Bruce Collins, Evangelist

Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We had our thanksgiving meal early at the Waterloo Senior Center. The Senior Center is never open on Thanksgiving day, so it has been traditional to have the Thanksgiving day meal the Thursday before Thanksgiving. Since I had a Bible study there that Thursday, I asked each of those attending if they had something special for which they were thankful. I wanted to see how many of them would be thankful for the Lord Jesus or for salvation or at least for the Bible and its promises. I though some of them might be thankful for answered prayer. I had hoped that this might make some of those who come that may not be saved think about their relationship with the Lord.

This teaching exercise caused me to realize how thankful I am that I can read. I am glad that the Bible has been translated and printed so that anyone who reads can read it. Our verse says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Today most of us not only read but we have our own copies of the whole Bible. We are fortunate since if faith comes by hearing, hearing can come by hearing the Word of God preached and read, but it can also come by reading and by “listening” to what we are reading. I am glad that I have the Bible available and that I can read it for myself. I don’t have to depend on what men say the Bible says, because God has privileged me with a good Bible and the ability to read it. For that I am thankful.

Faith is sometimes considered to be a subjective belief in an abstract unengaged God. I look at faith as a very objective belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. My belief in Him is based on the promises of the Bible. This kind of faith makes sense to the thinking person even though the things we believe can not be proved. For example, If someone has a reputation for telling the truth, we assume that we can have faith that he will always tell the truth even though we can’t prove that he will always tell the truth. When we begin to see the fulfilled prophecies of Scripture, particularly as they relate to the birth, death and resurrection of Christ, it is easy for me to believe that we can depend on all the promises of God with regard to salvation.

I am glad that I have the ability to read and to understand the truth of John 3:18, “He who believes in Him (Christ) is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

This verse tells us how to be saved and it tells us the reason why some are already under condemnation. I know what this verse means and I don’t need a theologian to explain it to me. I am sure that you understand the verse as well. We all have faith in something or someone. Because of what I read in the Scripture, I have faith based on the Word of God that Christ, Who has the right to condemn me, will never condemn me. My faith is the result of hearing what God says in the Bible.

Bruce Collins