Talk and Power

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is from the law: The one who does these things will live by them. But the righteousness that comes from faith speaks like this: Do not say in your heart, “Who will go up to heaven?” that is, to bring Christ down or, “Who will go down into the abyss?” that is, to bring Christ up from the dead. On the contrary, what does it say? The message is near you, in your mouth and in your heart. This is the message of faith that we proclaim: if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. With the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. Now the Scripture says, No one who believes on Him will be put to shame, for there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, since the same Lord of all is rich to all who call on Him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

But how can they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how can they believe without hearing about Him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How welcome are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things! But all did not obey the gospel. For Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed our message? So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ. But I ask, “Did they not hear?” Yes, they did:

Their voice has gone out to all the earth,
and their words to the ends of the inhabited world.

But I ask, “Did Israel not understand?” First, Moses said:

I will make you jealous of those who are not a nation;
I will make you angry by a nation that lacks understanding.

And Isaiah says boldly:

I was found by those who were not looking for Me;
I revealed Myself to those who were not asking for Me.

But to Israel he says: All day long I have spread out My hands to a disobedient and defiant people.
(Romans 10:4-21 HCSB ©®)

Words can introduce me to the Word. From there, growth happens by the exercise of His power.

For the kingdom of God is not in talk but in power.
(1 Corinthians 4:20 HCSB ©®)