Faith come by hearing the word of God, here’s come the meaning and full explanation of this Bible verse.
Many may wonder what does this scripture Faith come by hearing the word of God mean, Don’t be disappointed because we got you covered on this one with great explanation.
without faith it is impossible to please God,But then, What’s faith?
What’s Faith?
Faith is the absolute trust, assurance and confidence in God.
Scripturally, faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
God has also showed us how to get this faith. It’s our responsibility to have faith and not God’s, for every lack of faith, he’s not responsible but you and I.
blaming God for our own lack of faith is nothing in but a pure ignorance.
Same thing apply to salvation of soul.
How?
Faith for salvation comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).
Paul said in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” We know that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, but how are we to get faith to get saved?
What does it mean by Faith come by hearing the word of God?
To make the answers brief, Romans chapter 10 beginning from verse 8 tells us more on this, read below;
Romans 10:8-9/13-14
8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, THE WORD OF FAITH, WHICH WE PREACH;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?
and how shall they hear without a preacher?
By Hearing the word of God, men are saved, this goes with the saying; faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). You cannot believe and have faith without hearing the Word. In Acts 10 and 11 we were told a story about Cornelius, a man who was not saved despite his commitment.
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Why was he not saved?
Because he lack the word of God, He hadn’t heard the gospel yet, so how could he have been saved? No, Cornelius was not saved but until he heard the preaching of Peter.
But before then In (Acts 10:3)An angel of the Lord appeared to Cornelius, the angel couldn’t preach the gospel to Cornelius because angels can’t preach the gospel; God sent men to preach.
Recall in (Mark 16:15), Jesus said; Go ye into the world and preach the gospel to every creatures.
The angel was only able to direct Cornelius where to go to get someone who could preach the gospel to him (Acts 11:13).
Still on this topic, Faith come by hearing the word of God, The angel instructed Cornelius to call for Peter: “And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side:
he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to
do” (Acts 10:5,6). Acts 11:14 reports that the angel said that Peter would preach the gospel to Cornelius: “Who shall tell
thee WORDS, whereby thou and all thy house shall be saved.”
This verse also shows us that men are saved by hearing words God’s word.
“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). You can’t have faith or believe without hearing. So many are trying to believe without hearing forgetting that it is the word that gives us faith.
Same applies to healing
Healing can’t take place with faith and faith can’t come without the word.
How does healing faith comes?
In Acts 14 we are told the story about the impotent man who received his healing as a result of what he heard.
What did he hear, let’s read ACTS 14:7-10;
7 And there they [Paul and Barnabas] PREACHED the GOSPEL.
8 And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had
walked:
9 The same HEARD Paul SPEAK: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed,
10 Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked.
A casual reader of the Word of God
might say, “Isn’t it wonderful how Paul healed that man?”
You’ve heard that said, and so have I. But Paul did not heal the man. The man was not healed because Paul was an apostle.
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The man was not healed by Paul’s faith. The man himself had the faith to be healed. But notice what had to take place before this man was healed: “And there they [Paul and Barnabas] PREACHED the GOSPEL” (Acts 14:7).
How did this happen?
Recall, Paul did three things which are:
- He preached the gospel to the man.
- He perceived that the man had faith to be healed.
- He told the man to rise up and walk.
Also, The man did three things as well which are:
- He heard Paul preach the gospel.
- He had faith to be healed.
- He leaped up and walked.
The man was not healed by some special power that Paul had, instead he himself had faith to be healed.
Someone may ask: Where and how did he get faith to be healed?
He got it from what he heard!
Recall Acts 14:9 says, “The same man heard Paul speak.
Verse 7 says , “And there they PREACHED the GOSPEL.” If Paul preached what we call the gospel of salvation, how did the man get faith to be healed? The man got faith to be healed because Paul preached what the Bible calls the gospel, which also includes healing.
Faith come by hearing the word of God, what you hear determine what you believe and what you believe determine what becomes of you, endeavor to constantly hear the word of God.
Ankstesniuose straipsniuose, the subject oftikėjimas and how to walk by faith and not by sight buvo aptarti. Žodis sako, that if we have the slightest bit of faith and doubt not, we can move mountains. But how do you get faith according to the Bible? The Bible says in Romans 10:17 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. What does the Bible mean that faith comes by hearing the Word of God?
