Hear the word!

"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."  Romans 10:17

We don’t just choose faith apart from any work of God.  God’s word is the means that brings us to faith?  Hearing the word is necessary.  Faith is necessary.  But God's word is the initial cause.  Thank you God for your word!

If the hearing of the word leads to faith (1 Pet. 1:22-23; Rom. 10:17; James 1:18), yet not all who hear the word will come to faith, what is it that causes different responses to the word?   What’s the variable that causes some not to be led to faith by the word?  Is it, as in the parable of the soils, the various effects of the work of the devil, times of testing, and the deceitfulness and attractiveness of life that cause some not to come to faith?  If so, then why aren’t all pulled away by these things?  What causes any at all to have faith?  Are some just less affected by temptations and less a target of the devil?  Or does God do the necessary work to lead some to faith?  Are some given the ability “to know the secrets of the kingdom of God” while others remain un-”seeing” and un-”hearing” (Luke 8:9-10)?  We know God’s word is an active agent.  We know that faith is an active agent.  The question is, is God or our decision of faith the initial cause?

What is clear is that God uses the preaching and hearing of his word to cause faith.  We must get the word out!  What is also clear is that we must believe.  We must choose faith.  Even if our faith is conditioned on God’s work through his word, we still have the responsibility to believe.  Thank you God for your word.  Thank you for giving us your word, your GOOD NEWS, that we might come to faith and into a relationship with you.  Help us to love, cherish, and confidently believe your word.  Help us to love, cherish, worship, adore, and find our greatest satisfaction in you!