rom 10v17 Faith Cometh By Hearing
"FAITH COMETH BY
HEARING"………….
Romans
The Lord our God is absolutely sovereign. He saves his people altogether by grace, without any works of their own. No one believes or preaches that any more fully than I do. But there are some who conclude that since salvation is of the Lord, it is not necessary for men to hear the gospel, repent of sin, and believe on Christ. Such reasoning is just as heretical as Arminianism. Our doctrine must rest upon the plain statements of Holy Scripture, not upon human logic and reason. Here are three facts, plainly revealed in the Word of God.
1. NO ONE WILL EVER BE SAVED WHO DOES NOT
HEAR THE GOSPEL.
God could have chosen to
send angels to reveal his grace, or he could have chosen to take his people to
heaven upon the merits of Christ's righteousness and shed blood, without ever
sending a preacher to them. But he did not. In his infinite and wise
sovereignty, God determined to make the preaching of the gospel an essential
instrument in the salvation of his elect. "It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." You may be sure of
this - Whenever God intends to call one of his own to life and faith in Christ,
he will do so by the voice of a preacher.
2. NO ONE WILL EVER BE SAVED WHO DOES NOT
REPENT OF HIS SIN.
Our Lord said. "Except
ye repent ye shall all likewise perish." It is not possible for a man to
enter into heaven who does not enter by the gate of repentance. Christ himself
said so! Repentance is a change of mind, a change of masters, and a change of
motives. Men may argue and debate the subject, but the Word of God is
unchanged. You have but two alternatives. You must either "Repent or
perish!"
3. NO ONE WILL EVER BE SAVED WHO DOES NOT
BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
It is written, "He that
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him". Faith is
indispensable to salvation. Faith in Christ is the sure token and evidence of
God's electing grace. Whoever believes is elect. Whoever dies in unbelief is
not elect. God's purpose of grace includes all the means as well as the
ultimate end of eternal salvation.
Mark it down. Those who are
chosen of God and redeemed by Christ will hear the gospel, repent of sin, and
believe on Christ. These three things are absolutely essential to the salvation
of a man's soul.