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| "How Shall They Hear" By Roger A. Scully, Jr. |
Without doubt the greatest work in the world is the work of the church, for it is the work of “seeking and saving
the Lost” (cf. Mrk 16:15). Everyday countless souls step into eternity unprepared “to meet” their God (Amos 4:
12); hence as they step into eternity, they step into torment (cf. Lk 16:22-23). The reason man dies lost is
because of sin (Rom 6:23), but the cure for this awful, condemning sickness is the gospel (Rom 1:16), which
can allow man freedom from his sins (Rom 6:17) and a home in heaven (cf. Jn 14:1-7). The means of gospel
obedience is described as “calling on the name of the Lord” (Ac 2:21). In Acts 22:16 Saul is told, “Arise and
be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” In Acts 2 after being told that
“whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (v.21), the penitent believers asked, “What shall we
do” (v.37) to call on the name of the Lord, to which they were told “repent and be baptized” (v.38); making it
abundantly clear that to “call on the name of the Lord” is to be “baptized into Christ” (cf. Gal 3:27). In Romans
10:13 the Spirit again declared, “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Then, a question is
asked, which is of the greatest importance, “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed?”
(v.14).
- In verse 17 the Spirit says that “faith comes by hearing the word of God,” thus in order for one to develop faith
he must hear; hence the question of verse 14. The same verse declares, “And how shall they believe in Him
of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?” Though this passage is often
limited in its application to ministers of the gospel, the principle needs to be applied to all Christians as per
evangelism, for all Christians are commanded to “preach the gospel of peace” and “bring glad tidings of good
things” (v.15). Yet, how many are honestly taking the message of hope to those who are in need? How many
are honestly seeking the lost so as to help them be saved? How many are sitting around waiting for others to
do the job for them? And, while the job is not being done, souls are being lost.
In Luke 16 the condemned rich man asked that one could be sent from the dead to declare God’s word to his
family members because they were living foul lives which would lead them to the same place of torment in
which he found himself (vs.27-28). He was told that if they wanted to be saved from their sins, then they
needed to hear God’s word (vs.29-31). How many are being told of their family members today, “let them hear
the gospel of Christ,” and yet how many are not hearing it because it is not being spread as it ought?
It is my prayer that I will be forgiven for my reckless handling of the gospel, and strive harder day by day to
make sure that those who are in need are being given an opportunity to hear the saving message of grace
and truth. What about your, brothers and sisters, are you doing all you can to make sure that those who are
in need are receiving the gospel message? Again we ask, “How shall they hear without a preacher?”
| Street Address: 1019 Clothilde St., Morgan City, LA 70380 Mailing Address: PO Box 1756, Morgan City, LA 70381 Phone: (985) 384-3489 |