HOW SHALL THEY HEAR?

(Romans 10:14) "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?"

This is another verse that present-day preachers sometimes use to promote their importance. The next verse more or less explains that the preachers under consideration were those who were "sent" that people might hear the gospel. And the ones sent were the apostles. The word "apostle" means "one sent." They had the gospel, the good news, entrusted unto them. As they were sent to all nations they were guided into all truth by the giving and reception of the Holy Spirit. Theirs was an exclusive task and without their dedication to that task the world would not hear the message of salvation. So, that was the kind of preacher that was essential to the hearing of the word. Jesus specifically called them one by one and sent them out into a lost world.

We hear some preachers today make the claim of being, in some near miraculous manner, "God called and sent." But the truth of the matter is that usually they come out of a Bible seminary and start looking for a preaching job. A pulpit committee comes in contact with them and grants them a trial sermon. If they satisfy the committee and a majority of the people, they are "called" by that church not by God. If they don't fit, they look further. After building up a reputation, they answer the "call" of a bigger church with a bigger salary or better fringe benefits but God has nothing at all to do with that call.

True preachers of the gospel preach because they feel the need of saving souls. The apostles, those who truly were the "called and sent," were the essential preachers who gave us the message of salvation.

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