Romans 10:17 - Getting More Faith.
Romans 10:17 (NKJV) So then faith comes by
hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Romans 10:17 (NLT) So faith comes from
hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.
INTRODUCTION
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 Bible Commentary]
The creative energy that called the worlds
into existence is in the word of God (Psa.33:6,
9). This word imparts power; it begets life.
Every command is a promise; accepted by the will,
received into the soul, it brings with it the life of
the Infinite One. It transforms the nature and
re-creates the soul in the image of God (2Pe.1:4). {Ed
126}
COMMENTARY PEARL
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God." Rom. 10:17. 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.
The truths of the word of God meet man's
great practical necessity--the conversion of the
soul through faith. These grand principles are
not to be thought too pure and holy to be
brought into the daily life. They are truths which
reach to heaven and compass eternity, yet their
vital influence is to be woven into human
experience. They are to permeate all the great things
and all the little things of life
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}
COMMENTARY
A while back I was watching a news
program that was doing a story on a man who had
lived well past 100. He promised to reveal the key
to his longevity on the program. So, the news
crew followed him to a local market, where he
proudly showed them his secret.
He ate a hot dog every day. And it
wasnt one of those high-quality brands, either. Go
figure.
You may eat a healthy diet and exercise
regularly, which means that youll probably have a
good, strong life in contrast to someone who
isnt doing those things. But ultimately, God
numbers and orders your days. He determines the
length of your life.
Jesus said, Can all your worries add a
single moment to your life? (Matthew 6:27 NLT).
The answer, of course, is no. In fact,
worry may even shorten our lives. Studies have
shown that worry actually can disease our
digestive organs. It can have a detrimental effect on
us physically.
Worry also indicates a lack of faith.
Again, in Matthew 6, Jesus said, And if God
cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here
today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will
certainly care for you. Why do you have so little
faith? (verse 30 NLT).
Some have more faith than others. So how
do we build up our faith? Romans 10:17 gives us
the answer: So then faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God (NKJV).
When I hear Gods Word, it puts things
in perspective. I see everything the way I
ought to see it. So, its important for us to
hear the Word of God and bolster our faith.
Far too often we doubt our beliefs and
believe our doubts. Instead, we need to go back to
what God says in His Word - what we know is true.
Thats how we build our faith and stop worrying.
[Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
? Hablas espanol?
With much of South and Central America,
not to mention Spain, Spanish is one of the most
spoken languages on the planet. English also ranks
near the top. Many countries teach English in
school, even if it's not their official language.
But the most popular language by far is Mandarin
Chinese. Some experts estimate more than 1 billion
people speak Mandarin.
Linguists have a difficult time figuring
out how many languages are spoken around the
world. The best estimates say around 6,800
different languages exist. In the United States,
nearly all 300-plus million people speak English.
But in the tiny country of Papua New Guinea,
there are fewer than 5.5 million people, yet they
speak nearly 830 different languages!
Language is important. Without it, we
wouldn't be able to communicate. Remember the story
of the Tower of Babel in the Old Testament?
Their project seemed to be going well until the
Lord "confused their language" (Genesis 11:7).
Then everything fell apart.
The Bible is clear that God wants all
people to know him. For people to understand the
truth about God's love, they must hear God's Word.
Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing,
that is, hearing the Good News about Christ"
(NLT). According to Wycliffe Bible Translators,
parts of God's Word have been translated into
2,800 languages. More than 500 languages have the
complete Bible. Another 1,275 feature the New
Testament. Over 1,000 have at least one book already
translated. Wycliffe says an additional 1,500 languages
are actively being worked on so they'll have
God's Word. That's a lot of work! Take a minute
right now to pray and ask God to bless and give
wisdom to the thousands of people who work
tirelessly to translate God's Word so that his message
can be known worldwide.
Translating the Scriptures into different
languages is nothing new. New Testament expert Bruce
Metzger says, "In addition to Greek manuscripts, we
also have translations of the gospels into other
languages at a relatively early time - into Latin,
Syriac, and Coptic." Beyond that, the Gospels were
quickly translated into Armenian, Gothic, Georgian,
and Ethiopic. Not only does this show that God's
Word spread quickly after Jesus died and rose
from the dead, but it also helps prove the
accuracy of the New Testament. With so many copies in
so many languages, experts have confidence that
the essential message has stayed the same over
time. [Case For Christ For Kids by Les Strobel]
CLOSING THOUGHT
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]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Romans 10:17 - Getting More Faith.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2015/20150728-1429.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
Importance of Choice:
http://creationhealth.com/CREATION-Health/Choice [click on video]
Medical Seminar on Healthful Living by David
DeRose, MD, MPH:
https://www.smartlifestyletv.com/lifestart
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Hope Awakens Bible Study Guides:
https://www.hopeawakens.study/lesson-header;id=2
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio:
https://bible.awr.org/the-signs/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
The Last Day of Prophecy by Pastor Doug
Batchelor:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmGvdtMCf1aJTiC59-lPtuUMEq_uEn0BK
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
