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God's Plan of Salvation : Hear

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It has been said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first small step. While first, the step of hearing the word of God is far from small. This might well be the most important step toward becoming a child of God, for without this step there can be no others.

Let us first establish that hearing God's word is a condition of salvation. In John 6:44, Jesus stated: ⁴⁴"No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day." Note first that this is a condition of salvation: ⁴⁴" N o one can come to Me, unless ... and I will raise him up on the last day." Now, what does it mean that the "Father ... draws him?" This is explained by the quotation (in verse 45) of Isaiah 54:13:"And they shall all be taught of God." Many think that this implies some miraculous impartation of knowledge. However, the verse goes on to explain this in very natural terms: " Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me." This is not necessarily miraculous, since we all can hear and learn of God from His written word.

The importance of hearing is further impressed on us by Romans 10:17, which is the only verse that we know which tells us specifically how to acquire faith: ¹⁷"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." Most religious people know that faith is an important aspect of our relationship with God. However, do they understand what we must hear in order that we may receive "a faith of the same kind as ours" (2 Pet. 1:1) that was held by the apostles?

Think about the fate of those who refuse to hear. How can they believe? How can they ever come to repentance? Now, consider those who readily hear, but hear the wrong thing? What will their faith be based on? They might make tremendous sacrifices, but whom would it be for?

This does not mean that before a sinner can come to Christ he must have a full intellectual understanding of all the facets and nuances of Christ. His knowledge may be very embryonic. However, it must be true knowledge. He must perceive that in ways he does not understand, Jesus is his Savior and his only hope. The revelation of saving truth is always in the gospel, as found in the Scriptures, never through our own freewheeling speculations.

Therefore, while a repentant soul"s salvation does not hinge on being able to recite some particular creedal dogma word for word, or display a thorough understanding of it. Nevertheless there must be something in the mind to be believed, and that something must be truth. It cannot be fiction, myth, or superstition.

Jesus associated our salvation with knowing the truth, which is only possible by continuing in His word (John 8:31-32). How can the mind believe if the mind has no concept of what or who is to be believed? If knowing the truth is not important, then tossing a coin will do.

Jesus answered in John 8:32: ³¹"If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; ³²and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." We control what we hear, and what we hear is of the greatest importance.

Have you ever heard it said?? . . .

As long as we call Jesus "Lord," nothing else matters... but Jesus said:

(Matthew 7:21-23):

²¹"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord," will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?" ²³And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.""

These were not immoral sinners; they were religious people. These were not liars; they believed what they said to the point that they were arguing with the Lord on the Day of Judgment. It appears that they even believed that they had performed miracles in his name.

Jesus said that we must do ^{21 "}... the will of My Father who is in heaven."How do we know what the will of God is? This is given in the next verse: ²⁴"Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock..." It is essential that we hear (actually listen) to what God has revealed. This first step, learning the truth, is essential to doing God's will. "You are what you eat" holds much more in the spiritual realm than in the physical.

 Adapted primarily from David Brown"s "Think on These Things"
Scripture quotations taken from the NASB (New American Standard Bible)

Last updated: Monday, March 06, 2006

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