Taigi tikėjimas ateina iš klausymo, ir klausymas pagal Dievo žodį (Romėnai 10:17)
When you hear something, you make a decision, to either believe it or not. Many people have been convicted of sin and repented when they heard the gospel of Jesus Christ that was preached by a faithful witness of Christ. Maybe you are one of them.
From the moment that you heard the truth of the gospel, the words of God came in power. Through the words of God, the Holy Spirit convicted you of your sinful state and showed you Didžioji Dievo meilė that He gave His Son Jesus Christ for the world, including you (taip pat skaitykite: ‘Jėzus atkūrė taiką tarp puolusio žmogaus ir Dievo‘).
This conviction was so strong, that you decided to believe the words and decided To repent and surrender yourself to Jesus Christ. By believing the words and obeying the words and by becoming born again, you were reconciled with God by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Hearing the Word of God
After you decided to give up your life and follow Jesus Christ, it was time to get to know Jesus and the Father and start walking with Jesus. How do get to know Jesus and the Father? You will get to know Jesus and the Father through the Word.
When you hear and read the Word of God, your mind will be renewed with the truth of God and you will get to know Him and the will of the Father.
You will hear His words and when you apply His words in your life, you become a doer of the Word and you will walk by what the Word says, according to the will of God and you will walk by faith (taip pat skaitykite: ‘The hearers vs the doers‘)
The more you hear, skaityti, study, and meditate on the Word of God, the more you get to know Him, and the more you trust Him and His words.
Your carnal and worldly mind that is enmity against God and won’t submit to God and won’t trust God and won’t obey His will, will be transformed by the renewing of your mind so that you will have the mind of Christ that loves God and trust God and submit to God and obey His will.
How can you trust God if you don’t know God?
But if you don’t spend time in the Word of God and you don’t fellowship with God, how can you get to know God and His will? If you don’t know God how can you trust God?
How can you walk by faith if you don’t know His words, jo valia, and what He has provided? Can you really trust the Provider, if you do not make the effort to get to know Him?
Knowing the Name, will not say that you know the Person. How can you represent His Kingdom here on earth, if you don’t know the King and His Kingdom?
Become a doer of the Word
Todėl, get to know God and hear the Word, read the Word, and study the Word so that you will find out the truth and the will of God. Let the Word of God be in your mind and meditate on it day and night, and walk according to the Word so that you become a doer of the Word.
After a while you will become confident in the Word. Because of the fact that you believe the Word, there is no doubt. And when doubt tries to enter your mind, you simply tell it to leave your mind! Because now you know the truth; Dievo Žodis. You know Him.
If you want to get to know Jesus Christ, start reading the gospels of Matthew, ženklas, Luko, and Joh). Start reading the Scriptures word by word, and when you are finished with John, then start all over again.
As a new creation, you have been made into the image of God, in the likeness of Jesus Christ. Todėl, look at how Jesus acted on earth; what Jesus said, and what Jesus did, ir sekti Juo. His words and His actions are an example for you, because Jesus had the same Spirit you have and the same power (autoritetas).
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God
The Word of God is your mirror, the more time you spend in the Word, the quicker the transformation. By hearing the Word of God, you will get faith and start walking in faith; a manifesting faith (taip pat skaitykite: ‘Ištirkite save, ar esate tikėjime?‘).
Therefore get to know your God, so you can fully trust Him and stay in Him. If you stay in Jesus Christ; the Word and obey His commandments, you will walk by faith in love and in the power of God.
“Būkite žemės druska”
January 29, 2010Romans 10
«Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ» (Romans 10:17)
We all have faith in something, but what our faith is in depends on what or who we’re listening to. If we listen to the world then chances are we have faith in the world’s system. We will let it dictate our thoughts, our actions and even our bodies. However, if we depend on the word of God and what he has spoken to determine our present reality then we operate in an entirely different realm, the realm of victorious faith.
