Audio commentary on this verse

Note 5 at Rom. 10:17: Faith comes by hearing God's Word because God's Word is His faith (see note 4 at Rom. 3:3, p. 754). A person cannot be born again (see note 2 at Jn. 3:3, p. 92) through human faith. He has to use God's supernatural faith (see note 2 at Mt. 8:10, p. 173; note 4 at Jn. 20:29, p. 557; note 6 at Rom. 4:17, p. 765) to receive God's supernatural gift of salvation.

The only place to obtain God's kind of faith is from God's Word. Therefore, we cannot compromise God's Word. It must be proclaimed boldly to make God's faith available to those who choose to believe.

Note 6 at Rom. 10:17: Notice that this verse says faith comes by "hearing," not by "having heard." A person cannot rest on a revelation he received from God years ago unless he is still hearing the Lord speak that same truth to him now.

It is not the Lord who fails to speak, it is us who fail to hear. Therefore, anyone can keep their faith in the present tense if they will open their spiritual ears to hear what God's Word is saying (Prov. 4:20-22; see note 10 at Mk. 6:52, p. 238; note 3 at Mk. 8:17, p. 258).