"Faith Comes By Hearing"
Romans 10:17 says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
But I affirm that faith has never come to people by their hearing only commandments and instructions in righteousness. In God's Word, commandments and instructions in righteousness have always, in every case, been given to those who already had faith in God.
Genesis 22 is a good example of this. Abraham already had faith in God: Genesis 12: 15:6, etc. God gave Abraham the commandment in Genesis 22 to "prove" him (A. S. V.). He had faith in God because of what God IS; not because of what God commanded him to do.
When people hear and believe the facts concerning God, such as Gen. 1, John 3:14-18, Acts 2:22-36, Romans 5:6-10, etc., they will trust His promises and obey His commandments. A case in point: Acts 8:12.
One should carefully study Exodus 4:1-9; Numbers 14:1-11; Judges 6; John 20:30, 31, etc. And carefully go over Acts 2:1-36, and see that facts are taught; then ask, In what, or better: in WHOM, did they believe at the time represented in Acts 2:37? Had they heard about repentance, prayer, the church, the Lord's Supper, baptism, etc., etc.?
Brethren, commandments, instructions in righteousness, etc., must be preached and taught; but only facts and truths concerning God and His Christ can product faith. "And don't you fergit it!"
-Route 2, Dora, Alabama