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Romans 10:17 - How To Get More Faith.

Rom.10:17: How To Get More Faith.

Rom 10:17 (KJV)  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by 
the word of God. 

Rom 10:17 (TEV)  So then, faith comes from hearing the message, 
and the message comes through preaching Christ.  

Rom 10:17 (NCV)  So faith comes from hearing the Good News, and 
people hear the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.  

Rom 10:17 (CWB)  Faith comes from listening to what God has to 
say, including what he told us about the Lord Jesus Christ in His 
word. 

Rom 10:17 (TLB)  Yet faith comes from listening to this Good 
News--the Good News about Christ.  

Faith comes from hearing the message of the gospel. [Disciple SB]

Faith is increased by hearing. The more we listen to the words 
of God, the more faith we store up in our character. [Nature Quest 
by J & P Tucker] 

Faith will grow by the study of the Word; [The Bible Notebook]

INTRODUCTION

This statement expresses the main theme of this section. (Life 
Application Commentary) 

DEFINITIONS

FAITH

The Greek language does not have two separate words for "belief" 
and "faith." The Gr. pistis, "faith," or "belief," is the noun 
derived from pisteuo, the verb translated "hath believed" in v. 16  

WORD OF GOD

In 10:6-8 this word (rhma--see 10:8) is identified with 
Christ--because to receive this word is to receive Christ, for 
the living Christ 
 is conveyed through his word. And this spoken word can produce 
faith in the hearer. [Jamieson, Fausset, And Brown Commentary] 

The phrase "word of Christ" means either "preaching about 
Christ" or "the message about Christ." (UBS Translator Handbook Series) 

The word of Christ is the word about Christ and what he has 
accomplished to give salvation to all who believe in him. (Life Application 
Commentary) 

HEARING

"Hearing," which in biblical thought implies responding 
appropriately, requires first a message, but then requires understanding and 
acceptance by those to whom the message is given. [Victor Bible Reader's 
Companion] 

Is it possible that someone hasn't heard God's voice? No, all 
have heard. All the earth has heard God speak in the creation, if not 
in the Gospel (cf. Ps. 19; Rom. 1:18-20). The failure of any man or 
group to respond to God is not the fault of the LORD. It is because of 
man's obstinate disobedience when God's voice is heard. [The 365-Day 
Devotional Commentary] 

When it is said that faith cometh by hearing, it is not meant 
that all who hear actually believe, for that is not true; but that 
faith does not exist unless there is a message, or report, to be heard 
or believed. It cannot come otherwise than by such a message; in 
other words, unless there is something made known to be believed. And 
this shows us at once the importance of the message, and the fact 
that people are converted by the instrumentality of truth, (Barnes' 
Notes) 

There has always been a Gospel, a message from God that must be 
received by faith. And in history past as today, only some believe and 
are saved. [Victor Teacher's Commentary] 

A man is responsible for failing to know what he might have 
known. [Barclay Commentary] 

COMMENTARY

This verse is an important statement of the nature and source of 
true faith. Genuine faith is not a blind confidence to be exercised 
in the absence of adequate evidence. Faith is our conviction about 
things that we cannot see (Heb. 11:1), and this conviction must be 
founded upon knowledge, a knowledge based upon the Word of God, the 
message about Christ. As a means of developing a transforming and 
enduring faith, there is no substitute for the regular and earnest study 
of the Bible. [SDA Commentary] 

People need to hear the Good News of salvation in Christ in 
order to believe it (10:14). Faith does not respond in a vacuum or 
respond blindly. Faith is believing what one has been told about God's 
offer of salvation and busting the one who has been spoken about. 
(Life Application Commentary) 

God gives faith, but it is by the word as the instrument. 
(Matthew Henry's Commentary) 

Sinners cannot be saved apart from the Word of God, for "faith 
comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" [Wiersbe Expository 
Outlines] 

The beginning, progress, and strength of faith, are by hearing. 
(Matthew Henry's Commentary) 

