Faith Comes by Hearing: God’s Design for Gospel Preaching

In Romans 10:14–17, Paul lays out God’s ordained means of salvation by tracing an unbreakable chain that begins with preaching and ends with saving faith. No one can call on Christ unless they believe, no one can believe unless they hear, no one can hear without a preacher, and no one can preach unless they are sent—revealing the absolute necessity of gospel proclamation. Paul celebrates the beauty of gospel preaching as God’s chosen instrument to bring good news to sinners, even while acknowledging the tragedy that many hear yet refuse to obey the message. Still, the glory of preaching remains: God uses the proclaimed Word about Christ to awaken faith in dead hearts. This passage anchors the church’s mission and confidence in the preached gospel, declaring that faith does not arise from human ingenuity or spiritual experience, but from hearing the Word of Christ as God Himself speaks through His appointed messengers.