8:18Luke 8:18

Christ closed His explanation that God's word is seed and the kind of hearing decides whether it is lost, withers, is choked, or is kept in an honest heart to bear fruit with patience.Lt 13, 1902, par. 20–24 To take heed how to hear is to listen with hungering desire and earnest faith to live by every word, realizing its weight so it can be used to teach others and not be misused to harm.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 Whoever listens intently to treasure truth and share it will be given more because he will use it rightly, and the earnestness with which he hears to bless others will measure what he receives in return, while whoever does not improve and practice the truth will lose even what he seemed to have and forfeit what God meant him to become.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 Right hearing takes the word into the heart in faith, keeps it and weaves it into the life, proves every doctrine and spirit, and refuses false theories, human sayings, and careless reports in order to bring forth fruit and uproot evil.Ms 106, 1894, par. 4+4 Hearing lays a sacred responsibility no less than preaching, for light obeyed brings greater understanding and life, light rejected becomes darkness and judgment, and what is truly received must be remembered and imparted at home and to others to remain and grow.Ms 70, 1897, par. 32–38+4

This charge comes at the close of the explanation of the parable of the sower.Lt 13, 1902, par. 20–24 In that parable the seed is the word of God, and the outcome turns entirely on hearing.Lt 13, 1902, par. 20–24 The word may be lost by the wayside, fall away on rock, be choked by cares and riches and pleasures, or be kept in an honest heart to bear fruit with patience, and therefore all must give heed to how they hear.Lt 13, 1902, par. 20–24

To give heed to how one hears is to hear the Word with hungering desire in faith in order to profit by hearing.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 It is to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 It calls for sincere, earnest attention to Christ's instruction, realizing the importance of hearing correctly so that God can use the hearer to instruct others.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 It is done with fear and trembling lest the words of the gospel, the leaves of the tree of life for the healing of the nations, be wrongly used.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1

Whoever has is whoever listens intently to receive knowledge to lay up in the treasure-house and impart to others.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 To him more shall be given, because God sees he will use his knowledge aright.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 The measure of earnestness with which a person hears in order to benefit others will be the measure given back to him.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 Whoever has not is whoever has not improved his opportunities and has not practiced the truth so that others see the blessing of his knowledge.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1 From him shall be taken even what he seems to have, which is the loss of his opportunity to be all God designed him to be in receiving and imparting the light of heaven.Ms 103, 1901, par. 10–11+1

Right hearing is receiving the words of Christ into an honest and good heart in faith, acknowledging sin as transgression of the law, keeping the word and incorporating it with the life, and bringing forth fruit with patience for present and eternal good.Ms 85, 1894, par. 15–17 When truth is so received the tares growing in the heart are uprooted, and direct and glorious results testify to infinite love and the transforming power of the gospel.Ms 85, 1894, par. 15–17 Wrong hearing gives truth only partial reception and half sympathy, deceives self, lets Satan sow thorns that choke the good seed, and turns aside appeals to conscience as of no consequence.Ms 85, 1894, par. 15–17

Right hearing investigates doctrines to know what is truth and shuns falsehood and error, refusing to become careless or to accept new ideas from desire to be original.Ms 106, 1894, par. 4 It refuses to take any man's word as the voice of God merely because he is loved or because God led him in the past, for accepting falsehood leads on into ruinous practices.Ms 106, 1894, par. 4 Those entering the ministry must be especially careful not to oppose precious truths they know little about, but must search the Scriptures for themselves knowing how limited self-knowledge is.Ms 8a, 1888, par. 36–37 They must refuse to take any man's words, prejudices, arguments, or theories, since doing so injures experience and leaves ministers as novices when they should be wise in the Scriptures and in the power of God.Ms 8a, 1888, par. 36–37 Right hearing requires taking the Bible with humility and weeping and fasting and prayer to seek to know truth as Nathanael did, whose prayer Jesus saw with divine sight and answered, while levity and debate speeches are written in the book and the religious attitude is marked.Ms 8a, 1888, par. 36–37

