Romans 10:14-17 - Salvation Can Only Come Where the Gospel Has Been Sent

The Gospel of Christ is adapted to all men (Jew and Gentile alike), but the gospel must be sent (preached) to all men if they are to be saved.

  [Notice the chain of reasoning set forth by Paul in vss. 14-17:
  1. 1. Sinners must call upon Jesus if they are to be saved. (10:13)
  2. 2. But they cannot call upon Him unless they believe in Him. (10:14a)
  3. 3. They cannot believe in Him without hearing about Him. (10:14b)
  4. 4. And they cannot hear about Him unless the message of Christ is preached to them. (10:14c)
  5. 5. Therefore the message must be sent if sinners are to be saved. (10:15)]:
10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?
And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?
And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?
10:15 And how can they preach unless they are sent?
As it is written [In Isaiah 52:7],

"How beautiful are the feet
[that is, how delightful the approach]
of those who bring good news!"

[Though we might expect that those hearing the good news would all react with delight, Paul points to the experience of Isaiah to show that  this is frequently not the case]:
10:16 But not all
the Israelites [the word "Israelites"
is not in the original Greek]
accepted the good news.
For Isaiah says [In Isaiah 53:1],

"Lord, who has believed our message?"

[Paul sums up the logic in vss. 14-16 with this conclusion]:
10:17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.