John 8: 42-47: "Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 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. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."
John 8: 47: "He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."
Look at the simplicity of this Scripture: ". . . ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."
If someone understands Greek, then it makes sense that if someone speaks Greek to him, he will know what he is saying. If someone is of the devil, not only is he a good liar, but his life is a lie. And those of the devil will readily believe his lies because he is speaking their language. Demons of a feather flock together.
If someone's life is a lie, it means that he has no interest in the things of God. He may have a form of Godliness--he may go to church three times a week, memorize Scriptures, donate money to proper charities--but he denies the power of God by his actions, by his life. The life IS the sermon. Truth and life come from God, not the devil. "We worship Him in Spirit and in truth." The devil is spiritual death and lies; those who follow the devil are spiritually dead and liars.
When we speak with someone who is hungry for God or who is truly surrendered to Christ, it is not a great labor to speak with him. The conversation flows effortlessly--it is like pouring water into thirsty ground. It is all very edifying and there is a great sense of well-being.
Once I was hitchhiking in Texas and this guy picked me up. We had great fellowship. He stopped to see this guy about something. He talked to him for five minutes and then we hit the road. He told me that talking to that guy about the Gospel was like pouring water on concrete--it didn't soak in, it ran right off. The guy had a heart of stone.
The first week in November of this year, I hitchhiked to Bozeman, Montana. I knew a family in Bozeman and I helped them move from their apartment to their new house on the east side. It took a couple of days to move all of their things.
As I was leaving their house, I said to the wife, "See you later."
She replied, "A lot later!" (Her husband was outside and did not hear her say that)
She almost sounded ungrateful. I am guessing that "a lot later" could mean six months or it could mean twenty years.
As I hitchhiked south out of Bozeman, I was picked up by a Christian. We had very good fellowship. It was very redeeming. He was very much alive in Christ; he was not into churchianity.
When one door closes (or slams shut), another door opens.
"They had a form of Godliness, but denied the power thereof. From such turn away."