So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.”(Romans 10:17)
We have all heard the expression “practice what you preach.” That phrase is used in both encouragement and rebuke and has actual Biblical roots. In Matthew 23:3, Jesus told His listeners, “Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.” He was both rebuking the Pharisees and encouraging His disciples.
Let me ask you to think about the value of flipping that phrase so it reads like this, “preach what you practice.” Although the phrase is not found verbatim in Scripture, it has strong Biblical roots in Romans 10:17. The core of this verse and the context surrounding it is the critical importance of the Gospel being verbally communicated by someone who has previously heard it, believed its message, and called on the name of the Lord for salvation. The issue at stake is that those who have believed the Gospel must verbally communicate the Gospel to those who have yet to hear so that they might believe and be saved. There will not be one soul in heaven if we merely live the Christian life before them. Saving faith comes from believing the message about Christ that is heard, not just seen.
