Israel's unbelief
But bringing stubborn and rebellious sinners to despair of their own merit and to trust solely in Christ’s righteousness is a significant hurdle to cross. Even that, however, a good and gracious God has taken care of. Through a series of four interlocking questions, Paul now outlines the steps undertaken by a gracious God to lead people to “call on” him.
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? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
In reverse order Paul lists the steps necessary for leading people to call on the name of the Lord. He asks four rhetorical questions. In each case the negative answer is selfevident. How will people confidently call on the Lord if they don’t trust and believe in him? Obviously, they can’t— and won’t. And how can they come to believe and trust in the Lord unless they hear the message of God’s grace in Christ? Again, they can’t believe the message unless they hear it. And how will they hear that message without someone preaching it to them? And how will those people preach unless they’re sent?
With these four scenarios, Paul makes the point that everything necessary has been done. God himself took care of it. God not only gave the general directive that Christians should share the gospel, but he also specifically established the public ministry. He sent out the apostles and their coworkers—and still sends out called workers today—to preach the message of God’s love in Christ. That message has been heard. Its life-giving power is evident in the hearts and lives of those who hear, for the heard Word works the faith that enables believers to call on the name of the Lord.
God has done everything to get his message out, a message that leads people to call on the name of the Lord. Two verses later, Paul summarizes the process when he says, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (verse 17).
God has done everything necessary on his part, but there still is a problem. Keep in mind that in this section, beginning with chapter 9, Paul is addressing the disturbing situation involving the Jewish nation. They were God’s chosen nation. From them the Messiah came in fulfillment of prophecy. But the majority of Paul’s fellow Jews were not in the Christian fold. How are Paul and his readers to understand that? Has God’s Word failed? Has God reneged on his promise?
Paul makes it unmistakably clear: God is not at fault. He has done all things well. He has made the good news of salvation known. Messengers with “beautiful” feet (Isaiah 52:7) have proclaimed and shared the good news of Christ’s salvation. No, the fault does not lie with God.