Hearing in Faith

Welcome

Next Sunday is the last of this teaching quarter, so in two weeks be at church to pick up your new devotional. And as the Christmas season starts, we’ll begin jumping into a new series: “The Mighty God in Christ”. And it’s going to be pretty cool, because it’s four lessons, and each lesson is going to highlight a song of the Oneness message:

“It’s All in Him”

“Down from His Glory”

“The Great I Am”

“Take the Name of Jesus”

I released a sort of a teaser for the coming year: we are going to spend several, several Midweek Services going through the entire book of Exodus, verse by verse.

I am going to be reading our text today from a very, very old Bible. 1610, to be exact.

This is a page from a 1610 Geneva Bible. The first English Bible to ever use numbered verses. It’s also nick-named the Puritan or Pilgrim Bible.

To give some perspective, this is the Bible the Shakespeare used. Also, it was very likely shipped as if it were contraband. In a barrel of corn or rice, perhaps. And the Pilgrims got tired of having to sneak around with their Bible, so they brought the same Bible to America on board the Mayflower!

Text

Romans 10:14–17 KJV 1900

14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Our lesson title today: “Hearing in Faith”

Intro

A Misunderstanding

Everyone starts somewhere in their relationship with God. “Don’t despise the day of small things.”

The Apostle Paul, who we see as larger than life, had his own beginning. He was once Saul. And he was in the business of persecuting Christians. He made it his mission. And he thought he was pleasing God by doing it.

Think of this: when Saul came marching up the road to Damascus, he was full of righteous indignation. That’s anger that is primarily motivated by a perception of injustice or other moral lapse (think Jesus turning over tables in the temple).

So Paul had believed that he was acting on behalf of God when he went forth “breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). And he was absolutely shocked when the voice of God rang out and asked “Why persecutest thou me?” (Acts 9:4). He was confused! He said, “Who art thou, Lord?”

The idea that persecuting the church was likened to persecuting God was unreal to him. The voice of God made it clear, though: “I am Jesus whom thou persecutest” (Acts 9:5). And what Paul thought he knew about God changed. All of his zeal and fervor were misdirected. He had been fighting the wrong fight!

Now, what I’m about to say applies not only to the Jews, but to millions of Christians in the world who are misguided: the problem for Paul, or any other sincere Jew in the first century was not a lack of passion - the problem was a fundamental lack of knowledge. They misunderstood the plan of God. And it was because of that misunderstanding that many missed the fulfillment of the law.

They never realized who Jesus was, and when confronted with that revelation, they stubbornly rejected it.

Israel Needed Salvation

So now let’s fast forward…

Paul is converted. And now, he is grieving that his countrymen were blind to the revelation of Jesus Christ. And he wanted to see them saved. He knew many of them yearned to know and serve God. Let’s read…

Romans 10:1–2 KJV 1900

1 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

Pay attention to that: they were zealous, “but not according to knowledge.” They never understood who Jesus was because they misunderstood the plan of God.

So, listen: it is possible to be zealous, sincere, and enthusiastic about God, while at the same time, be completely wrong, having no understanding of truth, and having no knowledge of the actual plan of God. No one tried harder to please God than the Jews, yet they missed God completely when He came walking down their street.

You can be zealous about many things. But are they the right things?

So, I wonder how many people are out there who are “zealous” Christians, “but not according to knowledge.” They believe that they are fulfilling the will of God, but they don’t understand His plan.

To Be Saved, One Must Believe

Let’s talk about the error that the Jews made in what they believed. It has to do with how a person is made righteous in the eyes of God.

Romans 10:3 KJV 1900

3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

If you read Galatians 3, it tells us that the Law was supposed to lead them to faith in Jesus. And it is truly amazing how we see Jesus throughout the Torah (first five books of the Bible). As a matter of fact, when we jump into our Exodus story, you are going to find out how, as we see the burning bush, the parting of the Red Sea, and Mt. Sinai, there is such an undercurrent of another whole story being told entirely at the same time.

The Law was supposed to lead them to Jesus. But instead, they took the Law God gave them and constructed their own, self-righteous means of salvation.

So, when we talk about “The Law”, when I say that, what are we talking about?

PROMPT FOR ANSWERS

It was all a detailed sacrificial system to atone for sin. But Jesus FULFILLED that system. The Law had no meaning whatsoever if we separate the sacrificial system form the Cross (you can’t - even the Tabernacle they made sacrifice at was in the shape of a cross).