Hebrews 11:6 says, «without faith it is impossible to please God…» so on this basis we can deduct that faith is what pleases God. The verse goes on to say, «because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him ( Hebrews 11:6 ). Believing in Jesus takes faith. In today’s passage Paul tells us that faith comes through hearing the Word of God. Paul is talking about saving faith. The message of Christ is the only thing that can produces this type of faith. We must hear it, receive it, believe it and lastly confess it. This is «the word of faith we are proclaiming: if you confess with your mouth, «Jesus is Lord,» and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved ( Romans 10:8, Romans 10:9 ). This marvelous miracle happens when you humbly receive the word of God planted in you that has the power to save you ( James 1:21 ).
The Word of God is a faith builder. The more you hear it, the more encouraged in your faith you become. The word of God is likened unto a seed that is sown into our hearts. If we receive and cultivate the soil in which it is planted, the seed will yield proportionally to what was sown ( Matthew 13:23, Mark 4:14-20, Luke 8:11-15 ). This is the law of harvest, what is reaped is not a 1:1 ratio of seed to fruit. One seed will bear much fruit if the conditions are right. And the fruit will contain more seed regenerating itself. In the same way, the word of God planted in your heart will bring its abundance into your life proportionally to what has been sown. And the fruit of these blessings will regenerate into the lives of others.
Planting the word of God into your heart is so important. Peter said, «His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires» ( II Peter 1:3-4 ). Through Christ we have great and precious promises but these come through the knowledge of him who has called us. If we don’t know what these promises are then we will never escape the corruption in the world. Paul told Timothy, «All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work» ( II Timothy 3:16-17 ). The word of God equips us for this life. It is the breath of God and it is everything we need to live. Jesus said, the words I speak to you are life ( John 6:63 ). Above all else, we need the word of God planted in our hearts otherwise we will not grow in faith, because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God ( Romans 10:17 ).
Are you listening to the world as your basis for living? Or, are you listening to God? Faith comes by hearing and if you are only hearing the negativity of the news then that’s the faith you will have. If you’re only taking in the chaos on the television, set then you will have disorder in your life. The seed determines the crop not the soil. If you don’t like what’s growing in your garden, then plant something else. «The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control» ( Galatians 5:22-23 ). These fruits come by planting the word of God in your heart and letting it grow.
Reading the Bible and hearing the Word is a wonderful adventure. It is my prayer that you take these seeds of life and starting planting them. Meditate on today’s verse until God makes it alive in your heart. When you do you will see your crops grow, first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head then you will know that the harvest has come ( Mark 4:28-29 ). May you be blessed in abundance, amen!
Romans 10:17
So then faith comes by hearing
That is, by preaching; for the word hearing is used in the same sense as in the preceding verse; and designs the report of the Gospel, or the preaching of the word, which is the means God makes use of, to convey faith into the hearts of his people; for preachers are ministers, or instruments, by whom others believe:
and hearing by the word of God;
or «of Christ», as some copies read, and so do the Vulgate Latin and Ethiopic versions; and intends either the holy Scriptures, which have God for their author, and Christ for the subject of them; and which furnish the men of God, or ministers of the Gospel, with proper materials to preach; and so hearing or preaching is by them, or else the command of God or Christ, which (rhma) more properly signifies; and the sense is, that men preach the Gospel in obedience to the commandment of the everlasting God, and according to the orders, mission, and commission, warrant and authority, of the Lord Jesus Christ: and so these words are the conclusion, and sum of the whole; that as invocation is owing to faith, so faith to hearing, hearing to preaching, preaching to a mission; whence it follows, that it is the original will of God, to send forth his apostles and ministers, to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; that they hearing might believe, and believing call upon the Lord, and so be saved by him: it is a saying of the Jews, (aylt rwbdb heymv) , «hearing depends upon the word» F5.
F5 Zohar in Deut. fol. 110. 3.
Parallel Verses
Holman Bible
So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.
Amplified
So faith comes from hearing [what is told], and what is heard comes by the [preaching of the] message concerning Christ.
An Understandable Version
So, faith results from [people] hearing, and [their] hearing results from [the preaching of] the message about Christ.
Goodspeed New Testament
So faith comes from hearing what is told, and that hearing comes through the message about Christ.
King James 2000
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Moffatt New Testament
(You see, faith must come from what is heard, and what is heard comes from word of Christ.)
