The Bible teaches that all people are spiritually deaf by nature and can only hear the gospel if God opens their ears.
In Mark 7:37, we see a clear picture of spiritual deafness represented by the healing of a deaf and dumb man. The truth is that by nature, all humanity is spiritually deaf—unable to hear the gospel without divine intervention. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 2:14, 'The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God.' Without God's mercy and power to open our ears, we remain deaf to His voice. This condition highlights our dependence on God for salvation, as only through His grace can we come to faith and understand the message of the gospel.
Scripture References:
Mark 7:37, 1 Corinthians 2:14, Mark 8:31-37
Commentary