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Romans 10:16
But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
By the grace of God, Paul was a highly successful missionary. His preaching of the gospel was used by God to bring many to faith. But he experienced failures, too, and this verse is evidence of that, for he acknowledges here that not everyone who heard his message accepted it. Actually, that is a significant understatement—many who heard Paul’s message rejected it, and many of those who rejected it also grew violently angry with him for proclaiming it. Paul’s own ministry, then, is evidence that even when missionaries and preachers are called out and sent, even when they faithfully preach the gospel, and even when it is heard and understood (on at least a surface level), belief does not automatically follow. And the experience is the same for all of those who obey Jesus’ command to take the gospel to all nations. Always and everywhere, some believe, but many refuse to do so. Even Isaiah, one of Israel’s greatest prophets, was moved to ask, “ ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’ ” (Isa. 53:1). As far as Isaiah could tell, no one—no one—had heeded his prophecies.
Why is this so? It is not hard to find the answer. Indeed, Paul has already discussed it in chapter 10. It is because preaching the gospel as plainly as possible is all that a missionary or preacher can do. At that point, God must take over. He must prepare the soil to receive the seed by giving the unbeliever “ears to hear” the message. To use other Scriptural language, He must give the unbeliever faith to trust the Savior who is preached to him. To use other theological language, He must send forth His inward call to accompany the outward call issued by the preacher. And, of course, God does these things only for His elect. They receive the message of the gospel, believe it, and call on the name of the Lord. The non-elect, the reprobate, do not respond to the gospel, and their hostility to God usually spills over into malice against His human ambassadors.
But we need not despair. Like Isaiah, the prophet Elijah once became convinced that he was the only faithful believer left in Israel. But God assured him it was not so, but that there actually were thousands of believers (1 Kings 19:14–18). When God sends His Word forth from the lips of His people, it accomplishes whatsoever He desires (Isa. 55:10–11), saving as many or as few as He chooses.
Coram Deo Living before the face of God
If you make a serious effort to share the gospel with others, you will experience rejection. Many of those you speak to will ridicule you and will laugh at the truths you hold dear. But by God’s grace, you will have success, too, for God has His elect, and all those He chooses, He predestines and calls (Rom. 8:29–30). Press on in your proclamation.
For Further Study
- Ezekiel 3:7
- Matthew 10:22
- Matthew 24:9
- John 15:20–21
- 2 Corinthians 4:9