There are three steps involved in faith. (See Deeper Study 
#2--John 2:24.) 
1. The step of hearing. A man must be willing to listen to the 
message of Christ. 
2. The step of mental assent. A man must agree that the message 
is true, that the facts of the case are thus and so. But this is 
not enough. Mere agreement does not lead to action. Many a person 
knows that something is true, but he does not change his behavior to 
match his knowledge. For example, a man knows that eating too much 
harms his body, but he may continue to eat too much. He is a 
double-minded man: he agrees to the truth and knows the truth, but he does 
nothing about it. This man still does not have faith, not the kind of 
faith that the Bible talks about. 
3. The step of commitment. When the New Testament speaks of 
faith, it speaks of commitment, a personal commitment to the truth. A 
man hears the truth and agrees that it is true and does something 
about it. He commits and yields his life to the truth. The truth 
becomes a part of his very being, a part of his behavior and life. 
Saving faith is believing in the name of Jesus Christ and 
committing one's life to Him. It is trusting Jesus Christ, completely 
putting one's trust in Him, who He is and what He has done. It is 
casting one's life into His hands, believing He will take care of one's 
past (sins), present (looking after), and future (delivering from 
death unto life eternal). [Preacher's  Outline & Sermon Bible] 

APPLICATION

It's not through wisdom that people come to the knowledge of God 
and their absolute equality before Him. It's not through endless 
arguments of fine points of theology that they will find a humble heart. 
The doorway into the kingdom is so low down that one must bend in 
humility to get through. I've never known a single person who has been 
convinced of the kingdom of God through head knowledge--a person just can't 
think his or her way into the kingdom of God. Nor can anyone come into 
the kingdom of God based on a religious experience. It is knowledge 
of and faith in Christ that enables the equality of life in the 
kingdom to be real. Terry Fullam [Time With God SB] 

The Scriptures are the great agency in the transformation of 
character. Christ prayed, "Sanctify them through Thy truth; Thy word is 
truth." John 17:17. If studied and obeyed, the word of God works in the 
heart, subduing every unholy attribute. The Holy Spirit comes to 
convict of sin, and the faith that springs up in the heart works by love 
to Christ, conforming us in body, soul, and spirit to His own 
image. Then God can use us to do His will. The power given us works 
from within outwardly, leading us to communicate to others the truth 
that has been communicated to us.... Received into the heart, the 
leaven of truth will regulate the desires, purify the thoughts, and 
sweeten the disposition. It quickens the faculties of the mind and the 
energies of the soul. It enlarges the capacity for feeling, for loving.  
{COL 100, 101} 

According to Jam.2:20,26, having faith is critical to getting 
things accomplished.  Now, none of us probably needs to move mountains, 
but all of us need the kind of faith that could!  And to pray 
without faith is pointless.  So where do we get the mountain-moving 
faith that we need to be effective prayers?  Romans 10:17 tells us 
that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.  As we 
read the Word and bring it to bear upon our lives, we will grow in 
grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which is faith-producing.  
Then as we seek His will, in His way, in His time, which is all that 
we will want, our prayers will be answered - even to the moving of 
something as great as a mountain!  [In His Time; Walk With Wisdom] 

Every day I have the honor of sitting down with a book that 
contains the words of the One who created me. Every day I have the 
opportunity to let him give me a thought or two on how to live. If I don't 
do what he says, he doesn't burn the book or cancel my 
subscription. If I disagree with what he says, lightning doesn't split my 
swivel chair or an angel doesn't mark my name off the holy list. If I 
don't understand what he says, he doesn't call me a dummy. In fact, he 
calls me "Son," and on a different page explains what I don't 
understand. In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado [Inspirational SB] 

Read it through, pray it in, live it out, pass it on.  George 
Gritter [Spirit Filled Life Devotional SB] 

If You Walk By Faith You Can't Walk By Sight
If You Walk By Sight You Can't Walk By Faith [Elder Mark Finley; 
Net 96]