…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Romans 10:9-13 

Personal observation…there are some people who just seem to feel the need to complicate the gospel. But with all of the clear and concise wording that we have in scripture, it really isn’t necessary or beneficial for that matter. Today’s passage is at the heart of the gospel as Paul describes for us the two factors involving genuine salvation.

“You will be saved.” That is what Paul tells us. He doesn’t say that we might be saved. He doesn’t say that we will be saved providing we do certain things and avoid others. He says that we will be saved. But there is a condition with this salvation and it is twofold.

First is, “if we confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord.” Often, we hear of making Jesus Lord. But we do not make Jesus Lord rather He is already Lord. He has been given the name that is above all names. One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess this truth (Philippians 2:9-11). But for now, confessing Jesus as Lord is reserved for those who are saved.

This confession of Jesus as Lord does not involve some sort of behavior rather it is an outward declaration of what we already know to be true. And how do we know that this confession does not involve works? It is because the confession is with our mouths. Consider the words of John who wrote a similar passage:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 

                                                                                                                        1 John 4:15 

When we confess (sincerely) with our mouths the truth that Jesus is Lord, we demonstrate our salvation and the fact that God abides with us. This is what Jesus was asking His disciples when He said the following:

He (Jesus) was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

                                                                                                             Matthew 16:13b-16 

Peter answered correctly. He would still face failure in his life but he would also see the power of the Spirit at work in his life as well. So his walk was not perfect but his confession absolutely was. So when we openly confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord, that He is Messiah, and that He is the Son of the living God, we can know that we are saved and that God abides with us. And there is a promise, made by Christ Himself, for all of those who confess His name on earth:

Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

                                                                                                            Matthew 10:32-33 

Notice the promise is twofold. For those who confess, Jesus will confess them. But denial now means denial on the part of Jesus before God. We can rest in our salvation as we confess with our mouths Jesus as Lord.

As Christians, when we examine any other philosophy or religion that we would deem false, there will be a doctrinal statement, whether obvious or obscure, that will misidentify Jesus. So, in short, these false religions will not confess Jesus as Lord. But for those of us that do, there is great promise.

But there is a second part to this gospel declaration. For us to confess the name of Jesus, that confession must come from a heart of belief (faith, trust). Consider Paul’s words:

…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved… 

                                                                                                                   Romans 10:9 

Believing that Jesus was raised from the dead and that He is a living Lord and Savior is everything in the Christian experience. Without this belief, our faith would be reduced to empty ritual rather than in the vibrant, abundant relationship that God desires for us to experience.

Faith and believing come from the same root word and they both mean to “trust.” Faith and believing are words that are used approximately 450 times in the New Testament, approximately twice as much as the word “love.” When we trust our salvation to the finished work of the cross and openly confess that faith to the world, we can be assured that we are saved. Why? Paul explains:

…for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

                                                                                                                 Romans 10:10 

Do we see the simplicity here? As we believe, the result is righteousness and as we confess (with our mouths), the result is salvation. Consider the following passages echoing this truth:

But to the one who does not work (for his salvation), but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness…

                                                                                                                        Romans 4:5 

He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

                                                                                                                        John 3:18 

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

                                                                                                                 Acts 16:30b-31

Righteousness (right standing with God), an absence of condemnation, and salvation are all acquired through faith. And our faith is in the work that Jesus has already accomplished for us. Yes, good behavior should accompany a saved life but that behavior is because of our redemption, not an effort to secure it.

The work has already been done and the centerpiece of this amazing love, mercy, and grace is Christ. Trusting Him with our souls and openly declaring that trust to a watching world is what is at the heart of the gospel!