<p>8:47 <i>He that is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you do not hear them, because you are not of God</i>- If they were the children of God, then the Father's words would be naturally discernible. There would be an intuitive sense toward them. In this we see the upward spiral of spirituality which belief in God&rsquo;s word creates. In the same discourse the Lord reasoned &quot;If you continue in my word... you shall know the truth (the word- Jn. 17:17)&quot; (Jn. 8:31,32). Note that believers in the Lord Jesus are here called &quot;of God&quot;, just as the Son was &quot;of God&quot;; not in that they literally descended from Heaven, as required by the pre-existence idea; but in that they were His children rather than the children of this world.</p>