Did you ever miss out on something important or special because you were not told of it? Or maybe proper instructions were never given to you in order to do something correctly. One has to be told about the free give-away at the local store in order to get the item, or told about the party in order to attend. The instructor needs to tell his class the proper way to do the assignment if it is to be done correctly. In our Scripture passage today from the Book of Romans we read how important it is to hear the Word of God in order to believe and be saved. Let’s take a look at this passage from Paul’s letter to the Romans.
As our portion of Scripture today begins, we see that God has clearly revealed the way of salvation to man (vs. 8). It is not something hidden, revealed to only a select few. It is the message of faith that is the way to God. In verse 9 Paul states to us very clearly what is necessary in order to be saved - confess that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God raised Him from the dead. “Confess” here means to say the same thing, to be in agreement with someone. To confess the Lord Jesus means we agree with God’s declaration that Jesus is Savior and Lord. Salvation is pledged to those who confess with their mouth and believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord. We are saved when we genuinely trust in the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. We can have assurance that God will do exactly what He promised and bring us salvation.
Belief in the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is necessary for salvation because it proved that Jesus is who He claimed to be, and that the Father had accepted His sacrifice in place of sinners. If people deny this, they have rejected the Gospel, and cannot be saved. The resurrection proves that Jesus is the Son of God who overcame death. It affirms that God was satisfied with His Son’s death as the sacrifice for mankind’s sins. The disciples considered the resurrection an essential part of the Gospel. Nothing could dissuade them. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we have assurance of both God’s forgiveness and our own future resurrection. Without the resurrection there can be no salvation.
In addition, just an intellectual belief in the existence of Jesus is not enough. Even the demons acknowledge Jesus to be God (James 2:19). This belief must be that Jesus died on the cross to be their personal Savior, and rose from the dead.
Salvation is open and available to everyone (vs. 11-13). No one, Jew or Gentile, was or is excluded from God’s salvation plan. Paul gives several quotes from the prophets to back this point, namely in verse 11 he quotes Isaiah 49:23, and in verse 13 he quotes Joel 2:32. God will keep His promise - those who call on Him will be saved. Jesus is the Savior for everyone, and everyone who calls out to Him in faith will certainly be saved.
Paul continues on, and asks the question that is just as valid today as it was then - How will the world’s people know to place their trust in Christ? They need someone to preach the Gospel to them (vs. 14-15). Faith comes from hearing the message (vs. 17). A clear presentation of the Gospel is needed for people to hear and believe. Again, Paul backs his words with quotes from the Old Testament - Isaiah 52:7, and Isaiah 53:1.
Faith comes by hearing (vs. 17). Just being a “silent witness” is usually not enough to see people saved. They have to hear the message of Jesus. When someone preaches the Word of God, it can give birth to faith, which will grow in that person. Faith will start and grow through hearing God’s Word, the Bible.
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Pray that the Lord sends more workers into the field (Luke 10:2).
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