Hear the Word!

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

We are able to live in a time of modern convince and technological advancement the likes of which have never been. With just a few clicks of a button we are able to communicate with people on the other side of the world, and we have information readily available to us at all times. One of the advantages of having the technology that we have is the ability to be notified instantly. If a child is reported missing an Amber Alert can be broadcast to everyone with a cell phone within seconds. Sporting events are able to send out notifications when the score of the game has changed or the game has ended, we are able to receive up to the minute “breaking news” in regard to our favorite teams or players, and people are able to keep up with sports today like no one in the past could have imagined. Along with the advancement of information received is the ability to be instantly notified of dangerous weather that may be moving into a particular area, many times giving the estimated time of arrival. I can remember a tornado that came through our home in 1989 and the only warning we had at that time was my father running into the house demanding my mother, my sisters, and me to go to the basement as a tornado was headed our way. That particular storm damaged a lot of our property and homes around us, but I think back about that time and the fact that there was little to no warning but now we are able to be instantly warned of the possibility of dangerous weather.

Have you ever considered the wealth of information that we have been given as it pertains to God’s Word? Because of modern technology the Bible can be at our fingertips at every moment of the day. We have the ability to possess Bible software on our computers, and mobile devices, and are able to search a variety of resources to help us increase our knowledge of the Bible. In Romans 10:17, we are told that faith comes from hearing God’s Word. This particular section in Romans is dealing with the zeal of the Jews but their zeal was not “according to knowledge” (that is the knowledge of Jesus Christ) and as God wants all men to be saved and “come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4) the Jews, as well as all mankind, needed to believe that Jesus is the Christ. The only remedy for their unbelief was the hearing of God’s Word which proclaims that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world, and the only way for people to be saved.

God has gone to great lengths to ensure that everyone is able to hear His Word. Throughout the ages, God inspired men to record His Word for us, those writings have been preserved and complied together, and with the invention of the printing press came the ability to mass produce God’s Word. Not only has God given His Word, Jesus commissioned His apostles to go into all the world to proclaim the Word, having the inspiration of the Holy Spirit guiding them in all truth, and those apostles were successful in that endeavor (Col. 1:23). All of this has been done for the benefit of man, that we may know of Jesus and the salvation that He provides. This Word has also been given to us for our benefit of being forewarned of the dangers that lie ahead. The Bible explicitly warns us that there is a Day of Judgment that is coming (John 12:48; 2 Peter 3:9-10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10), but God has given us His Word in order that we may hear it, obey it, and be comforted by the promises given in it for those that obey.

Greater than all modern advancements in technology is the written Word of God. It is able to instruct us and save us, but first we must allow it to. Have you heard (studied) the Word of God? Have you taken heed to the warnings in the things that you have heard from the Bible, and have done all that you should in order to be fully prepared for the Day that is to come? Take heed to God’s Word, obey the teachings of it, have your sins washed away in baptism, and take comfort in the promise of eternal reward.