“But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’” – Romans 10:16
Paul is addressing a painful reality: the gospel has gone out, the invitation is open to “whoever,” and yet not everyone responds. The issue isn’t that the message hasn’t been heard—it’s that it hasn’t been accepted. The word “obeyed” here means more than just hearing; it means hearing with a heart ready to submit. The gospel is not just information—it’s a call to surrender. And while many hear it, few respond with the obedience that saving faith requires. This isn’t a failure of the message; it’s the resistance of the human heart.
Throughout Scripture, obedience is the evidence of true belief. Acts 6:7 tells us that “a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” In other words, they were saved—not just because they heard, but because they submitted. Romans 1:5 speaks of “obedience to the faith among all nations,” and Hebrews 5:9 says Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Saving faith is not passive—it’s active, responsive, and transformative. Paul and Barnabas told the Jews in Acts 13:46, “but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.” The gospel had been preached, but it was rejected. Not because it was unclear, but because it was unwelcome. The same was true in Jesus’ day. John 12:37 says, “although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.” Isaiah had already prophesied this rejection. The problem wasn’t a lack of revelation—it was a lack of submission.
This truth still applies today. The gospel is preached to all, but not all will obey. And yet, that doesn’t invalidate the message. Just as Isaiah foresaw the rejection of the suffering Servant in Isaiah 53, Paul reminds his readers that this unbelief was no surprise to God. “Who has believed our report?” Isaiah asked. The answer, sadly, is “not many.” But the call remains. The gospel is still going out, and the invitation still stands. So what about you? Have you merely heard the gospel, or have you obeyed it? Have you submitted your heart to the One who was “bruised for our iniquities” and “led like a lamb to the slaughter”? True salvation is marked by obedience. Let your life be the evidence that you have not only heard the report—but believed it, received it, and surrendered to it.
“The tragedy is that the message has gone out, but not all have accepted it. The problem is not with the message or the messengers, but with the hearts of the hearers.”
— Grant R. Osborne
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