Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God—that is, God must speak before a person can believe.
Romans 10:17 directly answers the question. Les Feldick explains that because faith is taking God at His Word, a person cannot believe something God has never said. So the way faith arises is through hearing the message of the gospel that God has revealed in His Word.
Romans 10:17 — This verse directly states that faith comes through hearing the Word of God, which is the core answer to the question.
Romans 10:17 gives the direct answer: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh by the word of God.” In the same passage, Paul describes “the word of faith” that is near in the mouth and heart: “The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans 10:8). Scripture also connects saving faith to a definite message: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). That message is the gospel: “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Les Feldick teaches that faith means taking God at His Word, not identifying with a denomination. He says it is not faith to say “I’m of the Methodist faith” or “I’m of the Catholic faith.” Saving faith starts with God speaking; you cannot exercise faith until He has said something (Clip 1). Romans 10:17 makes this clear: faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God. Les underscores that God does not expect anyone to respond until He has spoken it (Clip 2). The apostles could not assume what the gospel would be before God revealed it—they had to wait until God spoke and then believe (Clip 3). When God has spoken the gospel—that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again—He expects it to be believed (Clip 4). The word that must be heard is “the word of faith,” not works or legalism (Clip 6). Faith itself is how believers access grace, and the realities God performs at salvation are accepted by faith because “the Book says so” (Clip 7).
Faith is taking God at His Word. That means God must first say it before anyone can believe it (Clip 5). This is why Romans 10:17 is so central: hearing comes through the Word of God. Les emphasizes that God does not expect a person to respond until He has spoken (Clip 2). Even the apostles couldn’t assume what God’s gospel would be; they waited until God revealed it and then believed (Clip 3).
The content that produces saving faith is the gospel of grace: Christ died for sins, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again—this is what God has said, and now He expects belief (Clip 4). Paul calls this “the word of faith”—not works or legalism but a message to believe (Clip 6). Joseph could believe Israel would leave Egypt because God said so; identifying with a denomination is not faith (Clip 1).
Paul’s order is clear: hearing the Word of God produces faith, and faith saves. At the moment a person believes, God does many unseen things—sanctifies, forgives, justifies, glorifies, and baptizes into Christ’s body—but they are known by faith because the Book says so (Clip 7). This access into grace is through faith, just as Romans 5:1-2 says: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand.”
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Faith Means Taking God at His Word
Les defines faith as taking God at His Word and shows that this requires God to have spoken; he uses Joseph’s conviction about Israel’s exodus as an example.
God Must Speak Before We Respond
Les applies Romans 10:17 directly: God does not expect anyone to respond until He has spoken, using the example of Noah and the ark.
We Wait for God to Reveal Before Believing
Les says even the Twelve could not assume what God would reveal about death and resurrection; believers wait until God has spoken and then believe, as with Romans 10:17.
The Revealed Gospel Produces Faith
Les explains that when God revealed the gospel of grace—Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose—God now expects people to believe it, connecting back to Romans 10:17.
Revelation Precedes Faith
Les insists that before a person can take God at His Word, God must first say or reveal the truth; Peter’s Acts 3 sermon shows he stayed within what God had spoken.
The Word of Faith Is Not Works
Les explains that the word near us is the word of faith—not law or works—so the message to be heard is “believe, believe, believe.”
Faith Makes God’s Work Real
Les shows that all the blessings God gave at salvation are known only because “the Book says so,” which means faith itself is the access into grace.
Romans 10:17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing cometh by the word of God.
This is the verse that directly answers the question.
Romans 10:8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Paul identifies the message that produces faith as the word of faith.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
This is the content of saving faith that Paul describes in Romans 10.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the gospel message Les says God has spoken and expects people to believe.
Romans 5:1-2: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
This shows that justification and access into grace come through faith.
Deuteronomy 29:29: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Les uses this verse to show that we wait for God to reveal truth, then believe it.
Faith comes by hearing, and hearing comes by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Saving faith is produced when God speaks through His Word and someone hears it.
Because faith means taking God at His Word. If God has not revealed or spoken a promise, there is nothing solid to believe. Les gives the example of Joseph—he could believe Israel would leave Egypt because God had said it.
It is the message that God has spoken—that salvation is through faith, not works or law. It is the gospel that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again; when it is heard, that is what produces faith.
No. Les says saying “I’m of the Methodist faith” or “I’m of the Catholic faith” is not what faith means. Faith means taking God at His Word.
Watch the Teaching: Creation of Adam: Body, Soul, and Spirit Explained