NET Bible
Consequently faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the preached word of Christ.
The Emphasized Bible
Hence, our faith, cometh by something heard, and, that which is heard, through a declaration of Christ.
Webster
So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Weymouth New Testament
And this proves that faith comes from a Message heard, and that the Message comes through its having been spoken by Christ.
Williams New Testament
So faith comes from hearing what is told, and hearing through the message about Christ.
Topics
Interlinear
English(KJV)
Strong’s
Root Form
Definition
Usage
Ek
of, from, out of, by, on, with,
Usage: 709
Akoe
Akoe
hearing, ears, fame, rumour, report, audience,
hearing, ears, fame, rumour, report, audience,
Usage: 21
Usage: 21
and
De
but, and, now, then, also, yet, yea, so, moreover, nevertheless, for, even, , not tr
Usage: 2184
Devotionals
Devotionals about Romans 10:17
Devotionals containing Romans 10:17
References
Easton
Fausets
Morish
Word Count of 37 Translations in Romans 10:17
Prayers for Romans 10:17
Verse Info
- Bible Rank: 92
- Romans Rank: 15
- 28 Topics
- 6 Themes
- 20 Cross References
- 3 Readings
- Interlinear
- 4 Devotionals
- 4 Phrases
- 3 Names
- 5 References
- 1 Prayers
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Context Readings
Israel’s Rejection Of The Message
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.”
Cross References
Jeremiah 23:28-29
The prophet who has a dream may relate his dream, but let him who has My word speak My word in truth. What does straw have in common with grain?” declares the Lord.
Romans 1:16
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Galatians 3:2
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Galatians 3:5
So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Mark 4:24
And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.
Luke 8:11
“Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
Luke 8:21
But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
Luke 11:28
But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”
Luke 16:29-31
But Abraham *said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
Romans 10:14
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?
1 Corinthians 1:18-24
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
2 Corinthians 2:17
For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.
Colossians 1:4-6
since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;
1 Thessalonians 2:13
For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
James 1:18-21
In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
1 Peter 1:23-2
for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.
Revelation 1:9
I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
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Word Concordance
King James Version Public Domain
Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.
International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.
New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org
American Standard Version Public Domain
NET Bible copyright © 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. NetBible
Basic English, produced by Mr C. K. Ogden of the Orthological Institute — public domain
«So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing from the Word of God.» Romans 10:17
Faith in God means believing in and trusting in the greatest hope—that God became man, lived a perfect life, died a sacrificial death for your sins, and rose again to glory so that you could have eternal life by the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. Michael Ramsden with RZIM.org shares,
“It is in this way that the writer of Hebrews talks about faith in God. Faith is knowing that God is real and that you can trust in God’s promises. You cannot trust someone who isn’t there, nor can you rely on someone whose promises are not reliable. This is why faith is talked about as the substance of things hoped for and as the evidence of things not seen. Both words carry with them a sense of reality. Our hope is not wishful thinking. Faith does not make God real. On the contrary, faith is the response to a real God who wants to be known to us.”
Paul addresses hearing God speak in Romans 10:17, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (ESV, bold emphasis added)
What Does “Faith Comes by Hearing” Mean in the Bible?
The ESV Study Bible explains verse 17,
“Paul now sums up the argument thus far. One can come to faith only through hearing the gospel, and the specific message that must be heard is the word of Christ, that is, the good news about Jesus Christ as the crucified and risen Savior.”
Romans 8:33 reminds us that it is God who justifies, so faith is not something we can accomplish on our own. If we could reach out and take faith for ourselves, we would be able to save ourselves and that contradicts Scripture and our need for the Savior.
According to the Lutheran Study Bible English Standard Version (ESV), the meaning of hearing includes, “the act of hearing, the ear, or the message heard. The message is the meaning here.” (Romans 10:17 Commentary p 1930). The ear receives the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, faith begins in the hearer. Is it that simple? If so, why aren’t more people coming to faith? What is the problem today?