Hebrews 10:4 KJV 1900

4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

And you know, it’s amazing even people today who aren’t Jews - Christians - who are committed to the Law. I have a friend who is a Christian who believes very strongly that we shouldn’t eat pork and other “unclean” animals. But truly, we just need to read the New Testament:

Acts 10:9–15 KJV 1900

9 On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour: 10 And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance, 11 And saw heaven opened, and a certain vessel descending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at the four corners, and let down to the earth: 12 Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat. 14 But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 15 And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Therefore, I cooked an entire package of bacon this weekend. I thanked God for it, and had it with eggs, biscuits, and chocolate gravy. We just need to know our Bible!

Now, we don’t DISMISS the law. The 10 Commandments are powerful still today, for example. But listen: the Law was representative, and Jesus was the one being represented. It all pointed to His sacrifice on the cross.

His blood made the whole thing work.

BUT - His blood was never applied to anyone’s life by their works. The ONLY way His blood can be applied to our lives is through faith.

Faith Produces Righteousness

So, the Jews take the Law delivered to them, and twist it into something it was not. It becomes, “Look at what I’m doing… look how righteous I am.” We can become this way too, if we aren’t careful.

And they were condemned, not because they didn’t have the Word, but because they did not obey it.

Romans 10:8 KJV 1900

8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;

So the Word they needed to obey was not hidden from them. It was in their mouths and in their hearts. Had they understood it, they would have seen that the Law pointed them to Jesus.

And this reminds me of the rich young ruler. Jesus encountered him, and the young man asked Jesus how he could inherit eternal life. Jesus’ response was for him to keep the commandments, right? And Jesus wasn’t saying that they young man could save himself by his works. He was telling him to live for God, which requires faith in God.

And this young man had lived by the Law “to a T.” But he still had an emptiness in his soul. Because he tried to obtain righteousness through works rather than faith.

So Jesus challenged him to exercise his faith:

Mark 10:21 KJV 1900

21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

“I need you to obey in faith. Let go of what you have to gain what you could never obtain by yourself.”

True righteousness doesn’t come from self-righteous law-keeping. It comes from faithful obedience to the Word of God.

“Oh, I give 10% and I give an offering!” - Great.

“I read my Bible every single day.” - Fantastic.

“I dress holy and don’t use any bad language.” - Phenomenal.

Now… WHY?

You see, these are all things that ought to STEM FROM a deeper thing. I do these things because I love God, I have a daily relationship with Him, and my faith in Him motivates my actions.

Salvation Requires Believing Jesus is Lord

The message that Paul and the New Testament church preached was not just for the Jews.

Romans 10:12 KJV 1900

12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

And what is he preaching to them?

Romans 10:9–10 KJV 1900

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Okay… here is where many people get hung up.

The instruction here to believe and to call the Lord’s name is not a separate message of salvation. It is NOT different from what Peter preached in Acts 2:38. Those two things (believing in Jesus and calling on Him) are simple terms that sum up the whole of biblical instructions on salvation.

Let me see if I can illustrate this. If Anna is in her car seat, and she is throwing a fit. Let’s say she’s kicking the back of the seat in front of her, she’s screaming, and she’s not listening to what we’ve already said to her about this. If daddy then hits the brakes, points his finger her direction and says, “Straighten up NOW!” Those couple of words are referring to her STOPPING the kicking of the seat, STOPPING the screaming, and STOPPING the disobedience.

So this is how we see “believe” and “call on His name.” To be saved, we have to believe and obey the gospel. Belief is going to lead to repentance and confessing Jesus is Lord, particularly by water baptism when the name of Jesus is called upon. Without faith, it is impossible to receive the Holy Ghost.

This is also a scripture where many get the doctrine of eternal security (“Once-Saved-Always-Saved”). One moment and your ticket is stamped. Not so:

Matthew 10:22 KJV 1900

22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

When that scripture says “confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,” it literally means to confess Jesus is Lord. And when you confess Jesus is Lord, you are confessing the deity of Jesus (that He is God).

But also, to confess Jesus was Lord was to confess that Caesar was not! In Paul’s day, Caesar and his government demanded their citizens confess Caesar as Lord. The Christians’ statement of faith may have cost them their freedom and even their lives. But for the Jews, this was a stumblingblock that hindered them from finding salvation. They couldn’t accept that Jesus was God.

I Will Listen to God’s Word

Romans 10:11 KJV 1900

11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

Being unashamed is the opposite result from sin, which makes the sinner ashamed.

Romans 6:21 KJV 1900

21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Sin never satisfies. But faith in God never disappoints. So we believe in Him. We obey His Word. And we live out our faith in Him. That kind of a life bears righteous fruit.

