“Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

This important passage of Scripture is, sad to say, little understood. Many people think of faith in the abstract, as though it had some mysterious power in itself. They speak of faith, but what do they mean? Faith in what? or in whom? Surely it is not possible just to have faith, without something or someone to have faith in.

Faith is not wishing or feeling confident. It is not optimism or presumption or imagination. Faith must have a basis, a foundation. Thus, the Christian’s faith is founded upon the understood truths of “the Word of God” — on God’s ‘words’ in the Bible that apply during today’s age of “the grace of God.” – not the contrasting words of the Law dispensation that applies to Israel alone.

The above passage explains: “Faith cometh by hearing.” Isn’t that simple? Isn’t that true?

Some have said that “seeing is believing,” but a moment’s reflection will reveal that, like the phrase: “I’m from Missouri,” this saying is actually an expression of unbelief in the words of God… regardless of what we see.

Yet, it is true that, spiritually, when we have really seen or perceived a truth by ‘revelation of the Holy Spirit’ then we no longer need to believe it because in really seeing or perceiving… it then belongs to us, it has become fixed in our understanding. This is because it has been revealed to us by the Spirit.  Seeing such things, we never forget.

According to 2 Corinthians 4:4, what unbelievers need to see is “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Thus, the ground of saving faith is “the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” One day we heard the gospel and it lit up our hearts and minds to believe what we heard. In order for the gospel to ground genuine faith in us, the unique divine glory of Christ must be heard, seen, or perceived spiritually through Spirit anointed ‘words.’ So, its not a matter of convincing somebody of technical issues of the Gospel, but rather it is by God preparing a heart to hear the truth of the Gospel… and them hearing the words by the Spirit.

Faith in the truth of Christ which is made reasonable to us by the Holy Spirit’s revelation honors its object… which is Christ. Faith which is not based on a true perception of the Spirit has insufficient ground for faith, it is unreasonable and is no more honoring to the one trusted than if the result of a roll of the dice.

But when we hear [or read] a matter reported, we may either believe or doubt it. In the case of the gospel, “Faith cometh by hearing.” And likewise hearing comes through what has been said. We believe, or doubt, what we hear and we hear what has been said. The Christian’s faith, then, comes by hearing (God) and hearing by “the Word of God.” All true Christian faith is founded on “the Word of God” as it is been quickened to us personally… by the Holy Spirit. Thus, salvation is of God’s work in the heart and mind of a penitent.

Actually, the word “hearing,” in Rom. 10:17, however, has the idea of not just hearing but also heeding — paying attention, listening. We might say “Did you hear that, did you get that, did you grasp that?”

This is why Gal. 3:5 speaks of “the hearing of faith”:

“He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” Galatians 3:5

So, “the hearing of faith” only comes to us by the work of God the Holy Spirit behind it.

Thus Eph. 1:13, referring to Christ, says:

“In [Christ] whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,” Ephesians 1:13 (KJV)

Thus, too, we read in John 5:24 the words of the Lord Jesus:

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24