Preaching Precedes Praying

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” -Romans 10:14

At this point, let us remember that at the root Paul’s entire line of argument beginning from verse one of Chapter nine, is his chief concern that Israel might be saved and in explaining why not all have believed. He is certain that the covenant with Israel has not failed but that for reasons already explained, not all Israel (the nation) is Israel (the people of God).

Here he will begin a line of rhetorical questions in which each answer will naturally prompt the next question. He will unpack his point in this manner until it becomes clear that the natural way of things is that faith comes by hearing and hearing comes through the word of Christ. In other words, rather than viewing this line of reasoning as prescriptive, it should be understood as descriptive. 

What this shows is that real faith is demonstrated in the prayer life of those who claim to be God’s own (one cannot call on Christ if they don’t believe in him) and that prayer life is actually initiated by another who preaches the truth about God. One cannot call on Christ until they have heard the word of Christ.

Or as John Calvin notes, “we are in a manner mute until God’s promise opens our mouth to pray, and this is the order which he points out by the Prophet, when he says, ‘I will say to them, my people are ye;’ and they shall say to me, ‘Thou art our God’” (Zech. 13:9).