Romans 10:17

FAITH

‘Faith cometh by hearing.’

Romans 10:17

There is no doubt that by ‘faith’ here St. Paul means trust. This faith comes by hearing, hence the need of teaching and preaching.

I. Faith saves the soul.—Christ began His Ministry not with the Sermon on the Mount, but by ‘Repent ye, and believe the Gospel’ (Mark 1:15). And study these texts and you will see how the blessings of the Gospel are limited to those who believe: John 3:14; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:38; Acts 16:30. ‘The just shall live by his faith,’ said the Hebrew prophet (Habakkuk 2:4). Those words are quoted four times in the New Testament (Romans 1:17; 2 Corinthians 5:7; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). St. Peter writes of ‘precious faith’ (2 St. Peter Romans 1:1): it is a living thing that moves in the soul as the spirit of spring moves in the branches of the trees. Without faith in Christ morality becomes prudence or imprudence.

II. Faith changes the character.—It purifies the heart, it overcomes the world, and works by love. No doubt there are some who hear the Gospel all their lives and it seems to make no difference, but why? It is not mixed with faith in them that hear (Hebrews 4:2).

III. Faith opens the lips.—‘I believed, and therefore have I spoken’ (2 Corinthians 4:13).

IV. Faith uplifts the life.—The religion of Christ brings Christ into daily duties and daily worries and transforms all.

V. Faith in Christ divides the world.—‘Some believed the things that were spoken, and some believed not’ (Acts 28:24).

VI. Faith in Christ is a mark of God’s people.—Lay to heart our Lord’s solemn words: ‘But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you’ (John 10:26).

VII. Faith is the thing Christ will look for when He comes again: ‘When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?’ (Luke 18:8.)

—Rev. F. Harper.

Illustrations

(1) ‘When Dr. Moffat began his labours in Africa, one of his earliest converts was a chief called Africaner. This Africaner was the terror of the colony. He had the ferocity of a desperado, and wherever his name was pronounced it carried dismay. When Africaner was brought to the knowledge of the truth, it seemed such a great thing that it was described by those who knew him as the eighth wonder of the world.’

(2) ‘There is a story told of Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, that after he became famous in the world some distinguished strangers sought his home, and when they came, instead of finding the sage intent on high discourse, they found the great man sitting before the kitchen fire warming himself, and conversing with his slaves. The strangers paused at the threshold in surprise, but he said: “Come in, come in; the gods are here also,” and the wise wit of the old teacher pointed the great truth which found such beautiful expression in the ministry of Jesus Christ.’