Romans 10:17 - How To Get More Faith.
Rom.10:17: How To Get More Faith.
Rom 10:17 (KJV) So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God.
Rom 10:17 (TEV) So then, faith comes from hearing the message,
and the message comes through preaching Christ.
Rom 10:17 (NCV) So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and
people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.
Rom 10:17 (CWB) Faith comes from listening to what God has to
say, including what he told us about the Lord Jesus Christ in His
word.
Rom 10:17 (TLB) Yet faith comes from listening to this Good
News--the Good News about Christ.
Faith comes from hearing the message of the gospel. [Disciple SB]
Faith is increased by hearing. The more we listen to the words
of God, the more faith we store up in our character. [Nature Quest
by J & P Tucker]
Faith will grow by the study of the Word; [The Bible Notebook]
INTRODUCTION
This statement expresses the main theme of this section. (Life
Application Commentary)
DEFINITIONS
FAITH
The Greek language does not have two separate words for "belief"
and "faith." The Gr. pistis, "faith," or "belief," is the noun
derived from pisteuo, the verb translated "hath believed" in v. 16
WORD OF GOD
In 10:6-8 this word (rhma--see 10:8) is identified with
Christ--because to receive this word is to receive Christ, for
the living Christ
is conveyed through his word. And this spoken word can produce
faith in the hearer. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary]
The phrase "word of Christ" means either "preaching about
Christ" or "the message about Christ." (UBS Translator Handbook Series)
The word of Christ is the word about Christ and what he has
accomplished to give salvation to all who believe in him. (Life Application
Commentary)
HEARING
"Hearing," which in biblical thought implies responding
appropriately, requires first a message, but then requires understanding and
acceptance by those to whom the message is given. [Victor Bible Reader's
Companion]
Is it possible that someone hasn't heard God's voice? No, all
have heard. All the earth has heard God speak in the creation, if not
in the Gospel (cf. Ps. 19; Rom. 1:18-20). The failure of any man or
group to respond to God is not the fault of the LORD. It is because of
man's obstinate disobedience when God's voice is heard. [The 365-Day
Devotional Commentary]
When it is said that faith cometh by hearing, it is not meant
that all who hear actually believe, for that is not true; but that
faith does not exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard
or believed. It cannot come otherwise than by such a message; in
other words, unless there is something made known to be believed. And
this shows us at once the importance of the message, and the fact
that people are converted by the instrumentality of truth, (Barnes'
Notes)
There has always been a Gospel, a message from God that must be
received by faith. And in history past as today, only some believe and
are saved. [Victor Teacher's Commentary]
A man is responsible for failing to know what he might have
known. [Barclay Commentary]
COMMENTARY
This verse is an important statement of the nature and source of
true faith. Genuine faith is not a blind confidence to be exercised
in the absence of adequate evidence. Faith is our conviction about
things that we cannot see (Heb. 11:1), and this conviction must be
founded upon knowledge, a knowledge based upon the Word of God, the
message about Christ. As a means of developing a transforming and
enduring faith, there is no substitute for the regular and earnest study
of the Bible. [SDA Commentary]
People need to hear the Good News of salvation in Christ in
order to believe it (10:14). Faith does not respond in a vacuum or
respond blindly. Faith is believing what one has been told about God's
offer of salvation and busting the one who has been spoken about.
(Life Application Commentary)
God gives faith, but it is by the word as the instrument.
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)
Sinners cannot be saved apart from the Word of God, for "faith
comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" [Wiersbe Expository
Outlines]
The beginning, progress, and strength of faith, are by hearing.
(Matthew Henry's Commentary)
There are three steps involved in faith. (See Deeper Study
#2--John 2:24.)
1. The step of hearing. A man must be willing to listen to the
message of Christ.
2. The step of mental assent. A man must agree that the message
is true, that the facts of the case are thus and so. But this is
not enough. Mere agreement does not lead to action. Many a person
knows that something is true, but he does not change his behavior to
match his knowledge. For example, a man knows that eating too much
harms his body, but he may continue to eat too much. He is a
double-minded man: he agrees to the truth and knows the truth, but he does
nothing about it. This man still does not have faith, not the kind of
faith that the Bible talks about.
3. The step of commitment. When the New Testament speaks of
faith, it speaks of commitment, a personal commitment to the truth. A
man hears the truth and agrees that it is true and does something
about it. He commits and yields his life to the truth. The truth
becomes a part of his very being, a part of his behavior and life.
Saving faith is believing in the name of Jesus Christ and
committing one's life to Him. It is trusting Jesus Christ, completely
putting one's trust in Him, who He is and what He has done. It is
casting one's life into His hands, believing He will take care of one's
past (sins), present (looking after), and future (delivering from
death unto life eternal). [Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible]
APPLICATION
It's not through wisdom that people come to the knowledge of God
and their absolute equality before Him. It's not through endless
arguments of fine points of theology that they will find a humble heart.
The doorway into the kingdom is so low down that one must bend in
humility to get through. I've never known a single person who has been
convinced of the kingdom of God through head knowledge--a person just can't
think his or her way into the kingdom of God. Nor can anyone come into
the kingdom of God based on a religious experience. It is knowledge
of and faith in Christ that enables the equality of life in the
kingdom to be real. Terry Fullam [Time With God SB]
The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of
character. Christ prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is
truth." John 17:17. If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the
heart, subduing every unholy attribute. The Holy Spirit comes to
convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love
to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit to His own
image. Then God can use us to do His will. The power given us works
from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth
that has been communicated to us.... Received into the heart, the
leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and
sweeten the disposition. It quickens the faculties of the mind and the
energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving.
{COL 100, 101}
According to Jam.2:20,26, having faith is critical to getting
things accomplished. Now, none of us probably needs to move mountains,
but all of us need the kind of faith that could! And to pray
without faith is pointless. So where do we get the mountain-moving
faith that we need to be effective prayers? Romans 10:17 tells us
that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. As we
read the Word and bring it to bear upon our lives, we will grow in
grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which is faith-producing.
Then as we seek His will, in His way, in His time, which is all that
we will want, our prayers will be answered - even to the moving of
something as great as a mountain! [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom]
Every day I have the honor of sitting down with a book that
contains the words of the One who created me. Every day I have the
opportunity to let him give me a thought or two on how to live. If I don't
do what he says, he doesn't burn the book or cancel my
subscription. If I disagree with what he says, lightning doesn't split my
swivel chair or an angel doesn't mark my name off the holy list. If I
don't understand what he says, he doesn't call me a dummy. In fact, he
calls me "Son," and on a different page explains what I don't
understand. In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado [Inspirational SB]
Read it through, pray it in, live it out, pass it on. George
Gritter [Spirit Filled Life Devotional SB]
If You Walk By Faith You Can't Walk By Sight
If You Walk By Sight You Can't Walk By Faith [Elder Mark Finley;
Net 96]
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