Our current earthly life is not like Heaven: Earth is currently tainted by sin and suffering due to man’s fall into sin as well as the enemy’s working, both of which contribute to the suffering we see across the world today. While it is true that God desires healing and wholeness for us, He is most concerned with our spiritual state. This is akin to how Job’s friends viewed his suffering, suffering which was not due to his sin, that God allowed and turned to good in the end. They even express that if you aren’t healed, it’s essentially your fault by saying it is because your faith isn’t enough or perhaps you are in sin or need inner healing. The WOF/prosperity gospel movement also has an unbiblical doctrine that God will always heal even in this earthly life because healing doesn’t exist in Heaven.
Biblical faith is about trusting God, firstly believing in Him and what He has done to purchase our salvation, and then in trusting that in all circumstances of our lives, He is always faithful. It makes faith into a force for getting answers to our prayers, and usually leaves us disappointed and even burnt out.įaith, however, is not a force we somehow wield in a way that gets God to move or earn our healing, etc. We can’t make God respond because we think He has to if we exercise our faith. We know that we cannot “perform” in order to earn something from God. On top of that, when prayers aren’t answered, it could lead to discouragement and disillusionment in someone’s relationship with God. You can probably already see how this practice could easily lead to legalistic striving in those who practice it. Then, because of your faith you would be given those things by God. The false teaching was that if you declared the things you asked for in prayer repeatedly, it would increase your faith for it. If you’re wondering where you might find this type of misuse of Romans 10:17, it is mostly found in circles that adhere (often unknowingly) to the false prosperity gospel and Word of Faith (WOF) movement. It was so frustrating at times and made my walk with God very discouraging.īecause of that, I want to also bring awareness to the harmful teaching that has surrounded this verse so others do not fall prey to it like I did back then. It felt off to me, but I figured it was just something wrong with me or that I was at fault for. It felt like so much striving in my life as I tried to earn things I needed-even legitimate things-by faith. To be truthful, this was somewhat discouraging for me as I tried to walk it out. I had never heard the verse in the context of those around it, so I didn’t know it was actually about the Gospel, and those teaching never said it was. I was previously taught that this verse was about receiving healing or getting other things you pray for- if you speak it out and just have enough faith. My passion concerning this particular verse comes from being wrongly taught about it some years ago. He cites from the Old Testament a verse speaking of a time when “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” ( Joel 2:32 Romans 10:13).Īs we read Romans 10:17, we see that Paul is saying that faith comes to a person when the good news of the Gospel is preached to them and they then believe this good news they have heard: “faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” What This Verse Doesn’t Mean The Apostle speaks of salvation and how we are made righteous through believing in Christ Jesus for salvation ( Romans 10:5-10).
For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:14-17 (ESV) “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. “ The word of Christ” (seen also as “the word of God” in some translations) in this verse refers back to the Gospel message Paul writes about prior to verse 17. It is faith in the message of the Gospel-trust and belief in Jesus and the good news of what He has done for us in His death, burial and resurrection. The word “faith” in Romans 10:17 is referring to a specific type of faith: saving faith.
Let’s first look at the words “faith” and the phrase “the word of Christ.”
FAITH COMES BY HEARING SERIES
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:17 (ESV)Īs we embark on this week’s Verse Study Series post, let’s find out what Romans 10:17 really means based on its context in the Bible.
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