Why do you believe that "the point being made was that the hearing of His voice only occurs spiritually unto the learning/believing of His doctrine?" What in the text conveys that idea? Where are "spiritual ears" mentioned in the Bible?
"How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?" Rom. 10:14 Therefore, hearing precedes faith.
But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believeing you may have life through His name." John 20:31 Therefore, faith precedes life.
So, why do you say we don't listen, learn and thereby [believe and] become His sheep?
I believe that the teaching of doctrine - the edification of the elect/newly saved - is the is the responsibility of those of us already saved - God has assigned that responsibility to us to be done with the Holy Spirit. However, I also believe that it is only God alone who actually does the saving - not us - and through which, the Holy Spirit is given to them.
Only those who have been born-again and having the Holy Spirit, can hear spiritually - those not born again, cannot, because they have not the Holy Spirit.
1 Co 2:10 - 14 tells us this in no uncertain terms (not to be disrespectful, but if you haven't already done so, please read them closely) - that it is impossible for "natural man" to comprehend things spiritual. The "natural man" represents those not saved, not born again. That is, in order to gain true spiritual understanding, one must first have been indwelled with Holy Spirit and through Him, we gain spiritual sight and hearing - that indwelling only occurs by becoming saved/born-again.
[1Co 2:10-14 KJV]
10
But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so
the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak,
not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
We can see this doctrine also visible in the following verses. In effect, they say that their eyes and ears were first blessed by God (given spiritual hearing and sight through the Holy Spirit) in order for them to able to spiritually perceive/understand what was occurring. Many others couldn't (I realize that the Jews and Christ's disciples were being spoken to in this example, but nevertheless, it the same for all of the saved and unsaved as we can see is in 1Co 2:10-14 above). The "But blessed are your eyes...." below, was not just the quick turn of a phrase, but instead, the revealing of a doctrine by Christ.
[Mat 13:14-16 KJV]
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16
But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
We can see the reverse of that in these verses. Notice the "they could not believe". That is, until indwelled with the Holy Spirit,
they could not truly believe. They thought they did, and that they had spiritual hearing and sight, but they didn't. And so it is with all those not having the Holy Spirit.
[Jhn 12:37-40 KJV]
37
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
38 That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?
39
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,
40
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
Everyone who comes into this world, comes into it as an unbeliever blinded by Satan. Therefore, unless God intervenes, they remain so as one cannot give to themselves spiritual sight nor hearing.
[2Co 4:3-4 KJV]
3 But if our gospel be hid,
it is hid to them that are lost:
4
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
In these verses we can see that the edification of the new saint is the responsibility of those saved and having spiritual knowledge.
[Eph 4:11-14 KJV]
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors
and teachers;
12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
[2Co 2:14-17 KJV]
14 Now thanks [be] unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the
savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ,
in them that are saved, and in them that perish:
16
To the one [we are] the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who [is] sufficient for these things?
17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.
