“Faith comes through hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 Romans 10:16-17 “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Paul’s major point of these passages is addressing the question of the unbelief of Israel, God’s chosen people of the Old Testament, and through making this point he has addressed the overarching theme of God’s sovereignty. Not everyone believes on Jesus Christ as Savior, and their unbelief is not because they haven’t heard or witnessed the Truth. Paul had earlier said in Romans 1:20, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his external power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” God has sent His messengers to proclaim His Truth (Romans 10:18) and He has made it evident in His creation. Therefore, their unbelief isn’t owing to something they haven’t heard or seen. But then Paul went on to remind us that faith in Christ does indeed come when we hear the Word, but we only hear it through Christ, Himself. Paul’s simple point is this: God’s sovereignty will always be the overarching theme of salvation, though man’s responsibility is biblically evident, as well. We do not know how these two coexist, but the Bible simply says that they do. (Matthew 11:25, 28; John 6:35; Acts 16:38, 48) As R.C. Sproul said, “Either God is God over everything, or He’s not God at all.” Study/Meditation: Read Matthew 11:25 and 28, John 6:35, and Acts 16:38 and 48. What do these passages tell you about God’s desire for man’s salvation and His sovereignty over it? *Father, I do not presume to understand Your divine will or nature, but I bow to it in the majesty of it. Thank You for Your perfect understanding and decrees. Amen.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:51:13 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015