Romans 10:14 – “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

An Extended Explanation of the Verse

This verse comes right after Romans 10:13, where Paul declares that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Now, he asks a series of rhetorical questions to show that people cannot call on Jesus for salvation unless they first hear about Him.

Paul is laying out the logical steps of faith:

1. A person cannot call on Jesus if they don’t believe in Him. Calling on the Lord requires faith, and faith is only possible when a person believes in Jesus as Savior.
2. A person cannot believe in Jesus if they have never heard of Him. Faith requires knowledge—people need to know who Jesus is and what He has done.
3. A person cannot hear the truth about Jesus unless someone tells them. The message of salvation must be shared. If no one preaches, how will people ever hear?

Paul is emphasizing that the good news of Jesus must be spread for people to be saved. The gospel is not something people naturally figure out on their own—it has to be told.

Historical Context

Paul was writing to Christians in Rome, a city filled with people from different religious backgrounds. Many of them had never heard the gospel. At this time, Christianity was still growing, and many places had no believers or churches.

In the Jewish world, people believed they were God’s chosen people, but Paul is making it clear that salvation is for all nations. However, for the Gentiles to be saved, someone had to bring the message to them.

Paul himself was a missionary, traveling all over the Roman Empire to share the gospel. He knew firsthand that people needed to hear the good news before they could believe it. This is why he was passionate about preaching and why he encouraged others to take the gospel everywhere.

Theological Implications

1. Faith comes from hearing the gospel. Salvation does not happen in isolation—people need to hear about Jesus in order to believe in Him (Romans 10:17).
2. The responsibility of spreading the gospel is given to believers. God could have chosen angels to announce the message, but instead, He chose His followers to share it.
3. Evangelism is essential. This verse shows that preaching the gospel is not optional—it is necessary for people to be saved. If believers do not share the message, people will not hear it, and they will not believe.

Literary Analysis

Paul uses a series of rhetorical questions to drive home his point. Each question builds on the previous one, making it clear that without preaching, people cannot believe.

The structure of the verse follows a clear progression:

• Calling on Jesus requires belief.
• Belief requires hearing the gospel.
• Hearing the gospel requires someone to preach.

This logical flow highlights the urgency of spreading the gospel—if no one preaches, people will not hear, and if they do not hear, they cannot be saved.

Biblical Cross-References

• Romans 10:17 – “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
• Matthew 28:19-20 – Jesus commands His followers to “go and make disciples of all nations.”
• Acts 1:8 – Jesus tells His disciples that they will be His witnesses to the ends of the earth.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20 – “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
• Isaiah 6:8 – “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’”

What This Verse Means for Today’s Christian

This verse makes it clear that Christians have a responsibility to share the gospel.

Many people today still do not know who Jesus is or what He has done for them. Some have never heard the gospel clearly explained. If believers do not share it, how will they ever believe?

This verse challenges us to take evangelism seriously. Sharing the gospel is not just for pastors or missionaries—it is for every Christian. Whether through conversations, social media, missions, or personal testimonies, we are all called to help others hear the good news.

It also reminds us that we should support those who are preaching. Whether it’s local church pastors, missionaries, or Christian media, we should pray for them, encourage them, and help them spread the message.

How This Verse Relates to a Loving God

God’s love is seen in the fact that He wants all people to hear the gospel. He does not hide the message—He calls His followers to share it so that everyone has a chance to believe.

This also shows that God works through His people. He could speak directly to every person in the world, but instead, He chooses to use ordinary men and women to spread His message. This is a sign of His love and trust in His people.

How This Verse Connects to Jesus Christ

Jesus is the center of the message that must be preached. Paul is not talking about spreading a general religious message—he is talking about proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

• John 14:6 – Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
• Luke 19:10 – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
• Mark 16:15 – Jesus commanded, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

The reason why preaching is necessary is that Jesus is the only way to be saved. People need to hear about Him so they can believe and receive eternal life.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

1. What does this verse teach about the importance of sharing the gospel?
2. Who in your life needs to hear about Jesus? How can you share the good news with them?
3. Why do you think God chose people—rather than angels or miracles—to spread the gospel?
4. How does this verse challenge our priorities? Are we making evangelism a priority in our daily lives?
5. What are some ways you can support those who are actively preaching the gospel around the world?

Romans 10:14 is a wake-up call to every believer. People cannot believe in Jesus unless they hear about Him, and they cannot hear unless someone tells them. It is our responsibility to share the good news so that others can call on the name of the Lord and be saved.