Faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.

Romans 10:14-21 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”

¹⁶ However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” ¹⁷ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

¹⁸ But I say, surely they have never heard, have they? Indeed they have;

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
And their words to the ends of the world.”

¹⁹ But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says,

“I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation,
By a nation without understanding will I anger you.”

²⁰ And Isaiah is very bold and says,

“I was found by those who did not seek Me,
I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”

²¹ But as for Israel He says, “All the day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and obstinate people.”

Ephesians 2:4-9 says:   God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.       Romans 5:8 says: God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.        So it is because of God’s love, because of His rich mercy, by grace, God’s gift that we are saved, redeemed from sin and restored to God’s original plan, to be like Him, created in His image. Yet the love of God demonstrated in the cross of Christ, God’s rich mercy, God’s grace does not save anyone unless they have faith. We are saved by grace through faith.        God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. (John 3:16) God did it all, through His love mercy and grace, there is nothing left that we must do, except that we must have faith. We must believe.  

In today’s text it says: Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. Hearing the word of Christ is critical then to salvation. It is through hearing the word of Christ that faith, believing in Him, comes. In Romans 10:11-13, just prior to today’s text it says:    For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him;  for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”           In today’s text Paul asks:  How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?  How will they preach unless they are sent?   God’s love, God’s mercy and grace toward man has been from the beginning and always will be. He is a loving, merciful and gracious God, but His love, mercy and grace was not enough to save, redeem and restore man. Because of love, mercy and grace, God sent Jesus to redeem and restore man. Jesus says:  “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”     Only through Jesus, through faith in Him, through believing that He died for our sins can anyone be saved.

Jeremiah 31:3 says:  “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”       God’s love, His mercy and grace, is everlasting, it is eternal, it has always been and will always be. Yet that everlasting love, mercy and grace alone could not redeem man. Only Jesus through the cross can do that. If God’s love, mercy and grace alone were not enough to save and redeem man, then surly our love, mercy and grace cannot save anyone. Jesus is the demonstration of God’s everlasting love. Jesus is “the way” of God’s mercy and grace. Our love, mercy and grace toward others are essential, but they alone cannot save anyone.  Paul asked the question:    How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?  How will they preach unless they are sent?     In Acts 1:8 Jesus says: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”        We have been sent, sent to be His witnesses, sent to preach the word of Christ, that they may believe, that through hearing they may have faith, that through faith, believing in Christ, they might receive the gift of God, that they might know His everlasting love, mercy and grace. Our love, mercy and grace are essential, but they are of little value without the word of Christ. Our love should point to the demonstration of God’s love, the cross of Christ.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit thank You that You love with an everlasting love. Thank You for Your rich mercy and amazing grace. Thank You for the demonstration of Your love, that while I was yet a sinner, Christ died for me. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, may I also be a demonstration of Your love to others and may I be a witness, preaching the word of Christ, that others may hear, believe and come to faith in Christ.  Amen