If life comes through hearing Christ’s word (John 5:25), not only at the point of conversion, but also throughout our lives in sanctification, how well do you listen? Do you take heed to the word, whether it is being taught in a corporate setting or a bible study or even in personal discipleship? Do you open up your heart to it for God to expose whatever he wants in order that you might change and become more Christlike?
Or…Do you blow off the truth because you don’t like how something was said, even if you see that truth in the Scriptures? Maybe you find ways to ignore the truth by seeking to discredit the messenger? Perhaps you are satisfied with merely hearing the word with your physical ears and yet not doing anything with it?
If so, you don’t believe it has life for you, which means you don’t see your need, which means you have an inflated view of yourself, in which you are convinced you can generate life your own ways. So can your generate your own physical sustenance as well? Do you ever go long periods of time without food and water for the sole reason that you don’t think you need it—that you’re perfectly fine without it? I doubt that’s the case, so it’s important to take the same mindset over into the spiritual realm because you will shrivel up and die without hearing and obeying the word because Christ gives spiritual life through his word. Do you have that life? If not, turn from trusting in yourself and ask him to give you what you could never do for yourself.