Faith comes by hearing.

Note: This is the 5th post in a series on Grace that should be read in the following order:

1 Purpose of this Blog
2 Grace Defined - Part One
3 Grace Defined - Part Two
4 Grace operates through Faith - Faith Defined
5 Faith comes by hearing
6 Faith comes by hearing - Time alone with God
7 ...and hearing by the Word of God - Part One
8 ...and hearing by the Word of God - Part Two

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. "
(Romans 10:17)

Many like to quote this, "Faith comes by the word of God." However, that is not what it says. It says, "faith comes by hearing."

"You are splitting hairs", you say. If faith comes by hearing and hearing comes by the word of God, then faith comes by the word of God.

What you may fail to understand is that to many, the word of God, the Bible, is at best an historical document. They read it. They find knowledge. But they do not hear. Consider the following verses:

"And Moses called all Israel, and said unto them, Hear, O Israel, the statutes and judgments which I speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and keep, and do them."
(Deuteronomy 5:1)


"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: "

(Deuteronomy 6:4)

"And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you."
(Deuteronomy 20:3-4)

"And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."
(Mark 12:29-30)

The first commandment is, "Hear, O Israel". Hear what? Matters of the Spirit. That which is on God's heart to share with you. Pay spiritual attention.

"He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
(Matthew 11:15)

"Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
(Matthew 13:9)

"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
(Matthew 13:43)

"And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."
(Mark 4:9)

"If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."
(Mark 4:23)

"If any man have ears to hear, let him hear."
(Mark 7:16)

"Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:"
(Matthew 13:13-14)

Why do they not hear? Because they hear the scripture spoken, or read the Bible (Torah at that time), but they DO NOT HEAR the Spirit of God.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
(Revelation 2:7)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
(Revelation 2:11)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
(Revelation 2:17)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(Revelation 2:29)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(Revelation 3:6)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(Revelation 3:13)

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
(Revelation 3:22)

God has something to say.....to you!

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
(Isaiah 55:3)

Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spoke, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not.
(Isaiah 65:12)

And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
(Isaiah 30:21)

The night before His crucifiction, Jesus told His disciples:

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. "
(John 14:26)

He shall teach you.

Who?

The Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit. The Spirit of Grace.

"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; "
(Titus 2:11-12)

Faith comes by hearing.

Hearing what?

Wrong question.

Hearing whom?

The Holy Spirit of God Almighty, Creator of the Universe.

God wants to talk to.....me?

"For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel: in sitting still and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength; and ye would not. But ye said: 'No, for we will flee upon horses';"
(Isaiah 30:15-16a JPS)

Sorry Lord...too busy...gotta run...maybe I'll have time for you tommorrow.

"And therefore will the LORD wait, that He may be gracious unto you, and therefore will He be exalted, that He may have compassion upon you; for the LORD is a God of justice, happy are all they that wait for Him. "
(Isaiah 30:18 JPS)

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying: 'This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.' "
(Isaiah 30:21 JPS)

Yes, He wants to talk with you. He longs to spend time with you. He paitently waits to be gracious unto you. Make time to sit at the Master's feet and hear ye Him. He has so much He wants to share with you.

Faith comes by hearing.

When you hear the Spirit of God speak to your spirit, faith will be born in your heart.

Faith comes by hearing.

Hearing comes by the Word of God.

Jesus said,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, He who believes on Me has everlasting life.

I am the Bread of life.

Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and died.

This is the Bread which comes down from Heaven, so that a man may eat of it and not die. I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this Bread, he shall live forever.

And truly the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Then the Jews argued with one another, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? "
(John 6:47-52 MKJV)

Further clarification was needed:

"It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life. "
(John 6:63 MKJV)

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. "
(Romans 10:17)

Now comes the time for practical application.

You have homework.

Read the Gospel of John five times in a row.

Take a week or a month, but read the Gospel of John five times in a row.

Have a highlighter and a pen and some paper.

Each time you sit down to read, be by yourself or at least someplace quiet.

Before you start ask God to teach you by His Holy Spirit. Ask in Jesus name.

If you have not read it for a long time or perhaps have never read it, you may find it nothing more than an interesting account of the life of Jesus the first time through. That is not unusual.

Read it again.

By the third or fourth time through the book you will start to notice passages jumping out at you that you never much noticed the first few times through. Highlight them. Write them down to think about and meditate on later.

You are in the Word. You are starting to hear the Spirit of God teach you spiritual truth.

You are beginning to hear.

When the Lord blesses you with a passage, thank Him. He is sitting right next to you (spiritually speaking). He has been waiting a long time to show you these things.

As you end each time of reading, thank God for His word and what He has shown you.

He has so much more to share with you.

If you finish John five times before our next lesson, read Matthew, Mark and Luke.

"For the word of God is living, and active..."
(Hebrews 4:12a RV)