WLC 160

Q160. What is required of those that hear the word preached?

It is required of those that hear the word preached, that they attend upon it with diligence, preparation, and prayer; examine: What they hear by the scriptures; receive the truth with faith, love, meekness, and readiness of mind, as the word of God; meditate, and confer of it; hide it in their hearts, and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives.

Proof texts

• Prov. 8:34 — [34] Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
• 1 Pet. 2:1-2 — [1] So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. [2] Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation —
• Luke 8:18 — [18] Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”
• Ps. 119:18 — [18] Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
• Eph. 6:18-19 — [18] praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, [19] and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel,
• Acts 17:11 — [11] Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
• Heb. 4:2 — [2] For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.
• 2 Thess. 2:10 — [10] and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
• Jas. 1:21 — [21] Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
• Acts 17:11 — [11] Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
• 1 Thess. 2:13 — [13] And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
• Luke 9:44 — [44] “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”
• Heb. 2:1 — [1] Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
• Luke 24:14 — [14] and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.
• Deut. 6:6-7 — [6] And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
• Prov. 2:1 — [1] My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
• Ps. 119:11 — [11] I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
• Luke 8:15 — [15] As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
• Jas. 1:25 — [25] But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Prov. 8:34 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 19 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WSC Q88 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. WCF 27.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WSC Q88 · WCF 27.1 · HC Q65 · BC 8.1 · BC 8.2 · BC 8.3 · 1689 28.1