IT was through hearing the word of God that they came to saving faith through the new birth of the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:3-5), making them children born of God (Jn 1:13).
The scripture says it is through the living word of God that we are born again, it does not say by hearing it, it called the word the 'seed' through which we are born, in effect the word is our immortal parent. That is what saint Peter preached, imagine hearing his sermon as he spoke it, the depth and feeling in his words is most moving. Hear what he has to say,
1 Peter 1:13-25 GNB So then, have your minds ready for action. Keep alert and set your hope completely on the blessing which will be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. (14) Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by those desires you had when you were still ignorant. (15) Instead, be holy in all that you do, just as God who called you is holy. (16) The scripture says, "Be holy because I am holy." (17) You call him Father, when you pray to God, who judges all people by the same standard, according to what each one has done; so then, spend the rest of your lives here on earth in reverence for him. (18) For you know what was paid to set you free from the worthless manner of life handed down by your ancestors. It was not something that can be destroyed, such as silver or gold; (19) it was the costly sacrifice of Christ, who was like a lamb without defect or flaw. (20) He had been chosen by God before the creation of the world and was revealed in these last days for your sake. (21) Through him you believe in God, who raised him from death and gave him glory; and so your faith and hope are fixed on God. (22) Now that by your obedience to the truth you have purified yourselves and have come to have a sincere love for other believers, love one another earnestly with all your heart. (23) For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born again as the children of a parent who is immortal, not mortal. (24) As the scripture says, "All human beings are like grass, and all their glory is like wild flowers. The grass withers, and the flowers fall, (25) but the word of the Lord remains forever." This word is the Good News that was proclaimed to you.
and then he goes on to say,
1 Peter 2:1-12 GNB Rid yourselves, then, of all evil; no more lying or hypocrisy or jealousy or insulting language. (2) Be like newborn babies, always thirsty for the pure spiritual milk, so that by drinking it you may grow up and be saved. (3) As the scripture says, "You have found out for yourselves how kind the Lord is." (4) Come to the Lord, the living stone rejected by people as worthless but chosen by God as valuable. (5) Come as living stones, and let yourselves be used in building the spiritual temple, where you will serve as holy priests to offer spiritual and acceptable sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ. (6) For the scripture says, "I chose a valuable stone, which I am placing as the cornerstone in Zion; and whoever believes in him will never be disappointed." (7) This stone is of great value for you that believe; but for those who do not believe: "The stone which the builders rejected as worthless turned out to be the most important of all." (8) And another scripture says, "This is the stone that will make people stumble, the rock that will make them fall." They stumbled because they did not believe in the word; such was God's will for them. (9) But you are the chosen race, the King's priests, the holy nation, God's own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his own marvelous light. (10) At one time you were not God's people, but now you are his people; at one time you did not know God's mercy, but now you have received his mercy. (11) I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war against the soul. (12) Your conduct among the heathen should be so good that when they accuse you of being evildoers, they will have to recognize your good deeds and so praise God on the Day of his coming.
Saint Peter's purpose is to encourage us to live godly lives of honesty, goodness, and purity, there are the things that we will need when the end of this age comes, and it is through these things that God will see us (in Christ) and judge us.