The gospel must be heard, not just seen
I have heard the saying very often. “Live your Christian testimony before your neighbors as clean as you can, and if you must, speak the gospel” This is basically saying that they might come to Christ just by watching your actions and living a good Christian life.
While there might be some merit to this, there are lots of people that have spotless lives as well. They have great little families, the kids are well brought up, parents teach their kids some great and respectable manners and values. This is not the gospel. I live in a great little community. All my neighbors are very respectful of their neighbors, even one a bit further away, messaged me when I was working nights, that if ever my wife felt threatened while home alone, that he would come over to protect her. He’s an old highschool mate. This is not the gospel.
Romans 1:20 describes that the heavens and everything below it is a witness to God. Men are without excuse when it comes to seeing that the creation reveals a creator. No matter what city, country, continent you go on, you can see the marvels of nature. How everything works. God has revealed his pattern in many things. Honey bees behave the same way no matter where in the world they are. That’s not a reflection of evolution, but a reflection on the creator.
So, when it comes to the gospel, there’s only one way to salvation, and it’s not just to live a good testimony before your neighbors and such. While it might support your gospel ministry that “you’re living what you’re preaching”, it’s not the gospel. The gospel is sharing Christ to unbelievers so they can hear the gospel.
This is what Paul intended with Romans 10:17 and the build up to this. Typically starting at verse 14, he’s building up the case about belief.
14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!
16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
So there’s much more going on here than just living your Christian testimony as a witness to others. To have salvation, you must believe on Christ. That’s what Paul is building on here. How can you believe on Christ if you never heard of him. How can people believe in Christ if they haven’t heard? We all have the witness of nature that gives us an indication that a creator was at work to put it all in place as it is, but unless someone shares the gospel, and how Christ had to die for our sins, we remain ignorant.
The tricky part is, that it’s eternal damnation for anyone that doesn’t believe. I often hear people say “if they never heard of Christ, how can they be damned to hell”? Well, if this theory is correct, the absolute worst thing we could do, is to preach Christ. Then the fact that they didn’t know about Christ, and now they know about Him makes puts them in danger of an eternity in torment.
The issue is, they were already in danger, and nature’s witness is simply this, it doesn’t witness to Christ, however, it does make them realise there’s a creator.
Paul was adamant about preaching salvation through Christ to the 4 corners of the earth. This is why he points out that it’s whoever hears the gospel. This is the method by which God has chosen to save His people. By faithful preaching and the responder to hear it.
So while living a great testimony for Christ (loving husband / father, great wife, kids with values and manners) are great, they are not the gospel. Only preaching about people’s sin, and their consequences before God, repentance and belief in Christ, are the only way to salvation for others.