Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 11:20 pm
Amen BW. Through faith we can accept His message. "He that has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying."B. W. wrote:The word translated WORD in Romans 10:17 is Rhema. Rhema means more than just speaking words. It also denotes a message or declaration of one's mind made in words that proclaim a conveyed truth. Rhema is related to the "Truth of a Message."
Next is the word translated Hearing is in reference to Romans 10:10-16 which clarifies the meaning on verse 17. Faith, saving Faith, comes by hearing, giving heed to what is heard, and hearing, harkening too, the message of God.
In other words, it involves an action on the part of the human listener to respond to the message of God and act upon the truth proclaimed. It denotes a choice, or an engagement of one's reason to accept, or reject, the message of God's Saving Truth however one's hears.
If you take this to mean only that only those that can physically hear can become saved then what about the deaf? Those that are deaf can be saved. It is the message that saves and it can come by various ways and means — brail, written, sign language, and yes — the written message that was recorded, transcribed, from the spoken message.
This shows us the importance of the message, Rhema, and the fact that people are converted by Rhema truth which they perceive by hearing, understanding it. This goes back to the Parable of the sower [Matthew 13:23] definition of hearing and understaning.
You can rightly say, those that hear the message of Rhema truth can accept it or reject it, freely, without divine coercion of any type. The Parable of the sower points this out also.
Does this mean a Sovereign God is enslaved to human choice, no, not at all. He placed and designed this ability of choice and reason within us in the first place. He knows all out comes of this choice before the decision was ever made. Therefore, He engages us by His message. We can accept it or reject it. This proves God is just and fair and not the author of sin. Can God unstop someone's ears to hear by a sovereign act? Yes, He can. Let us pray for the unsaved to unstop their ears to hear and find saving faith.