TCH MINI-STUDY: 2
FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD
The apostle Paul wrote the church in Rome
these words: For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon
him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 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? And how shall they preach,
except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings
of good things! But they have not all obeyed [hearkened to, be obedient to, respond to] the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath
believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God [Rom 10:12-17].
In verse 17 above, many
believe, in error, that the word refers to the scriptures, or bible. They interpret these scriptures to mean that faith is the result
of hearing the word, or bible [as they refer to it] preached. In truth, individuals do receive faith from reading and hearing the
bible preached, but in the context of our subject verses, this word does not refer to the bible, but to the operation of the Holy
Spirit. As Paul teaches here, salvation is the result of calling upon the Lord, calling upon the Lord is the result of believing,
believing is the result of hearing, hearing is the result of preaching, and preachers preach because they are sent by the word [Greek,Rhema, the movement, operation, and working of the Holy Spirit].
In verse 17, if the word is a reference to the bible, then it
is the bible that sends men to preach, which then results in faith and salavation. Clearly it is not the word, or bible, that sends
preachers to preach resulting in faith, but the Holy Spirit [Greek, rhema] moving and operating within the hearts and lives of men
who are called by God to preach the word of truth, the gospel [See Eph 1:13, Col 1:5]. According to Paul, salvation is the result
of calling upon the Lord, calling upon the Lord is the result of believing, believing is the result of hearing the preaching of the
gospel, and hearing the preaching of the gospel is the result of preachers being called and sent by the Rhema, or working, movement,
drawing, and operation of the Holy Spirit within the hearts, minds, and lives of men and women who are called by God.
Other scriptures
verify that it is not the bible, but the operation, movement, and working of the Holy Spirit is what sends men to preach, which results
in the hearing of the gospel, resulting in faith and, therefore, salvation. The apostle Peter instructs us, Seeing ye have purified
your souls in obeying the truth [of the gospel] through the [working, movement and operation of the Holy] Spirit unto unfeigned love
of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed [the seed of
Jesus Christ and the gospel; See Luke 8:11, 13], but of incorruptible, by the word [Greek, Logos, a reference to Christ and the gospel
of Christ, and not the bible] of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the
flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word [Greek, Rhema, the working, movement, and
operation of the Holy Spirit] of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word [Greek, Rhema, the working, movement, and operation
of the Holy Spirit] which by the gospel is preached unto you (1 Peter 1:22-25; verse 25 is a specific reference to our subject verses).
Another example of the supernatural working of the Holy Spirit is found in the book of Hebrews. The author wrote, Through faith we
understand that the worlds [Greek, aion, age, course, beginning of the world] were framed [Greek, katartizo, to complete thoroughly,
repair, fit, frame, make perfect, join together] by the word [Greek, rhema, an utterance a matter or topic, saying, word; in New Testament
context, the movement and operation of the Holy Spirit] of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear (Hebrews
11:3). Common sense dictates that the creation, including the earth or world as we know it, was not created, and formed by the bible
[or word as many refer to it], but by the magnificent, powerful, explosive power of God's Holy Spirit. Creation was clearly the result
of the explosive, powerful operation of God's Holy Spirit, and not the bible.
We must remember the scriptures teach that the
bible [or word as the bible is referred to in error] is not the source of our salvation and eternal life: the Father himself, which
hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word
abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have [will receive] eternal
life: and [but] they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life (John 5:37-40). Scriptures
teach that eternal life is clearly found in Christ [based upon faith], not the bible [based upon works]. The scriptures do teach that
the word, that is, Christ and His gospel message, are the source of salvation and eternal life. Look what the apostle Paul wrote to
the Roman believers: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power [Greek, dunamis, force, miraculous power, ability,
mighty deed, strength, mighty wonderful work; a clear reference to the operation of the Holy Spirit] of God unto salvation to every
one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein [the truth of the gospel message] is the righteousness of
God revealed from faith [of the Jew] to faith [of the Greek or Gentile]: as it is written, The just [both Jew and Gentile alike] shall
live [eternally] by faith (Romans 1:16-17). The gospel message our source of salvation, and not the bible/
For more on this subject,
see TCH Article "Logos, Rhema, And Graphe," TCH Article 'The Word Of The Kingdom," TCH Article "The Word Of Truth, The Gospel," TCH
Article “Faith Cometh By Hearing,” TCH Mini-Study "Preach The Word," TCH Mini-Study "The Word Of The Kingdom," TCH Mini-Study "Rightly
Dividing The Word Of Truth," TCH Mini-Study "The Sword Of The Spirit, Which Is The Word Of God," TCH Mini-Study "For The Word Of God
Is Quick And Powerful," and TCH Mini-Study "Thy Word Is Truth" in THE CHRISTIAN HERALD. AMEN.
THE CHRISTIAN HERALD
A
Judeo-Christian Bible Study
HE IS DESPISED AND REJECTED OF MEN, A MAN
OF SORROWS
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we
shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted
with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, andcarried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he
was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed,
and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut
off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and
with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him;
he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and
the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors;
and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors
(Isaiah 53:1-12).
I WILL MAKE A NEW COVENANT
"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant
with the house of Israel,
and with the house of Judah: Not according to the
covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand
to
bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although
I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall
be the covenant
that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will
put my law in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts; and will be their
God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man
his neighbour,
and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for
they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith
the
LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their
sin no more”
(Jeremiah 31:31-34).
"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth"
(1 John 3:16-18).
"The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised
the third day. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it”
(Luke 9:22-24).
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause
divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which
ye have learned; and
avoid them. For they that are such
serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly;
and by good words and fair speeches deceive
the hearts
of the simple”
(Romans 16:17-18).
