"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)

Saving faith comes from hearing the good news of Christ, literally.  Hearing the gospel of what Christ did 2000 years ago and then believing while the Holy Spirit convicts us of our sins, and then repenting of those sins so as to allow the Holy Spirit to regenerate us, brings salvation to anyone who will believe. 

Salvation is so very odd.  How often I have wondered at the fact that salvation is based on such an intangible thing as faith.  You cannot hold it, buy it, or do it.  You believe it.

The gospel is the story/good news that Christ did all the work of salvation for us.  We did, and do, nothing.  We just believe.  And it is not like we have to whip up a belief in some kind of mythology, for the gospel is true.  Christ lived in human history, He did not sin, He was executed as a sacrifice for our sins, and He really rose from the dead and left His tomb.  He now reigns in Heaven and is waiting to come back to this planet in person, once again.

Christ is a real person, the real God.  The demons know this and tremble at that fact.  But knowing that Jesus is a real person does not give anyone a relationship with Him.  To get to have a relationship with Jesus requires that one hear and believe the gospel message about Him. 

On another Christian’s blog, a lively discussion is being conducted about whether people can be saved without ever hearing the gospel (http://mc-shann.xanga.com/701107032/item//?nextdate=last&leftcmt=11 ).  My answer is: one must know and believe the content of the gospel, that our Lord, Jesus, died as a sacrifice for our sins and that He is the Savior, otherwise, one cannot be saved.  Salvation is a relationship with Christ, in which He restores within you a new and living spirit to replace your old and dead spirit.  That regeneration of your spirit does not occur until you have faith such that you can be born again.  That requires hearing and believing the gospel message so as to enter a relationship with the One whom the gospel is about.

I stated it this way at the other blog:

Jesus' "work" of salvation was done 2000 years ago.  Now, the Holy Spirit calls, convicts, and regenerates (makes born again) all who believe the message.  That there is a real person/God behind the message does not alter the fact that one must hear the message to be saved.  Even if you had never heard of Jesus before, and if He were to appear to you in your room, you would not believe in Him as Savior and Messiah until He told you the gospel and then said to you, "repent."

“for ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!’ " (Romans 10:13-15)

Oh yes, salvation requires the preaching, hearing, and believing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.