HOW DOES FAITH COME?

“So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God". Rom 10:17


There is something significant about this portion of the Scriptures. I have always heard people describe it to mean faith comes by hearing God’s word but it is not exactly so. There is a gap there not usually well pronounced and has lost its profoundness due to several translations.  The big deal about this is that it gives us a clear picture of how to contact faith and even for anything you seek to receive.





Hearing just like some other word means several things and it is important to know the context of a word in an expression for ease of understanding. Hearing could mean to perceive by the ear what is announced in one’s presence (to hear immediately).



This is the hearing that I have seen people refer to in the interpretation of that scripture. However, I have come to realize this does not entirely bring about faith. Yes! Hearing God’s word does not bring about faith ordinarily. It is important to clear this because many people now try to cram as much as they can, quoting several portion of the scripture because they believe that’s how to get faith. So, for someone trying to have faith for healing I hear things like “look for scriptures that has to do with healing, quote them daily”. Knowing and being able to quote the scriptures is awesome but building faith goes beyond that.



The Israelites had the whole access to hearing God’s word over and over. They saw his acts; dividing the sea and many other miracles, in fact they had the law; still they could not have faith in God. So, if hearing is what brings faith then there is a need to question why they ended up without faith.



“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it” Heb 4:2



From the scripture above, it is clear they had access to hearing the word. So, if the word of God was what produces faith just by the hearing of the ear, they should have had it immensely. This suggests to me that there is more to birthing of faith in the heart of man beyond just hearing it.



Also, to buttress on the fact that mere hearing of the word of God is not what translates to faith even though it kick starts the process was how Jesus Himself began to share the word but spoke to the multitude in parables and the disciples asked him why He spoke in parables. He responded:



“Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” Matt 13:13



This brings out the crux of the matter. There is a hearing different from just hearing (to hear). Jesus said they hear, but they could not “hear”. Isn’t that a serious situation?



Faith cometh by hearing…



The hearing here is not just listening to a word. From the Greek word “akoέ”, this hearing also means discerning God’s voice which comes by understanding.  Another translator simply put it as to comprehend or understand. This was the hearing Jesus was referring to which made him speak in parable to the multitude. They could not comprehend His sayings even though they could hear what he was saying.



Hearing here is actually the understanding of what the ears receive. So, it means faith comes by the understanding.



…Hearing by the word of God
However, understanding comes by the word of God. The word being revealed is Jesus. Hence, the more a man digs deep in the understanding of Jesus is the secret to building faith. It is not in recitation of the written word.



The scripture records in Hebrews that by faith Rahab the harlot perished not with them that didn’t believe because she received the spies with peace. Rahab was a prostitute and belonged to the enemy nation, but as soon as she saw the Israelite spies, she told them of how much she had heard about the God of Israel which she understood so well is the true God: that was the exact definition of faith. She heard, but not just that, she understood what she heard and it gave birth to an action of faith, despite the fact that she was a harlot.


The Israelites never understood God because they could not see the person of the word. They were only hearing language; they could not comprehend the Spirit behind the voice. So the scripture records that they understand God’s acts but Moses understands God’s ways. Faith doesn’t come by just hearing.



You will keep praying and hoping for faith until you attach importance to the understanding of the word- that’s where the faith is. He is the one that makes hearing possible.  There is no amount of declaration of miracle and good things you hear backed by the word of God that can be sustainable without a commensurate understanding of such word from God. This was exactly what the Israelites failed at and never entered into the rest God had prepared for them.



Faith does not come by just quoting the scriptures; it is executed at the place of understanding the Word (Christ).



So, faith comes by hearing (understanding) and hearing (understanding) comes by the Word. When Jesus is revealed to you, faith is already beckoning. Understanding cannot come without expression of this by Jesus. That is exactly what that scripture is talking about. In any situation, just get what Jesus is saying and you have it all under your feet!



Pursue understanding and see the dramatic change in your results.


Hope you understand better now?



Be Innovated
Olufemi Ibitoye