Have
You Heard?
Steve W. Reeves
A. We live in a climate of noise. Wherever you turn you are bombarded with the noise of
politics, promotions, propaganda and philosophy. It has been said, “The shallowest
rivers make the most noise.”
1. With so many competing voices it is confusing to decide which one to hear.
2. Always remember, there is only one voice that leads to faith. Notice Romans10:17,
“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.”
3. When Paul used the phrase, “word of Christ,” he did not use the word “logos,” as in
John 1, “in the beginning was the word.” He used the word, “rhema” meaning, “that
which has been spoken.”
4. Faith is not found through subjective human experience. It is found through the
revealed word of God.
B. Why was “faith” so important to the apostle Paul?
1. In Romans 1:17 he quoted Habakkuk 2:4 concerning the gospel, “For in it the
righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘But the
righteous man shall live by faith.’”
2. In Romans 5:1-2 Paul wrote, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have
obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand.”
3. Paul was concerned about the salvation of souls. This concern began with his own
Jewish kinsmen.
a. In Romans 9:1-3 he wrote, “I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my
conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great sorrow and
unceasing grief in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed,
separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the
flesh.”
b. In Romans 10:1-2 he continued, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to
God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal
for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.”
C. Paul’s use of the word, “salvation,” seems almost antiquated in our “non-judgmental,”
world. Many people believe it is harsh or judgmental to say someone is lost. This was
not the case with Paul or Jesus. Both of them clearly distinguished between those
who were lost and those who were saved.
1. We often think that the only people who are lost are those who are really bad.
2. There are many “good” people who are lost because they do not know Jesus
Christ.
3. Like travelers lost without a map in downtown Beverly Hills, there are many people
who are surrounded by the luxuries of life while traveling down the wrong road.
Could you be one of them?
D. In Romans 10 there are three essential facts about salvation that everyone needs to
know.
I. THE SOURCE OF SALVATION (Vss. 3-4).
A. If you were asked, “Why do you believe you are saved,” what would your answer
be?
1. Would you answer, “Because I’m trying to live right.”
2. Would you say, “I attend church regularly,” or “I’ve been baptized?”
3. Both of these are important but they neglect the important fact that you cannot
save yourself by your own works or righteousness.
B. This is what Paul’s Jewish brethren were doing. Notice verses 3-4, “For not
knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not
subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law
for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
1. The Jews thought they could justify themselves by keeping God’s law. That
sounds like a great idea, right? The problem is no one has ever done it.
2. Notice Paul’s comment on his own life in Philippians 3:4-7, “Although I myself
might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put
confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of
Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the
Law, found blameless. 7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have
counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”
a. Paul said, “All of the good I have done does not add up to anything when
compared to Christ.”
b. In verse 9 he wrote, “And may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of
my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the
righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.”
C. One preacher told the story of a man who had been having problems with his eyes
looking at things he shouldn’t have seen, his tongue saying things he should notSR1]
say and his feet going places he shouldn’t go. He went to Dr. Law, who pointed out
that all of these things were wrong but said, “It’s a heart problem. I cannot help
you.” What Dr. Law did, however, was refer the man to another doctor named Dr.
Grace. Dr. Grace said, “I will give you a new heart but you must be willing to give
up the old one and place your trust and obedience in me.”
1. Dr. Law cannot heal through human righteousness.
2. Dr. Grace brings healing through the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
II. THE SIMPLICITY OF SALVATION (Vss.5-11).
A. I do not mean to imply that being a Christian is easy. Jesus said we must “deny
ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him” (Matthew 16:24).
B. The work of salvation has already been accomplished through Jesus Christ.
Notice verses 5-11. For Moses writes that the man who practices the righteousness
which is based on law shall live by that righteousness. 6 But the righteousness
based on faith speaks as follows: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into
heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down), 7 or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that
is, to bring Christ up from the dead).” 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you,
in your mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that
God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person
believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in
salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be
disappointed.”
1. Many Christians live with the fear that they, “haven’t done enough” to merit
eternal life.
2. There are two essential questions you must ask. “How much is enough?” and “If
you could do enough why did Jesus have to die?”
C. Paul said, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart
that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
1. What does it mean to “confess?” It means that I pledge complete and total
allegiance to Jesus and everything He taught.
2. What does it mean to “believe in your heart?” It means to give our wholehearted
obedience to the commands and teachings of Jesus Christ. Remember, it was
Jesus who commanded repentance (Luke 24:47) and baptism (Matthew 28:19-
20; Mark 16:15-16).
D. The simplicity of salvation is that Christ has already attained it. He makes it
available to every man and woman everywhere.
III. THE SPLENDOR OF SALVATION (Vss. 12-13).
A. Paul went on to write, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the
same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; 13 for “Whoever
will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
B. To the church at Rome, composed of Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians,
Paul said, “There is no difference. The same Lord is Lord of all.”
1. The same Lord who saved Paul can save you.
2. The same Lord who died for me died for you.
3. He is rich toward all who call on Him. Moffitt translates this, “abundant in iches.”
He will provide every spiritual blessing and will be with you in every aspect of
your life.
CONCLUSION
A. In April of 1912 the great luxury ocean liner Titanic sank on its maiden voyage across
the north Atlantic. Aboard the ship were some of the richest people of their day.
People like John Jacob Astor IV and Benjamin Guggenheim who filled the first class
staterooms with elegance and riches. There were also common people who had just
enough to pay a minimum passage. After the disaster the people aboard the Titanic
were not categorized by their wealth or their position. They were categorized in one
of two ways: saved or lost.
B. There is no one hearing these words who is so good you do not need to be saved.
There is no one hearing these words who is so bad that God cannot and will not save
you. Jesus is the source of that salvation. He has done the work of salvation and He
offers you the riches of salvation. Will you come, believing in your heart, confessing
with your mouth, putting Christ on in baptism for the forgiveness of your sins? We
invite you to come.
