RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-01-12	Faith Comes By Hearing (Ro.10:17)
		Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The book of Romans is the definitive teaching on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the themes of Romans is faith (Ro.1:16-17). Paul addresses the process by which faith is produced in the heart. In chapters 9-11 Paul gives the reason for the Israelites' lack of salvation, namely, a lack of faith (Ro.9:32; 10:4). Rom 9:32 Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. Rom 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. Romans 10:14-16 describes a series of actions concerning faith. • For one to “call” on the name of the Lord he must first believe. • To believe one must hear or receive the report. • For one to hear, another has to give the report. • The other will not give the report unless he or she is sent. This is the context and leads us into our verse in view (Ro.10:17). The word “faith” comes from the Greek word pistis, and means “belief, trust, have confidence in something.” If faith comes by hearing, then what does Paul mean by “hearing”? It is not simply physically receiving sounds by the ear. Paul describes it more like “receiving” or “accepting” a report. In verse 16 Paul uses the word “report” and is quoting Isaiah 53:1. Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT?" In Isaiah's day, the Lord provided Israel a message or report, but Isaiah laments that few actually receive it. The “hearing” was not sounds vibrating in their ears, but was attached to the message or report given. In verse 18 Paul makes it clear the message has been given and Israel did “hear” the physical sound. The nature of the Gospel is a report. It is a report of God saving people from the wrath they deserve. In order to believe the report, one must receive the report. Faith comes by hearing, yes, but it is not a guarantee that the report will result in faith (see v.16). As the Israelites refused to believe the report from Isaiah, even today we can refuse to believe the Gospel message. The nature of “hearing” does not require the physical act of hearing with the ear. The report must simply be received. If someone read a printed message or read it on a screen, and received it by faith, biblically they have “heard” the report, even when no audible word was spoken. The medium does not affect the outcome as long as the message is received. The content of the message must be about Christ. Faith that leads to eternal salvation comes from “hearing” after receiving this message concerning Christ. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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