Romans 10:9-10 - 7/10/2011

Let's start by looking at the verse:

Romans 10:9-10
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. 

There's so much in these 2 verses.  There is much room for gleaning truth, and much room for misinterpretation relating to our salvation as Christians.

Believing with our hearts is the core of this scripture.  If we believe with our hearts, we will confess that Jesus is Lord.  Let's take a look at confessing for a moment, because we need to be clear.  There are many ways in which I can confess something.  I can say it in words, I can communicate it clearly using gestures, a look, or many other non-verbals that communicate what it is that I'm trying to say (or not to say).  What about e-mail?  If I type in an e-mail "Jesus is Lord" is that confessing that I believe?  Because I type it, does that mean you can trust that I believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord?  What about those who cannot speak?  Can they not be saved because they cannot "declare with their mouth?"


Clearly to confess or "declare with your mouth" does not mean with your mouth alone.  However, this does not mean that confession that Jesus is Lord is optional for the believer - the Christian.  What we have here is a foundational truth that is linked together with an overflow outcome.  The foundational truth is that in order to be saved, you need to believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.  If you believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, you validate and affirm every claim Jesus made to be God - and to be serving a Father in Heaven.  In doing so, you believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord and that the purpose for his death and resurrection was to save you from your own sin; sin that you could not save yourself from.

The overflow outcome of this belief is that you confess Jesus is Lord.  This confession is through word or action of some kind; through some display that He is your God.  If you truly believe in your heart, confession follows, and it is right and necessary for it to follow.  The thing about overflow is that it's authentic.  The action or fruit produced comes from the place of belief in the heart.  It's not from obligation.  You can confess "Jesus is Lord" out of obligation - and that's not what is meant here.  There is recognition of truth, validated emotions toward a loving God, and a resulting life surrender.  Part of that surrender is a desire to speak the truth when the opportunity arises, and sometimes making the opportunity to speak the truth that Jesus is Lord!

Consider Peter.  Jesus tells Peter that he will deny him 3 times.  Peter sort of shrugs this off and says that will never happen.  Then, the time comes when Peter is actually approached 3 different times and asked if he was with Jesus, if he was one of the disciples.  Peter responds that he was not with Jesus all 3 times.  Does this mean that Peter wasn't a believer?  Of course not.  First of all, Jesus told Peter it would happen, so if it didn't Jesus would have been a liar, which would have broken down the character and integrity of Christ to something that could not be very God and very man.  Second, Peter like many of us is allowed some bad days.  I'm sure there was a variety of emotions running through Peter at the time he was asked this.  I mean, his savior is going to a cross to be crucified.  He was mixed up about stuff, and then this happens.

Perfection is not expected even though it is where the bar is set by the life of Christ.  We will spend our lives becoming more like Jesus; becoming more like the person God has in mind for us to be for His glory.  We'd like to believe that we'll never fail to confess that Jesus is Lord, but chances are we already have.  This is one of the many reasons why a relationship with God and a relationship with other Christians is so vital.  A relationship with Him provides an arena to work out things like this.  To pray and ask forgiveness, to seek guidance and be emboldened in our faith.

Believe in the One who is worthy, Jesus Christ.  Do your best, then empty yourself and ask God to direct you and to help you do better each day.