preacher – Ministry of Grace Church

Romans 10:14 – You’re the Preacher

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?

Truth to Learn

The responsibility of sharing the Gospel message falls upon everyone who has believed it.

Behind the Words

“Believe” is from the Greek verb pisteuō. This word is based on the noun pistis, which means “firm persuasion, conviction, or belief in the truth.” Hence, pisteuō means “to have a firm conviction or belief in some truth.” It does not mean to simply accept a statement as fact, but to firmly grasp it as reality.

The word translated “heard” is akouō, which can refer to “the physiological process of hearing a sound” or to “the process of understanding spoken ideas.”

“Without a preacher” is translated from chōris kērussontos. Chōris means “at a space from” or “separate from” and kērussontos is a form of kērussō, which we saw back in verse eight means, “to proclaim or herald as a public crier would do.” It is expressed in this verse as a present participle, literally meaning “preaching.” Thus, we see that Paul says, “How shall they hear apart from preaching?”

Meaning Explained

Previously we pointed out that Paul was seen as a traitor by many Jews who believed that he deserted the Jews and the adherence to the Law as the way to righteousness, and that he had turned to the way of the Gentiles. Paul, himself, will say in the next chapter of this letter that he was called to be the Apostle (one sent with a message) to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). But he has been demonstrating in this chapter that salvation and righteousness are through faith, which belongs both to the Jews and the Gentiles. And in the previous verse he proclaimed, “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Since that “whoever” includes the Gentiles, he now makes the point that the Gentiles need to hear the gospel message. He says, in order to call on Him they have to believe first, and in order to believe they have to hear the good news, and the only way they will hear the good news is through the preaching. This is the very crux of Paul’s ministry, preaching the gospel message to the Gentiles so they can believe.

The Jews have had the Law and the Prophets proclaiming the gospel message to them for centuries (as Paul has just demonstrated), but the Gentiles have been denied these sources so they need someone to proclaim the message of salvation to them. However, Paul is not the only one who is supposed to proclaim the blessed news of salvation by grace through faith. All of us who possess the gift of eternal life have an obligation to proclaim the news to those around us. It is the gospel (the good news) that is offered to all of mankind!

Application

If you have recognized your sinful condition, humbling yourself before the mighty hand of God, and appealing to Him for the salvation that you don’t deserve, then you now have an obligation to share this truth with others. Have you shared this message with someone else recently? Don’t think it is someone else’s responsibility to share the Gospel message. It’s yours!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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2 Peter 2:5

if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;

Truth to Learn

The people of Noah’s day refused to listen to the truth and they paid the ultimate price for their sinfulness.

Behind the Words

The word translated “spare” is pheidomai, meaning “to treat with tenderness” or “to forbear.” In other words, God did not hold back His judgment.

“Flood” is translated from the Greek word kataklusmos, from which we get our English word cataclysm. This is a compound word made up of kata, an intensifier and kludzo which refers to the surging, washing effect of an ocean wave.

Meaning Explained

Peter now gives us a second example of those who have not escaped the judgment of God in spite of His longsuffering. God, Peter says, did not spare the old world, that is the world of people that existed before the flood. He did, however save Noah. The Greek text says,

And He did not treat the old world leniently but preserved Noah the eighth, a righteous preacher …

The expression, “Noah the eighth” is an idiom that was used by many of the Greek writers of that era. It means that Noah was one of eight people who were saved, Noah, his wife, and his three sons with their wives. No one outside his immediate family believed the message he preached.

Noah is an excellent example of a patient preacher of righteousness. For 120 years he labored, building the ark. And although we are not told specifically, he was probably ridiculed by all those around him. He labored obediently while they lived wantonly. He believed that God was going to bring a flood while they believed that things would simply continue on as they always had. Peter declared him to be a preacher of righteousness, which implies that he was not a silent builder. It appears he warned the people of his time that God was going to judge their sinfulness. But they, like the false teachers of Peter’s day and the false teachers today, did not believe that God was going to judge them.

Why does God let such people continue on in their sinful ways? It seems like the wicked continue to prosper and the righteous continue to suffer, doesn’t it? Peter will address this in the next chapter, but let’s take a quick peek there right now:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

God delays His judgment for two reasons. First, to give the unsaved every opportunity to hear the salvation message and, second, so they will have no excuse when they are finally judged.

Application

Our commission, like Noah’s, is not to brow beat people into believing. Our job is to proclaim the message both in word and in deed. We must proclaim the message and we must live the message, because He is risen and He is coming back soon!

It could even be today! Get the word out!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: preacher

Romans 10:14 – You’re the Preacher

Romans 10:14 – You’re the Preacher

Truth to Learn

Behind the Words

Meaning Explained

Application

2 Peter 2:5 – Pre-Flood Stubbornness