The Hearing Of Faith

Galatians 3:2, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”

I love this Bible passage from Galatians 3:2. The Apostle Paul asked the churches of Galatia one thing—how did you become indwelt with the Holy Spirit? That is, how did you get saved? Was it by keeping the works of Moses law? Or was it by simply by believing the Gospel when you heard it preached? I love that beautiful phrase, "by the hearing of faith." That is how 3,000 people were saved on the Day of Pentecost—they simply heard the Apostle Peter preach the Gospel (Good News) of Jesus Christ and "gladly received" the message and were saved (Acts 2:41).

We read in Hebrews 4:2 that Moses preached the Gospel to the Hebrews in the Wilderness for 40 years, “but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” They heard the Good News but had no faith in what Moses heard preached.

I love these Scripture passages, because they show the simplicity that is in Christ. You simply believe the Gospel when you hear it, and that's it. No one was required to forsake a lifestyle of sinning. No one was required to "be willing" to clean up their life and forsake past sinful behavior. No one was required to get water baptized, make public confession, become a Christ follower, live a lifestyle of perpetually turning from sinning, invite Jesus into your life, surrender to Jesus as "Lord" of your life, nor anything else.

You simply HEAR the Gospel (whether read or spoken) and BELIEVE IT, and you are on your way to Heaven. Men complicate God's simple plan of salvation.

If you read Acts chapter 10 about the Italian centurion Cornelius, you will learn that he was a good man (as far as sinners go). Cornelius feared God, prayed, fasted and gave alms to the poor, but he was still lost in his sins. So God arranged for Cornelius and the Apostle Peter to meet up, and they did later in the chapter. Peter simply preached the truth of the Gospel. Peter never told Cornelius and his friends to do anything to be saved. Peter simply preached the Gospel message and they believed what they heard and were saved (Acts 10:43-44). That is how anybody gets saved, by believing the Gospel when we hear it.

All of these bad preachers today (infidels) who are telling people to "turn from your sins" to be saved are preaching another gospel. I am astonished how most preachers today are preaching an embellishment of the Gospel, lying to their audience, saying things that cannot be supported with the inspired Scripture. This is the dire consequence of repeating things which they have heard peers in the ministry errantly teach and preach. Jesus told us to SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!! (John 5:39).