Hearing must be for learning truth in order to walk in it, with close examination of what is heard.Lt 12, 1890, par. 72–75 Every claim must be proved and every spirit tried, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.Lt 12, 1890, par. 72–75 Merely hearing and acknowledging the whole truth, and even explaining the way of salvation to others, is not enough without personal piety and true experimental religion, or the hearer will still be a castaway.Lt 12, 1890, par. 72–75 Right hearing holds to God's Word as Yea and Amen, to solid plain forcible truth that can be explained and made discernible, because truth is not made an indiscernible mystery.Lt 366, 1905, par. 8–10 Wrong hearing listens to mistaken explanations and long fine-threaded indiscernible assertions that confuse the mind, cannot be understood or proved, deny and disconnect the prominent sanctuary truth confirmed and tested for nearly a century, and do harm to souls.Lt 366, 1905, par. 8–10

Hearers must reject fallacious theories in place of truth and receive the pure sanctifying truth of God's revealed Word.Lt 136a, 1898, par. 23–27 The warning applies especially to strange speculative ideas presented as essential truth or tied to God's Word; hearing and accepting such ideas instead leaves people without the light and experience they could have received.Lt 136a, 1898, par. 23–27 Religious teachers who oppose heavenly light and rely on repeated fables and traditions fail in their work, while their show of authority can mislead those who do not search the Scriptures for themselves.ST Sep 13, 1899 Each person must discern whether to heed God's voice or the deceiver's and must receive sound doctrine rather than human sayings in place of God's commandments, a choice on which eternal life depends, since refusing light and following false teaching leads to loss.ST Sep 13, 1899+1

In the last days the Old Testament Scriptures reveal both God's will for guiding action and the deceptive leadings of those who do not walk in His way, and therefore must be read, considered, and heeded.Ms 116, 1897, par. 1 Not even a particle of interest is to be taken in seducing spirits, doctrines of devils, and spiritualistic theories, for many depart from the faith by giving heed to them.Lt 123, 1904, par. 19 Satan waits to steal a march upon everyone who allows deception by his hypnotism, and he begins to exert his power over them just as soon as they begin to investigate his theories.Lt 123, 1904, par. 19 To heed how one hears is to refuse to let unsanctified ears take in wrong, perverted senses imagine wrong, and an evil tongue report wrong.Ms 11, 1888, par. 6–9

Neglect of this guard leads to avoiding open dealing with one thought to be in error and instead going to others under mask of friendship and sympathy, casting reflections, agreeing openly while seeking covert injury, stating suppositions as facts without clear statement of supposed errors or chance to answer, setting oneself up as judge by admitting evil thoughts, and spreading darkness and unbelief that sows bitterness and suspicion toward one delegated to do a work, which is contrary to Christ's teaching.Ms 11, 1888, par. 6–9 Hearing requires care not to readily believe reports but to consider how what is heard is received, for right hearing depends on the spirit within, and some hear without understanding and so do not turn and receive healing.5T 694.3 Receiving words carelessly can lead to accepting and spreading evil surmising and false accusations, passing on a spirit of darkness and unbelief to others while closing oneself to good, damaging faith and love and bringing harm to the church.15MR 174.2–176.2

When wrongs, defects, and objectionable speech, character, and action are seen, even where the devil tempts and tares grow among wheat in probationary time, the plain decided testimony of truth in the lessons of Jesus falling on ears daily looking to Jesus becomes an educating school of highest advantage.Lt 63a, 1893, par. 4–6 Careful hearing means listening to Christ's words and taking heed to instruction that marks the right path, rather than turning what is seen into grounds for suspicion, complaint, or faultfinding.Lt 63, 1893, par. 2–5 Heeding the truth so brings useful instruction and growth through trials and great benefit in this life and in the future immortal life and keeps from confusion, while ignoring it leaves a person spiritually poorer and able to mislead others.Lt 63, 1893, par. 2–5+1

The warning applies to receiving fellow workers, their work and counsel, and the Lord's message through workers He sends rather than allowing jealousy or suspicion to reject it, for failure brings loss to the work and to those who resist.Lt 148a, 1897, par. 6+1 Excluding workers such as Elders Daniells and White from taking part was the wrong course, and inviting them would have allowed a different result.Lt 148a, 1897, par. 6 It applies also to receiving counsel and reproof, where repeated resistance grieves away the Holy Spirit and leads to spiritual blindness in which evidence once received as light is questioned, spoken truth is misapplied or turned into suspicion, appeals and warnings lose force, and sin once recognized is no longer seen as sin.Ms 28, 1897, par. 30–34 Care must extend also to how one reads.Ms 28, 1897, par. 30–34 Hearers must guard against taking worldly wisdom and human opinions for God's truth, for cherishing and speaking doubts darkens faith while attending to the Spirit's convictions and speaking of them strengthens faith and dispels darkness, and neglecting light and grace already given risks losing even the faith and understanding one seems to possess.HRP 20.1–25.2

