But the Bible tells us that we all are born unable to hear God with our spirits. We are spiritually dead, meaning inoperative, not able to receive the message of God. Our spirit is open to other spiritual influences, just not God. It’s much like a radio that is able to pick up all local channels except one. For some reason it’s broken and cannot get the one particular station. Our spirit can perceive other spiritual influences except God’s.

Below are just a few of the statements Scripture makes that speak of man’s spiritual inability to perceive and understand God. In 1 Corinthians, the Apostle Paul calls a person who is not a Christian a natural man. He or she is a person whose spirit is not able to discern God and is left to his or her natural state. They cannot relate to God on a spiritual plane.

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

Jesus explains to Peter that his understanding of Jesus’ divinity was not the product of natural reasoning, but the spiritual gift of God.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed [this] to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 16:17)

To other groups, Jesus stated they could not understand because they could not perceive His message.

“Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” (John 8:43) 

“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.” (John 10:26)