Paul wrote these famous words: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).
Note the importance Paul places on “hearing the message.”
The message is Jesus Christ. He is God’s good news to man.
Yet, often times, the message regarding Jesus is not the message that is heard.
For the longest time, I thought Christianity was nothing more than a self-improvement plan. I could improve if I followed the rules and regulations.
But I never improved.
Here is the reason. I didn’t hear the message correctly. I listened with legalistic ears. I wanted to know what I was supposed to do for God.
My own sin and pride turned the good news about Jesus into a message about me and all the things I was supposed to do and be. Turns out, that isn’t very good news at all.
But life has a way of humbling us. I thought I had what it took to become a better person, with God’s help of course. Years of trying proved otherwise. I reached a point where something had to change.
Something did – my hearing. Being humbled by life tuned my ears to the truth.
I attended a Bible study and I actually heard the message of Christ. I heard and understood that His death took away my sins. I heard and understood that He would make me new through His resurrected life.
That is when faith came for me and everything changed.
Perhaps, the fix for some of the problems within the church is a spiritual hearing test.
How was your hearing when you first were told the good news about Jesus? What did you hear?
You’re in good company, Bob. Reading through Galatians the other day, the question came to me, “Why didn’t I hear this before?” Was it actually not taught, or did my hearing get in the way? Surely between the time of the Apostle Paul and today… surely SOMEBODY was preaching the gospel message. Why didn’t I hear? You said it well:
I guess our sin had to just smack us upside the head to show us we’re not as good as we think we are. Then again, God’s got this.
Great post, Bob. Thanks.
The problem is that many people hear the wrong message. The message they hear is that Jesus will take away your sins, not that Jesus has taken away your sins. They are told that God will forgive you, IF you confess your sins and repent of them, rather than God has forgiven your sins and remembers them no more.
They are being told of a false Jesus that cannot save them. Only faith in the Jesus of the bible will save you.