Hearing God's word brings responsibility, for once it is heard a person is no longer in the same standing before God as before.Ms 70, 1897, par. 39–43 Light obeyed leads to greater understanding and to further duties, while light rejected becomes darkness and brings judgment in proportion to what was received.Ms 70, 1897, par. 39–43 Messages from God bring life to those who respond and death to those who refuse them.Ms 70, 1897, par. 39–43

Those who listen with faith, welcome truth into the heart, and act on received light gain deeper understanding, while those who hear with a divided heart retain only passing impressions.Ms 70, 1897, par. 32–38+1 Mere superficial, inattentive hearing leaves impressions that soon fade and brings no lasting benefit.Ms 70, 1897, par. 32–38+1 The Spirit must impress truth on mind and heart so that it shapes life and practice through obedience and reform.Ms 70, 1897, par. 32–38+1 Those who fail to receive the word in this way lose even the light they seemed to possess.Ms 70, 1897, par. 32–38+1

Heeding the truth brings useful instruction and growth through trials, great benefit in this life and in the future immortal life, and keeping from confusion.Lt 63, 1893, par. 2–5+1 Right hearing means listening to Christ's words and taking heed to the instruction that marks the right path.Lt 63, 1893, par. 2–5 Even where there is a tempting devil and tares among the wheat in probationary time, and where wrongs and objectionable speech, character, and action are seen, the plain decided testimony of truth in the lessons of Jesus falling on ears daily looking to Jesus becomes an educating school of highest advantage.Lt 63a, 1893, par. 4–6 Ignoring that instruction leaves a person spiritually poorer and able to mislead others, rather than turning what is seen into grounds for suspicion, complaint, or faultfinding.Lt 63, 1893, par. 2–5+1

Hearing preaching lays a sacred responsibility on hearers just as solemn as that of ministers who preach.Ms 41, 1903, par. 6 Hearers must hear with determination to follow instruction that must be practiced to gain eternal life.Ms 41, 1903, par. 6 Each hearer must strive to understand every presentation of Bible truth as God's personal message to him, to be received by faith and put into practice in daily life.Ms 41, 1903, par. 6 Hearing to a purpose means receiving and remembering instruction so it can be shared with others.Ms 77, 1898, par. 12–13 Parents must explain words spoken from the pulpit to their children so they also understand and gain the knowledge that brings abundant grace and peace when put into practice, and especially at camp meeting parents must take careful heed how they hear and receive lessons for their instruction so they can in turn impart them at home by precept and example to save children from corrupting influences met everywhere in the world, with improvement then seen in their families.Ms 41, 1903, par. 6+1 Even very young children can retain words spoken by God's servants and pass them on, and their simple words and service for Christ are accepted and can lead others to Jesus, while those who leave talents unused risk losing ability to serve.Ms 77, 1898, par. 12–13

Taking heed means learning from Christ in every action and heeding His teaching through obedience to Christ and to all God's commandments, with self-denial in following Him toward eternal life.STB 232.4–233.1 It means having faith acceptable to God, receiving power and sanctifying grace from Christ as the source, following Christ's example, growing in grace and in knowledge of the truth, and understanding God's will by doing His will and obeying His word.Lt 59, 1904, par. 11 Careless hearing walks and works away from Christ and the truth He presented, and care is needed also in how people speak.STB 232.4–233.1+1 Opportunity to hear God speaking still remains and must be heeded, as Philip still had opportunity and was urged to heed what he heard.Lt 109, 1896, par. 4 Care must extend to how one hears counsel and reproof and to how one reads, for repeated resistance grieves away the Holy Spirit and leads to spiritual blindness in which evidence once received as light is questioned, spoken truth is misapplied or turned into suspicion, appeals lose force, and sin is no longer recognized as sin.Ms 28, 1897, par. 30–34