Romans 10:14-17 (WEL) So how then will they call on him whom they have not believed? Or, how will they believe in him whom they have not heard about, how will they hear [about him] without someone telling them? 15 How will someone [be there] to tell them unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, preaching the Good News of good [things]!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the Good News, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what we said?” 17 So then, faith [comes] from hearing [the message] and hearing through the Word of God.
V14 So how then will they call on him whom they have not believed? Or, how will they believe in him whom they have not heard about, how will they hear [about him] without someone telling them?
The order is 1) preach/share the Gospel, 2) hearing the Gospel, and 3) believing the Gospel. One has to pray asking God to save them as they trust in Jesus alone for salvation. Every person’s prayer will be different. The Lord Jesus gives this example in Luke 18:13-14 “The tax collector standing in the distance wouldn’t even look up to heaven but beat on his chest saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ 14 “I tell you—this man went down to his house justified instead of the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Hearing the Gospel preached may be from a verbal, written, media, etc. presentation. God has His ways to let someone know the Gospel.
Many are not called to be on a full-time mission but all are required to share the Gospel.
V15 How will someone [be there] to tell them unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace, preaching the Good News of good [things]!”
God sends all of us, yet are specifically sent as pastors/teachers, missionaries, or in a music ministry. The quote is from Isaiah 52:7. The Gospel of the Old Testament is the same as the Gospel of the New Testament. See Genesis 15:6 and Jonah 3:5 for the Old Testament and John 20:30-31 and Mark 1:15 for the New Testament.
Truly it is good news that one’s sin can be forgiven and that there is a home in Heaven. God’s condition is only to sincerely believe.
V16 But they have not all obeyed the Good News, for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what we said?”
Most Jews refused to believe even though they heard and saw much more than any other nation in existence. Isaiah preached the Gospel, but most rejected it. Obeying the Gospel means to do what the Gospel requires—believe in Jesus Christ for salvation.
V17 So then, faith [comes] from hearing [the message] and hearing through the Word of God.
The Gospel is preached, it must be listened to, the Holy Spirit will open a person’s mind and heart to understand (Acts 16:14), and the person must believe. The Bible is the only source of 100% truth and can be believed.
Comments:
Believer’s Bible Commentary:
“Faith comes to men when they hear our preaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, which is based, of course, on the written word of God.
“But hearing with the ears is not enough. A person must hear with an open heart and mind, willing to be shown the truth of God. If he does, he will find that the word has the ring of truth, and that the truth is self-authenticating. He will then believe. It should be clear, of course, that the hearing alluded to in this verse does not involve the ears exclusively. The message might be read, for example. So “to hear” means to receive the word by whatever means.”
Constable:
“This verse summarizes the thought of Rom 10:14-16. The word “of” Christ could mean the word from Him, namely, the message that He has sent us to proclaim (Rom 10:15). [Note: Cranfield, 2:537.] It could also refer to the message concerning Christ (Rom 10:9). Both meanings could have been in Paul’s mind. In either case, the gospel is in view.
“What faith really is, in biblical language, is receiving the testimony of God. It is the inward conviction that what God says to us in the gospel is true. That—and that alone—is saving faith.” [Note: Hodges, Absolutely Free! p. 31. Cf. pp. 37-43.]”
We learn:
- The message we preach has been obtained from Jesus, Himself, to the Apostles and others, which was then preached to us.
- Faith alone saves.
Questions:
- Have you believed in Jesus?
- Have you told others about Jesus and His Good News (Gospel)?