LEARNING DAILY

 

Romans 10:14, But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? (New Living Translation)

 

In chapter 10 of Romans, Paul is talking about Israel’s need of the gospel. The Jews were outwardly passionate for God but they did not want to know Him as He desired. They were more interested in relying on their good works to establish their own righteousness. Paul is writing to explain that Jesus Christ is the Lord that every person must call on to be saved. He is saying that to be saved, a person must express their desire to be saved in faith regarding what Jesus Christ has done; salvation does not come just by speaking the name of Jesus.

 

This is evident in the questions asked in verse 14. “How can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him?” To call on Him or to confess He is who He says He is, is evidence of genuine faith. The DJSB gives clarification, “Salvation comes through belief in Christ, acknowledging that He is God and was raised…from the dead. Christ’s death satisfied God’s righteous demand for the penalty for sins and Christ’s resurrection validated both His claims and the Father’s statements that He is God.”

 

Paul insists that a person must first believe to initiate one to call on Him to save them. It is important to examine the second question. “How can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him?” Here is the obvious: People cannot believe in Jesus if they have never heard anything about Him. I must write here that the Holy Spirit can work in any individual in any way He pleases to save him/her. Paul is saying that the “usual” way for salvation to happen is through hearing the Word! Someone sharing the Good News with someone else so it is heard, is the way people believe and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior.

 

There is a third question, “How can they hear about Him unless someone tells them?” There are different Bible translations that say preacher instead of someone; do not let that be a reason to not share with others the Good News of Jesus Christ! Each of us who have placed our faith in Him should be able to tell others about how Jesus has changed us after we did so. It does not take a particular place, a prepared speech, or special training to share Jesus with someone; it just takes a willing heart! Honestly, most people will not place their faith in Him without someone telling them about Him. The thing is, God has chosen you and me to tell others. Yes, the way you live your life is important in doing this because people are watching to see if you are genuine about what you say. Just be prepared to answer when they ask you why you are different!

 

Sadly, not all who hear the message will respond by saying yes. The Jews in Paul’s day failed to respond to the message of salvation. There are many who refuse that message today. Remember yesterday the verse spoke about believing the message of the cross to be foolishness. The DJSB states, “Hearing and believing produces new life; hearing and refusing produces death. The problem is not with the message or the messenger but the hearer.” You might believe that you are not able to speak this message of salvation to someone, that you are not “called” to do so. But I would remind you of what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19 – He commissioned each of us to go and make disciples of all nations. I am concerned about family, friends, and my neighbors. I am beginning there and praying for opportunities with others. Who in your life needs to hear about the salvation Jesus Christ offers? I pray you begin there – one person at a time.

 

I know this has gotten long, Let me close with an old story. An old man was walking the beach at dawn and noticed a much younger man ahead of him picking up starfish and tossing them into the sea. Catching up with the young man, he asked what he was doing. The answer was that the stranded starfish would die if left in the morning sun. “But the beach goes on for miles and miles, and there are millions of starfish,” countered the man, “How can your effort make any difference?” The young man looked at the starfish in his hand and then threw it to safety in the waves. “It makes a difference to this one,” he said. (I’m not sure who the author was).

 

From now on DJSB will be used to note information or quotes from the David Jeremiah Study Bible and LSSB will refer to information and quotes from the Life in the Spirit Study Bible.  I have added Jimmy Swaggart’s Expositor’s Study Bible to be referred to from now on as JSESB.