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
There’s a quote often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times — if necessary, use words.” Now whether St. Francis actually said it is debated. But what really concerns me is how many people abuse that line to justify never using words to share the gospel at all.
You’ve heard the thinking. “I’ll just witness with my life. I’ll live a good, decent life, and one day someone will notice and ask me what I believe.” It sounds humble, even spiritual. But often it’s just a convenient excuse to stay silent. It’s like a fisherman who keeps the bait in the boat, sits back, and waits for the fish to jump in on their own.
Paul demolishes that approach with a chain of questions here, and you can’t escape the logic. How will people call on the One they haven’t believed in? How can they believe in One they’ve never heard of? And how are they to hear, here’s the link we’d love to skip, “without someone preaching?” Without someone telling them. The chain runs backward from a saved soul all the way to a Christian who opened his mouth.
Do you see what Paul is establishing? Faith comes by hearing. People cannot believe a message they have never heard, and they may never hear it if we never speak it. Your silent good example, as valuable as it is, cannot deliver the content of the gospel. No one ever figured out the death and resurrection of Jesus by watching you be nice. At some point, words are required.
Now hear me clearly, because both halves matter. Yes, preach with your actions. Let there be real congruency between what you say you believe and how you actually live. A hypocritical life will undercut your words every time. Living well opens the door; speaking the gospel walks through it.
So, if I may, let me amend that famous quote: “Preach the gospel at all times — through your actions and your words.” The life backs up the message, and the message explains the life.
Here’s the sobering, beautiful weight of it: God has chosen to reach lost people through ordinary believers willing to speak. You are a link in that chain. Somewhere in your life there is a neighbor, a coworker, a family member who will not hear unless someone tells them, and you may be the someone.
YOUR GOOD WORKS ALONE WON’T BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST, FAITH COMES BY HEARING. PREACH THE GOSPEL IN ACTIONS AND WORDS.
