Rom 10:17 KJV "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
Or,
Rom 10:17 CSB "So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ."
In my view, Romans 10: 17 is a very misused verse. I have many times heard preachers say that hearing comes from preaching the word of God in general. The implication is that faith comes from hearing any passage of the bible. This could not be farther from the truth. The truth is that faith comes by hearing the gospel of Christ.
The above passages illustrate the variance of readings. Most all of the newer versions of the bible render the passage as the message about Christ or the word of Christ which is most definitely the gospel and not the scripture per se. But let's assume for a minute that the original said word of God and not the word of Christ. It still is referring to the gospel of Christ. How can I say that you ask? For two reasons, one in context it is obviously the gospel because Romans 10:8-10 says it is. Paul says in verse 8 that the word he is referring too is the word of faith he preaches. What word was that? "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you WILL be saved. That my friend is the gospel. The second and equally important reason is that when you see the phrase word of God in the New Testament it is almost exclusively referring to the gospel of grace and not the scripture. You can find a myriad of posts on this blog that prove that point with a preponderance of evidence. All you need do is type the phrase word of God in the search function of the blog.
So then, you have to wonder what you are being taught when you hear Pastors and other ministers completely misuse this passage. It simply shows ignorance of the overarching message of scripture. Here is precisely what Jesus said the overarching message of scripture was. John 5:39-40 CSB "You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. (40) But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life." How much clearer can the message be? Jesus says that the scripture is all about the gospel or message of Christ. It is the redemptive narrative. When it is not used for a redemptive purpose, that is, when the gospel is not proclaimed, it is misused!
I began this blog in 2009 to chronicle my paradigm shift. It came about because I was concerned with the way that current evangelical dogma caused such bondage and fear. I had grown tired of people manipulating others for power, prestige, and to perpetuate a system that was very likely incorrect, and had been developed after the first century to keep people under control. I dedicate this to those who have been victims of spiritual abuse, and for those who have not yet realized they are.
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