Christians Sometimes Misunderstand What Faith Means
Some Christians do not understand what faith means, because the message of the gospel is being drowned out in the world and not just by unbelievers. Within our churches, some pastors focus on the merits of good works and fail to proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners, taking their punishment for sin, offering forgiveness and raising them to new life. When heard through this proclamation the meaning of faith becomes clear to the hearer. Faith is confidence not in our ability to do good works but in the meritorious work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Many lay dead in their sins, while they live on earth, because the message of the gospel has been neglected in churches today. Many congregations hear the drumbeat of works, works, and works! The church in many respects has become a business built on the backs of the membership. And the flock despairs because they are oppressed by programs and works but have not heard the life-giving message that Jesus Christ “has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:25). This emphasis on works over grace is not new. In fact, it is the ongoing struggle of the church in the world.
The Gospel Allows Us to Understand the Meaning of Faith
Why would a person call on God unless he expects to hear from Him? But not all who call will hear. Some do not call in faith, in belief in Christ, but believe in their own righteous effort. Jesus gives this example in Luke 18:9-14 between the Pharisee and the publican. The sinner calls in faith; the Pharisee calls on his own merit. The sinner languishes to find “the righteousness of God…revealed from faith for faith” (Romans 1:17) as his means for salvation. The Pharisee falsely believes in his own righteousness as a means to salvation.
The cross of Christ fulfilled God’s plan of salvation for the world. Those who hear this message and receive it come to understand the meaning of faith. They know that faith is a gift from God and that salvation is God’s grace poured into the hearts of the hearer through the power of the Holy Spirit. We can say with certainty, “God gives us faith as a gift, through which Christ’s righteousness is credited to us (Ephesians 2:8-9) and our sins are forgiven (Romans 3:22-24)” (The Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Philip Melanchthon, 95, Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions).
Faith Comes by Hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Look closely at Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
When we hear the gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed we know that “faith is that very righteousness through which we are accounted righteous before God. This is not because faith is a work that is worthy in itself. It is because faith receives the promise by which God has declared that, for Christ’s sake, He wishes to show favor to those believing in Him, or because God knows that Christ Jesus was ‘made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption’ (1 Corinthians 1:30).” (ibid, The Lutheran Confessions)
Only through the preaching of the gospel can faith come from hearing. And the faithful need to pray for ministers of the gospel to be sent into the world so the sinner can be raised to life in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Martin Luther’s Commentary on Romans 10
Martin Luther addressed this issue in his commentary on Romans, “Those cannot preach the divine Word and be messengers of God whom He has not sent and to whom He has not entrusted His Word.” Explaining the verse 10:15 “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace” Luther writes, “The word ‘beautiful’ stand for purity, for they (that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tiding of good things) do not proclaim the Gospel for their own advantage or on account of vain glory, as this happens here and there today. They preach solely from obedience to God and for the sake of the salvation of their hearers. But the Hebrew word means also what is lovely and pleasant. Therefore, the meaning of the expression is: ‘For those who are under the Law, the message of the Gospel is lovely and desirable. The Law indeed reveals sin, makes the sinner guilty, and fills his conscience with fear; the Gospel, however, proclaims to those who have been terrified the desired healing” (151).
In its context, “faith comes from hearing” means that the called ministers of the gospel must be diligent in proclaiming the message so those who are dead in sin will hear the truth of Christ’s atoning work on the cross and be saved by God.
The Message Determines Whether We Listen or Not
The other day at practice I explained to my young gymnasts the order in which they were to rotate through each skill station. Then I asked, “Do you have any questions?” They shook their heads no. “Do you understand the rotation?” Their heads bobbed up and down.
I was hopeful. Maybe this time they had heard my instructions and would listen to them. After a moment, however, my hopes were dashed. Two gymnasts moved in the opposite direction of the rotation. Clearly, they had not heard the instructions. They had not received my message. They hadn’t observed the direction of their teammates, and chaos ensued. The other athletes called to them, but the errant gymnasts continued to move against their teammates. After a few moments I stopped them, turned them around, and showed them their next station.
Nearly every day in the gym I think about this passage, “[They] have eyes to see, but see not, [they] have ears to hear, but hear not…” (Ezekiel 12:2). Anyone working with children understands the challenge of helping them learn to hear. For that matter, everyone working with people understands the challenge of helping them learn to hear. We all have selective hearing. If we like the message from another person, we receive it. If we do not care for the message, we ignore it. In most cases, the message determines whether we really listen.
