HEARING

The word 'HEARING' is used several times and in various ways in the Bible; but in this lesson, we want to study the subject of hearing in regard to the gospel. We could say, "Hearing the gospel."

The Bible Teaches That …
1. WE MUST HEAR THE GOSPEL BEFORE WE CAN EVER EXPECT TO KNOW WHAT TO DO IN ORDER TO BE SAVED. As we have already studied, we have found that the gospel is God's power to save. We must not be ashamed of the gospel (Romans 1:16). We have also studied that the word "gospel" means "good news".

The reason that Jesus commanded the disciples to "go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” was that he knew that people must hear this gospel before they would have any interest in it or before they would know what to do to be saved.

I am sure that we would agree that before we would have any interest in a matter, we would want to hear about it. In fact, to take an interest in any kind of message, we would first of all have to hear the message. So it is with the gospel of Christ.

On the day of Pentecost mentioned in Acts 2:1, Peter stood up with the eleven and preached the gospel to the people gathered there. Upon hearing the gospel, they cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37). Peter told them, "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." They did so and were added to the church.

In Acts, chapter 8, we find that Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. Many of them believed and were baptized.

In the same chapter, verses 26-40, we have the example of the Ethiopian eunuch who heard the gospel, confessed Christ, and was baptized.

In all these examples we find that they first of all heard the gospel. These shows us by example that people had to hear the gospel first in order that they might know what to do to be saved.

The Bible Teaches That …
2. THE GOSPEL IS THE ONLY POWER OF GOD TO SAVE. We have already studied how that God's power is unlimited, that He is all-powerful, so we are not suggesting that God's power is limited in any way whatsoever, for He may do what He chooses to do regardless of what we might think about it. The Bible teaches that it is the gospel of Christ that causes people to be saved. For example, we find Paul writing to the church at Corinth saying, "Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand. By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." (1 Corinthian 15:1,2).

In this passage, Paul emphasizes that the gospel saves. Paul had gone to the city of Corinth and personally preached to them and taught them. As a result, they heard the gospel and after hearing it, they obeyed the commands of Christ to be saved from their past sins.

We should bear in mind that only the gospel will save. Though God has unlimited power, the gospel is the power that he is using to save men and women.

We cannot follow a creed book, or doctrines of men. Teachings such as "accepting Christ as our personal saviour through prayer and confession only", are completely foreign to the gospel and therefore will not save us. Let us be satisfied to find out what God wants us to do, and do it. We must not do something which he has not taught or authorized.

The Bible Teaches That …
3. HEARING THE GOSPEL MUST COME BEFORE FAITH IN IT. This matter is shown by common reasoning. A person could not believe in something of which they had not heard. "How shall they HEAR without a preacher?" (Romans 10:14). It isn't possible for a person to believe until the testimony has been given. Thus, in the same passage we find the words: "How shall they believe in Him in whom they have not heard?"

In all the cases we have mentioned in the book of Acts, we found that they first heard, believed, then completed their obedience of the first teachings to have remission of sins to become Christians.

We conclude that hearing of the gospel must come first, then those who hear are placed in a position to accept or reject it by believing or refusing to believe.

The Bible reveals the gospel. Let us read and study the Bible day by day so that through it we will hear God speaking to us. Then when we have learned what He wants us to do, we should do it with all our might and be His servant all the days of our life so that we might some day dwell with Him forever.

Section 1 - Type in the correct scripture reference

Question 1 "How shall they hear without a preacher?"

Question 2 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Question 3 "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Question 4 "Repent and be baptized, everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Question 5 "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, and wherein ye stand: By which also ye are saved….."

Section 2 - Fill in the blanks.

Question 1 We must hear the ______ before we can ever expect to be saved.

Question 2 The gospel is ______ power to save.

Question 3 Jesus said: "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Jesus commanded this because he knew that ¬¬¬¬______ must ______ before they could know what to do to be saved.

Question 4 On the day of Pentecost, in Acts, chapter 2, Peter ______ to those who were there.

Question 5 In Acts, chapter 8, Philip went down to the city of ______ and ______ the gospel to them. They ______ and ______.

Section 3 - True or False

Question 1 The Gospel is the only power of God to save.
TrueFalse

Question 2 Believing comes before hearing the gospel.
TrueFalse

Question 3 We can believe in him of whom we have not heard.
TrueFalse

Question 4 If we hear the doctrines and creeds of men we can be saved by them.
TrueFalse

Question 5 People must hear the gospel, believe it to be true, and obey the commands in order to be saved.
TrueFalse

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