Faith Must Precede the Call that Saves

Paul used a unique phrase as a bookend for Romans. It occurs in Romans 1:5, where it is translated as “obedience to the faith.” And in Romans 16:26, it is translated as “obedience of faith.”

Romans 1:5 KJV 1900

5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

Romans 16:26 KJV 1900

26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:

In both cases, the Greek text is telling us that faith possesses obedience in such a way that obedience is an attribute of faith, or obedience springs from faith.

Faith and obedience are inseparably linked!

The Greek phraseology may actually well be expressed as “faith’s obedience.” Where there is faith, it always produces obedience!

First One Believes, Then Confesses

In this chapter, Paul teaches that belief comes before confession.

So, the heart believes. And then confession springs up from that belief. Faith, then obedience because of it.

But we have to be careful not to drive too sharp a wedge between faith and obedience as if faith can exist apart from obedience. That isn’t consistent with Scripture.

James 2:20 KJV 1900

20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

When we genuinely believe, we always respond with obedient action.

“Oh, I believe!”

BUT DO YOU BEHAVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE???

Let me ask this, have you ever though about the concept of “Amen-ing” the Word? It is biblical.

Nehemiah 8:6 KJV 1900

6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, with lifting up their hands: and they bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground.

In the process of receiving a Word from the Lord, we should AFFIRM IT! Let your answer be, “Amen!” out of faith!!!

Politicians will air commercials. You’ll hear several points made and then, at the end, “I am (name) and I approve this message.”

When the Word is spoken, do you “approve this message”? Some of you are about to be amen-ing a lot more!

This is a lot like the fruits of the Spirit.

Galatians 5:22–23 KJV 1900

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

If these some of these aren’t apparent in your life, I question whether you have the Holy Ghost.

“Well that’s pretty harsh.” No it ain’t. Don’t tell me you’ve got the Holy Ghost when you go around spreading hate and bad attitude everywhere you go. If you have the Spirit, then the fruit that should grow from it includes love. And peace. We don’t always do right. And we have to repent. But these fruits should be there if the Spirit it.

So… also, if you believe, obedient actions will follow. Makes me think of a quote I heard recently:

“There can be no revival when Mr. Amen and Mr. Wet-Eyes are not found in the audience.”

Charles Finney

Genuine Faith is Demonstrated by Obedience

Unfortunately, not everyone who hears the gospel obeys it. In Romans 10:16, Paul mentioned this by quoting from Isaiah:

Romans 10:16 KJV 1900

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

“OBEYED… BELIEVED”

The people who heard the message did not believe. In Paul’s mind, a lack of obedience was the same as a lack of faith.

James challenged his readers:

James 2:18 KJV 1900

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Faith is not demonstrably present unless accompanied by some form of obedience.

WE BELIEVE we are sinners and God will forgive our sins, so we repent.

WE BELIEVE we need the name of Jesus applied to our lives, so we are baptized in the name of Jesus.

WE BELIEVE God will open wide the heavens and fill us with His Spirit, so we open wide our hearts and God fills us.

IT IS A FALSEHOOD TO PRESUME THAT FAITH CAN EXIST ALONE.

The writer of Hebrews devoted an entire chapter to heroes of the faith. We call it the “Hall of Faith” (Hebrews 11). But look… in EVERY case, a person’s faith is evidenced through acts of obedience.

“By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice.”

“By faith Enoch… pleased God.”

“By faith Noah… prepared an ark to the saving of his house.”

A real faith is ALWAYS going to produce action.

Hearing the Gospel Produces Faith

Romans 10:17 KJV 1900

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

The Word of God is the indispensable origin of faith. Not all who hear believe, but it is impossible to believe what you have not heard.

And if your faith is low, I have a prescription: get in the Word!

And what’s powerful is, the Word shows us what is right and what is wrong. It gives us a good look in the mirror and a mandate to obey. Your understanding rises. Your faith rises. You start living in obedience. Your ways are changed. And this is the way that the bondage of sin is broken in our lives! Other places are going to tell you “Accept Christ and that’s it.” I’m telling you He wants to break the bonds off of you!

One of my favorite poetic scriptures:

Romans 6:1–2 KJV 1900

1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Conclusion

Obey out of faith!

Don’t be doing the things Christians do just to say, “I’m a Christian because I do what they do.” Being zealous is not good in and of itself. Be zealous according to knowledge.

Let me help… why do we sing? Why do we do that?

“I Will Give You All”

“I Surrender All”

Now, sing… but this time, think about what you’re singing about. Don’t sing because it’s what we’re doing. Sing according to knowledge. Sing to the Lord! Think about what you’re saying!