I am going to make a bold statement. I am about to proclaim something that will disagree with much of the religious world as we know it today. It will go against the idea that the Holy Spirit calls people to Christ by simply whispering in their ear or giving them a little push. It will even go against the idea that God has predestined a privileged few to become Christians, and therefore the rest of us should just give up thinking we can go to Heaven. It will shatter the words of those that claim you need a special book other than the Bible to become a Christian. I encourage you to brace yourself, for I am going to make a bold statement:
No man has ever become a Christian before hearing the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That is my bold statement. This is bold in many respects because the man-influenced doctrines of our day involve you becoming a Christian under different circumstances. Following your conversion those same doctrines encourage you to live your life without having to hear anymore about the Gospel. Yes, there are a few denominations that ascribe one must hear the Gospel before believing it, but ironically that is precisely where they stop. They do not seem to understand what they have heard, and therefore cannot obey God.
Hearing the Gospel to believe is a very crucial step in becoming a Christian. If you were to remove hearing the Gospel then in essence the plan of Salvation comes to an abrupt halt. One must hear God’s holy words before he can become a true believer and disciple of Jesus.
Romans 10:17 "So belief [cometh] of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ"
In the previous 16 verses of chapter 10 we gain the full meaning for exactly how serious Paul is about his bold statement in verse 17. He starts the chapter by stating why God’s people, the Jews, will not be saved. In the first verse he specifically expresses that his hearts desire is that they would be saved, but Paul sadly explains why they will not abide in the good tidings and be eternal recipients of God’s grace.
Romans 10:2 " For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God."
God’s chosen people had a lack of knowledge, and willingness to submit to His righteousness. It is important to notice Paul’s recognition of their zeal for God. These were Godly people trying to be obedient followers of God. Too many times in our world today we see people trying to follow God by only using their heart. This leaves no room for the Bible. Paul is always reminding us that knowledge is essential to the Christian. In Philippians 1:9, Paul says "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;". Paul loved the Philippians and was thankful that they were following after Christ. Notice however this did not keep Paul from needing to pray that they would abound more and more in "knowledge and all discernment". Why does Paul stress this issue? Why does he focus specifically on this? Look in the next verse, Philippians 1:10; "so that ye may approve the things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and void of offence unto the day of Christ;".
There can be no doubt "… belief [cometh] of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ". For one to become a believer in God he must simply hear the words He hath spoken.