Monday | 07 September 2026
For the Christian, faith, which is received by hearing the word of a messenger, makes the word substantial in them. Rom 10:17. It is in their mouth as a confession, and in their heart as a testimony, so that they are born of the seed that is sown through the proclamation of the word by Christ’s messengers. This was the apostle Paul’s point when he wrote, ‘But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’ Rom 10:6-9.
Faith, at its minimum, is ‘the word of faith’, for faith only comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God that is preached to us. Rom 10:17. Faith is both God’s initiative towards us, and our response to Him. That is, faith is both initiative and response, operating through love. Rom 5:5. Through love, as God initiates towards us, we are dignified with choice and are enabled to respond and then fellowship with Him and with those who are, likewise, born of His life.
The apostle Paul described Abraham as ‘the father of all who believe’ and ‘the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised’. Rom 4:11-12. The faith that belonged to each step of his pilgrimage was progressively obtained by Abraham. A believer is a person who, likewise, progressively obtains and walks in these steps of faith.
Further Study:
Romans 4
References:
Rom 10:17
So, then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:6-9
But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, ‘Do not say in your heart, “Who will ascend into heaven?” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “Who will descend into the abyss?” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.’
Rom 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Rom 4:11-12
And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.