“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
( Romans 10:17 KJV)
You may have heard by many preachers and teachers something along the lines of “Don’t be just readers of the Bible but be doers.” Well, that is true to some extent. We really should apply what the Bible and God says into our daily life. However, it is the Holy Spirit doing the good works and helping us to bear good fruit (Read my article The True Vine). In fact, it is actually more important first to understand the truth of the Bible and God. It is the Holy Spirit that will guide your paths to understanding the truth about your life and your relationship to God.
Imagine a new kindergarten student on the first day of school. She is told the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. She thinks it is a nice story but does not yet grasp the meaning of the story she has only heard once nor how it can apply to her life. Then she goes to her other friends not yet in school and tells them that the big bad wolf has a breathing problem because he is always huffing and puffing. She has not yet grasped the true meaning, nor has she learned something about life yet from the story. She just knows the pigs are good, the wolf is bad and he has a breathing problem.
So when a person is led by the Holy Spirit to learn about our sin nature and the perfect Holiness of God, and how we need to be saved; they may accept God’s gift of salvation by faith. However, that is only the starting point to learning about God and all the Bible truths yet to be discovered. Should such a very new crisp believer start informing their friends about the truth of the Bible? We would not expect a new born baby to go tell other new born babies about the greatness of apple sauce. New believers also need to do more study and learning so that they are equipped to help others know about the truth of the Bible and salvation.
And just think about the fact that Jesus did not start His ministry on Earth until He was 33 years old! And that was not a young person back in those days either. Jesus was brought up in the Jewish faith and reading and hearing the Torah was a constant standard practice. If it took the Son Of God, 33 years to start proclaiming salvation, who are we to start too early too? When I was 20, I never would have been able to write an article like the articles on Seekknock.org. It took a lot of Bible reading, and Bible message Hearing. And lots of true LISTENING!
Before I started reading the Bible, I was listening to Christian Radio broadcasts. These broadcasts were God’s way of filling my mind with the truth, a little at a time, over time. Through listening so much, it really impacted my life in learning what the Bible really says about life. It is amazing when I look back and see all God has shown me and taught me.. from HEARING the word. HEARING the word and LISTENING to the word are of paramount importance to a new believer! God wants to impact your MIND and have you change the way you think about who you are in Christ. Who the Bible says you are in Christ is the real you now! The Holy Spirit will do so by you hearing and listening and hearing and listening and hearing God’s word again and again. Until one day.. you you know you are finally abiding in the words of Jesus. The words of the truth and life everlasting.
And make sure you understand the difference between hearing the word of God and listening to the word of God. I guarantee you that you can hear a teacher talk all day but if you were not listening you will fail the upcoming exams.
Start listening WITH FAITH to God’s word.
“For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:2 KJV)
Check out our YouTube channel (link at right side of website). Listen to the word of God and it will change you!
I have some great Bible verses below for you to read to yourself. These are the words of life you need to get into your mind again and again.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12:1-2 KJV)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV)
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” (Romans 3:28 KJV)
“But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:5 KJV)
“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” (James 1:23-25 KJV)
“Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” (Isaiah 55:2-3 KJV)
“And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” (Exodus 15:26 KJV)
“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.” (Deuteronomy 28: 1-2 KJV)
“This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” ( Galatians 3:2-5 KJV)
It’s Not About Doing Good Things
It’s not about doing good works and then God will accept you. Once you become a believer in Jesus Christ and the atonement He purchased for you the Holy Spirit will start changing you from the inside outward.
So help that process by listening to the word, reading the word. Hearing the word. Keep on hearing and reading and hearing and reading the word of God. Start listening to Christian radio – it will change your life!
And God will renew your mind and when that happens, good works will follow that God has prepared for you to do. Allow God to change you from the inside out.
