhaps we can best do this is by doing what Jesus would do (5). Jesus would be willing to spend time with homosexual people when he had the opportunity to do so (cf. Matthew 9:10; Luke 7:34), and He would treat them with kindness and respect, without approving of their homosexual behavior (cf., Romans 12:9 and 1 Corinthians 13:6). He would further demonstrate His love for homosexual people by encouraging them to repent of (turn away from) their homosexual sins (6). In the same way, if and when the opportunity presents itself, we can discuss with a homosexual friend God’s plan of redemption and point out that it is for them just as much as it is for us. The personal testimony of Rosario Champagne Butterfield (7), an ex-lesbian turned pastor’s wife and mother of many, provides a powerful and instructive example of how to go about demonstrating the love of Christ to a practicing homosexual.

(For more articles on HOMOSEXUALITY, click HERE)

References Cited:

1. Aist, J.R. 2012. What Does “Born-Again” Mean?   (click HERE)

2. Aist, J.R. 2012. Homosexuality: Good News (click HERE)

3. Aist, J.R. 2012. Gay Theology: Did God Really Say “You Must Not…?” (click HERE)

4. Aist, J.R. 2012. The “Gay Gospel” (click HERE)

5. Aist, J.R. 2012. Homosexuality: What Would Jesus Do?” (click HERE)

6. Aist, J.R. 2012. Repentance: Confess, Turn, Persevere (click HERE)

7. Butterfield, R. C. 2013. My Train Wreck Conversion. Christianity Today, January/February.  (click HERE)

 

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Ears to Hear

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Ears to Hear

James R. Aist

“See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.  Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.” — Isaiah 32:1-4.

Introduction

We are probably all familiar with the phrase “ears to hear” in the New Testament. Jesus used it on at least three occasions in the gospels and seven times in Revelation. Where did this phrase come from, why did Jesus use it, and what relevance does it have for us today?

“Ears to hear” in the Old Testament

“You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth.” (Isaiah 48:8);

“Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.” (Jeremiah 5:21);

“To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10);

“Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious people.” (Ezekiel 12:2).

In these passages, we see God lamenting the hardness of a rebellious people, His chosen people, to His wisdom and advice, given to them through His prophets. They have ears, but their ears (of hearing) are not open, and so they do not hear (comprehend, take to heart, heed) what God has to say to them.

“He said, “Go and tell this people: “‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”(Isaiah 6:9-10).

“O Lord, why have You made us to err from Your ways and hardened our heart from fearing You?” (Isaiah 63:7)

“With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders.  But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear.”(Deuteronomy 29:3-4).

God is fed up with their hardness of heart, and so He says, in effect, “Have it your way, then. I will close your ears myself, so that you will not be able to hear, repent and be healed until I restore your hearing to you when the time is right.

“See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.  Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.”(Isaiah 32:1-4).

When King Jesus comes, that’s when I will restore hearing to your ears, so that then you will be able to know and understand what He is telling you.

The points that I am taking from these Old Testament passages are that 1) it is God who closes their ears, 2) it is God who opens their ears, and 3) God will open their ears so that His chosen people, the Elect, will be able to hear the Good News that Jesus will bring, repent of their sins and be saved (healed). In John 5:25, Jesus confirmed the fulfillment of Isaiah 32:1-4 when he declared, “Truly, truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” Moreover, Jesus made this connection clearly when He said to His disciples, “This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.  In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.  For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.” (Matthew 13:13-16). The Apostle Paul also made this connection when he was explaining why the Jews were not more receptive to the gospel: “What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day.” (Romans 11:7-8). Later, Jesus extended this insight to include gentiles when He used it in reference to the seven churches in present-day Turkey, in the book of Revelation (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22.). And since the messages of Jesus to the seven churches also apply to the present day, “ears to hear” is also for us.

Why Did Jesus Paraphrase this Saying in Mark and Revelation?

Let’s first take a look at what He said there:

“Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9);

“If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:23);

“Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? (Mark 8:17-18);

“Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22.).

Jesus was, of course, familiar with the Old Testament passages listed and discussed above, so He knew that, in any given audience, there would be some to whom God had not given “ears to hear” and that they would not be able to accept (receive) His teaching. One of the best examples of this is found in John 6:51-66, where many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him, because of His teaching on the requirement of His followers to eat His flesh and drink His blood. And in Mark 8:17-18, Jesus seemed surprised, because it appeared that God may not have given His very disciples “ears to hear” the meaning of one of His parables. So, despite knowing that some in His audiences had not been given “ears to hear”, Jesus proclaimed His teaching anyway, for the sake of those to whom the Father had given ears to hear. And that’s why He said, “Those who have ears to hear, let them hear”: His target audience was specifically those to whom the Father had given “ears to hear.” In modern parlance, we might refer to them as having a “teachable spirit.”

Relevance for Present Day Christians

Firstly, I believe that this “Ears to Hear” teaching reveals something important about the “conversion” experience. Let’s see how that connects up. Jesus said “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” (John 6:44-45). Now, let’s consider this passage in view of Isaiah 32:1-4 (“See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.  Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen. The fearful heart will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.”); we see that the reason the ones whom the Father draws to Jesus are now able to be taught by God, hear the Father, learn from Him, and know and understand is that their ears have been opened so that they can listen to Him. In other words, somewhere in the conversion process, God gives them “ears to hear” so that they can receive the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. Furthermore, I believe that the Apostle Paul had Isaiah 32:1-4 in mind when he declared “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Secondly, I believe that this teaching can help us understand why, for example, two people can listen to the same presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and yet only one gets saved. We are all born with deaf ears, and God gave only one of them ears to hear. That was Paul’s explanation regarding the intransigence of the Jews to the Gospel. Knowing this, we can better understand it when our sharing of the Gospel seems to fall on deaf ears, and we can also be encouraged to share the Gospel anyway, for the sake of those who have been given ears to hear.

And thirdly, I believe this teaching can motivate us to boldly proclaim biblical teachings — especially those concerning some of the more controversial moral issues of our time — where some amount of risk may be involved. I believe that we are to follow Jesus’ example and be willing to be teachers to mixed audiences comprised of those who have ears to hear and those who do not. We are not to let those who do not have ears to hear prevent those who do have ears to hear from hearing what God wants us to say. This means that, like Jesus, we should be willing to face opposition for the sake of our target audience. To do this will require us to have the courage of our convictions and to trust in God to protect us from the enemies we will make in the process. This is the example Jesus gave us, and I believe that if we are to be His followers, then we must follow this example when He calls on us to do so. So don’t be afraid to speak up when unbelievers are mocking the Bible or questioning the very existence of God; someone who has ears to hear may be ready to receive what you have to say. Where would you and I be today if Jesus had been intimidated by those in His audiences who had deaf ears?

Challenges

Prepare yourself to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ at the next opportunity, and brace yourself to contend for the truth of God’s word when He calls on you to do so.

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