FAITH COMES FROM HEARING

Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ." The word "faith" in the verse means trust or a strong conviction that is true, and it can be trusted. Faith leads us to commit and surrender our lives to something true. Faith is not a matter of abstract beliefs that we cannot describe. There is no such thing as blind faith in Christianity because our faith comes from what we know to be true, because we heard from the Word of God. Apostle Paul, who wrote the book of Romans, had a personal encounter with Jesus. He heard the Word of Jesus personally, which gave him the strong conviction to believe in Jesus. Before we put our trust in God, we must hear about Him. As a result, the Word of God is very important because there are many information out there that describes who God is. For example, the different religions, such as Hindu, Islam, and other religions, have their own descriptions of God. But which one is true? During the time of Paul, the Romans believed in Greek gods, such as Zeus and Apollo. The Bible is the only book that describes the true description of God, and it is through faith in the Lord Jesus that we know the true living God.

Because we heard the Good News of Jesus from the Bible, we believe that He is the Lord and Savior. Our faith in Jesus must be lived out with obedience so that we can experience Him. If we are only hearing the Word of God and not applying it, we will never experience God personally. James 1:22 says, "But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." Our faith in Jesus requires us to surrender our lives to Him. It is not an option, but it is a requirement for every believer to do. As we surrender our lives to Him, He then guides us through every situation that we are in, and this is where we personally experience Him. I know that Jesus is real in my life because I have experienced Him in many situations in my life. I have experienced his correction, discipline, forgiveness, provision, encouragement, guidance, and strength. I would never experience all these things about Him if I didn't trust Him with all my life.

We believe in Jesus because we heard His Good News from the Bible. Our faith in Jesus requires us to surrender our lives to Him, and as we surrender our lives to Him, we will experience Him in a very personal way. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Do I believe in Jesus as my Lord and Savior? Describe how you believed in Jesus? Why is it important to apply what we hear from the Bible?

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for sending someone to share the Good News of my Lord Jesus with me. I believe in you because I heard the Good News of my Lord Jesus. Thank you for encouraging me today to continue to surrender my life to you. Please help me to live out my faith and even use me to share the Good News of Jesus to others that they may hear your Word and believe in Jesus. In your name, Jesus, I pray, Amen.