Four Steps

In Matthew 13 Jesus quotes Isaiah showing four steps to spiritual healing.

Mat 13:14  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:

Mat 13:15  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.

See and Hear Christ

Understand Christ

Conversion

Healing

It shows that salvation starts with God giving the Gospel., an act of Grace given to the Apostles for our benefit. It isn't speaking of babies but requires understanding and conversion.

Mat 13:16  But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Mat 13:17  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Seeing the Gospel as it played out, and hearing the Gospel of the kingdom in an explained format was an act of blessing.

This is likely the meaning of Ephesians 2:8, we are saved by grace because we were in darkness but God allowed us to hear and understand the Gospel. Grace is not just the final act of forgiveness, but all the help leading to forgiveness.

Eph 5:8  For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Our understanding is not from ourselves, it was God's gift when he explained the truth to us.

Understanding is from grace and not from ourselves.

Grace doesn't take away our need to walk worthy, but gives us the light to properly see what we need to do.

The order of salvation is repeated by Jesus in John 12.

Joh 12:40  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. 

Hear

understand

converted

healed