“So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
The word “faith” is used in the New Testament in three different ways:
-
It is most often used in reference to a human’s trusting, obedient response to God’s word that a wise person makes.
-
It is also used in reference to the inspired body of doctrine which God has revealed and humans are to believe.
-
In Romans 14:22-23, “faith” is used in reference to matters of personal conscience about which Christians can lovingly and respectfully disagree and yet remain acceptable to God and are to be accepted by one another.
Because of the all-sufficiency of God’s inspired word (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Acts 20:32), everything essential to having spiritual life and living in a godly fashion is in the word of God (2 Peter 1:3). To have personal faith which is essential to pleasing God (Hebrews 11:6), God’s word must germinate it (Romans 10:17; Luke 8:11).
To believe less than what the Bible teaches is to not believe enough. To believe more than what is found in God’s word is to believe too much. The faith by which the righteous live (Romans 1:17) comes by hearing the word of God.
The source of all saving faith is always and only God’s word.