Although listening to what bosses, co-workers, spouses, friends, and others say to us is critical, what’s most important is hearing what God speaks to us through His Word.
Pete Briscoe with Crosswalk’s Experiencing LIFE Today devotional writes,
“What, then, is faith? It’s a decision of the will to act on what the mind believes is true. The mind reads something in Scripture, and in our spirit the Holy Spirit says, ‘Yes, that’s true,’ and we say, ‘Yes, that’s true,’ and then in our will we make a choice to step out in that truth. That step is faith. There is no power in faith itself. The power is found in the object of faith: Jesus Christ.”
May Jesus be the object of your faith today and every day, and may you share the good news about Him as often as possible.
RELATED: How Do I Put My Faith in God?
Denise Larson Cooper has a passion for Jesus Christ and teaching the Scriptures. She is the author of three devotional books: Life is a Metaphor, Ordinary Days with an Extraordinary Savior and Godnesia: Keeping God in Mind Each Day. She co-produces the daily devotional podcast Ordinary Days. She is an avid walker and teaches several small group Bible studies and Sunday school. She graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with a Masters of Divinity. She is a wife, mother of two grown daughters and currently works as a gymnastics coach.
This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin and history of specific verses within Scripture context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God’s Word in relation to your life today.
«Pray Without Ceasing»
«Fearfully and Wonderfully Made»
«Faith Without Works is Dead»
«Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart»
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So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17
Such simple words, but what do they really mean? These words are essentially the foundation of our belief in Christ. As Christ often stated, “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear”, (Mark 7:16).
Faith Comes By Hearing The Word of God
We obtain faith, which is our trust, hope, and assurance in Christ by hearing the Word of God. However, if we do not hear His Word with understanding, we will never obtain a solid faith in Christ which brings Salvation, (Romans 10:9).
Now I want you to notice the word hearing is used twice, this makes it important, and we should understand what the word means. For our purpose, “hearing” means to “give audience” and “understand”.
Some people hear the Word of God by simply being apart of an “audience” when the Word is taught. While others hear and “understand” the Word of God, and apply it to their lives. There is a big difference there.
Hearing And The Parable Of The Sower
We can find a great example of hearing in the Parable of the Sower. In Luke 8:4-8 Christ explains a sower sowed seeds;
- By The Road
- By The Rock
- By The Thorns
- By Good Ground
Christ closed by saying, “he that hath ears to hear, let him hear”, (Luke 8:8). Of course, the Disciples did not understand this Parable, so Christ explained it and started by stating, “the seed is the word of God”, (Luke 8:9-15).
The People By The Road
These people heard the Word of God by simply being an “audience” for it.
They heard the Message, but they did not apply it to their lives. Instead, they allowed themselves to become distracted and His Word never took root. Then came temptation and “the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts”, (Luke 8:12).
When we hear the Word of God, we have to be focused and hear with understanding, otherwise, the temptations of the world will draw us away from God.
The People By The Rock
These people also heard the Word of God in the sense of “giving an audience”. They truly did not understand it, while they ‘received the word with joy’, it was simply something new and exciting in their life.
In time and without faith and understanding, temptation came, and they fell away from God, (Luke 8:13).
The People By The Thorns
Unfortunately, these people fall into the same category as those above. They simply heard in the sense of “giving an audience” to the Word of God. After they heard it, they went away and were “choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life”, (Luke 8:14).
The People On Good Ground
Finally, we have the people on good ground who heard the Word of God with “understanding”.
Those “which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience”, (Luke 8:15). It is these people who are blessed by God, (Luke 11:28).
Hearing With Understanding
It then becomes obvious, everyone except those on good ground did not hear the word of God with “understanding”, they were simply an “audience” for it. Someone who hears the Message and is quickly drawn away from it.
They never sought out God in a true and meaningful capacity. Instead, they allowed the world and temptation to get in the way which can happen to you if you are not careful.
Instead of going with the ways of the world, let His Word fill our heart and mind. Let it be our focus, our guidebook, and roadmap through this dark world.
Then we become a doer of the Word which gives us a claim to another of God’s Promises, (James 1:25).
Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
Mark 4:24