Stopped-Ear Hearers
When people hear the Gospel, they react in various ways. Some, like Felix (Acts 24:25.), procrastinate. Others, like the Pentecostians (Acts 2.), readily accept. Still others will harden their hearts, stop their ears, and seek to detroy the teacher of truth. The stoning of Stephen is an excellent example of this type of hearer. (Acts 6 & 7.)
The stopped-ear hearer doesn't want the truth. He is prejudiced and opinionated. As we sometimes say, "He is set in his ways," though his ways be those of error; and woe betide anyone who dares to upset his ways with truth.
We generally think of the denominationalists who refuse to accept the truth regarding baptism for remission of sins, the mode of baptism is immersion, etc., as stopped-ear hearer. Certainly they fit this category. But I am persuaded that all the stopped-ear hearers are not in the denominations. There are quite a few in the church itself.
One who takes a certain side of a controversial subject (and such does arise occasionally in the church), and with a bull dog grip fastens himself to it, refusing to study the question further, disregarding the scriptural points made by those of the opposite view, trying to assassinate the character of his opposers, and misrepresenting to others their position; such a one is certainly a stopped-ear hearer. This is the type of individual who causes untold trouble in the brotherhood. Is this individual you? Are you a stopped-ear hearer?