How does 1 Corinthians 15:11 connect with Romans 10:17 about faith and hearing? The Setting of 1 Corinthians 15:11 “Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.” • Paul has just rehearsed the core gospel: Christ died for sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to many witnesses (15:3-8). • Verse 11 sums up the section: no matter which apostle preached, the message stayed identical—and the Corinthian believers responded with faith. • Paul’s emphasis: the preached word is fixed; belief flows from hearing that word. Faith Comes Through Hearing (Romans 10:17) “Consequently, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” • Paul explains in Romans that saving faith is birthed when people hear the proclaimed word about Christ. • “Hearing” is not passive sound reception; it’s active, Spirit-enabled reception of God’s authoritative message. • The source is explicit: “the word of Christ”—the same gospel summarized in 1 Corinthians 15. How the Two Verses Interlock • Same Content – 1 Corinthians 15:11: “this is what we preach.” – Romans 10:17: “the word of Christ.” – Both point to the unaltered gospel centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus. • Same Process – Preaching → Hearing → Believing. – 1 Corinthians 15:11 highlights the end result (“you believed”). – Romans 10:17 details the middle step (“hearing”) that produces faith. • Same Outcome – A community of believers grounded in the literal, historical resurrection. – Assurance grows as believers remember that their faith rests on a trustworthy, preached word. Supporting Passages That Reinforce the Link • Acts 2:32, 36-41 – Peter proclaims the resurrection; listeners “were pierced to the heart” and believed. • John 20:30-31 – John writes so that readers “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” Written testimony serves the same role as spoken preaching. • 2 Corinthians 4:13 – “I believed, therefore I have spoken.” Faith and proclamation are inseparable; what we believe, we announce. • 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – The Thessalonians received the apostolic message “not as the word of men but as the word of God,” illustrating hearing that leads to faith. Implications for Us Today • Guard the Message – Stay anchored in the apostolic gospel: Christ crucified and risen. – Resist additions or subtractions that dilute the core. • Prioritize Proclamation – Faith still comes by hearing. Share Scripture plainly and confidently. – Trust God’s Word to carry its own power; methods may vary, but the message must not. • Cultivate Listening Hearts – Approach Scripture with a readiness to hear and obey. – Ask the Spirit to transform hearing into genuine belief that shapes daily life. • Celebrate Common Ground – Paul’s “whether I or they” reminds us that all faithful preachers stand on the same foundation. – Unity grows when we rally around the shared confession of the risen Christ. Hearing the unchanged gospel breeds faith; believing hearts, in turn, keep proclaiming that same life-giving word. |
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