I Can’t…or Won’t…Hear You!

I can’t remember what TV show it was on but somewhere in the recesses of my brain I can hear someone saying, “I Can’t Hear You!”  even though they really could hear the other person.  If you know the show please comment on that.  Anyway, sometimes it is not that we can’t hear but rather that we won’t hear.  That’s the case in Romans 1O.  After describing how people need to be able to hear the gospel, we read that some of those who had heard didn’t really “hear”.  Here are verses 16-21:  “16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, have they not heard? Yes indeed:  “Their sound has gone out to all the earth,  And their words to the ends of the world.”  19 But I say, did Israel not know? First Moses says:  “I will provoke you to jealousy by those who are not a nation,  I will move you to anger by a foolish nation.”  20 But Isaiah is very bold and says:  “I was found by those who did not seek Me;  I was made manifest to those who did not ask for Me.”  21 But to Israel he says:  “All day long I have stretched out My hands to a disobedient and contrary people.” Paul cites the examples of the nation of Israel in the time of Isaiah and Moses to point out that though they “heard” the prophets, they didn’t really hear.  This idea is also found in the phrase, “whoever has ears to hear, let him hear” used by Jesus in the gospels.  Not everyone who hears really has ears to hear.

 

In verse 17 Paul describes the importance of the word of God.  “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”.  I believe that at times we cannot hear God because we are not paying attention to His word.  The word of God is the primary way that we “hear” Him today; as the Holy Spirit illuminates the words to our minds and hearts.  Genuine faith in Christ comes from hearing the word of God and doesn’t conflict with what the word of God says.  Faith does come by hearing and hearing by God’s word.   Want to increase your faith?  Consider increasing your exposure to God’s word.  You won’t be disappointed in what you read and what you “hear”.

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