Sovereign Grace Church

…ye are dull of hearing

(HEBREWS 9:7)

Mr. Webster’s definition of the word dull is Lacking zest or vivacity. Listless. Slow in action. Sluggish. Marked by little activity. Lacking in force or intensity. My definition would be Not interested. [When] we…hear…gospel [preaching], may we be careful lest we be found dull of hearing. If we used the same intensity in our jobs as we exhibit toward the Word of God, we never would learn how to perform them.

The apostle is speaking of Christ. There were many things pertaining to His Priesthood which were of deep importance, of great value, and most necessary to know. These Hebrew Christians had come to the place of mental listlessness. To a person in this state it is very hard to explain anything. This was not always so. When the gospel was first preached to them it aroused their attention and their thoughts, but now it had become commonplace. They felt they knew all about it, therefore they paid no attention to it.

The Greek word for dull is translated slothful in Hebrews 6:12. These people had become mentally and spiritually what loafers are in the natural world, too lazy to make any effort at improvement. Because of their slothfulness it was impossible to lead them on to higher truth. Don’t ever allow yourself to lose interest in growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth has to be bought. Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth and sell it not.” What is the price? Diligent study and application and trouble. The Lord won’t hold us down and pour knowledge in us, or teach us in a dream or a vision. Many in churches where the truth is preached are dull of hearing. To hear the same man for years becomes so commonplace that some tend to count it as nothing. Wait! What is he saying? If he tells you the wonderful news of the Savior, love it all the more over the years. If it gets old and stale, you are in trouble.

Just to think that our blessed Redeemer can become commonplace is frightening. Yet, knowing my own heart and yours, it can take place. May we hear in the coming days with all the intensity of heart love for our Lord Jesus.