THE TRUTH TO CONFESSING THE LORD JESUS & BORN AGAIN, SAVED! Romans 10:9, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” ROMANS 10:9-10 The word “if,” in this verse means “a possibility, a condition, a stipulation, a requirement, an agreement: there will be no ifs, ands, or buts in this matter” (The American Heritage Dictionary). The word “confess” means “to say, to admit, to confirm” (The American Heritage Dictionary). In context, Paul had been contrasting two types of righteousness (Rom. 10:3). The word righteousness in Hebrew means kun, meaning to be firm; to be fixed aright; right; established; counted; ordained (Strongs Concordance). Therefore, the word righteousness means in right standing with God. The righteousness of the law binds a person up in doing, while the righteousness of faith just receives what Jesus has already done (Rom. 10:5). This verse (Rom. 10:9) is stressing the simplicity of receiving righteousness by faith, so opposed to the bondage of trying to produce our own righteousness that is by the law (Phil. 3:9). Any attempt to amplify too much on the conditions of this verse would counter the point that Paul was making. However, in light of other Scriptures, some explanation needs to be given. Paul was making the point that this verse [is the only how to] be saved in the Word of God! But this verse is not saying that anyone who just says the words, Jesus is Lord, and believes that He rose from the dead is Born Again (Jn. 3:3; & 3:7)! In the verse (Jn. 3:3; & 3:7), the phrase born again in the Greek is translated anothen, meaning from above; from heaven; anew; again (Strongs Concordance). Therefore, it is is safe to say that the phrase “born again” means saved, born of God. “Born again” is not a person’s religion or religious beliefs. “Born again” is a personal relationship with God through Jesus, and “born again” is who a person is in Christ. The Greek word homologe,” translated confess here means more than just words. It literally means to assent, i.e. covenant, acknowledge (Strongs Concordance). By looking at Jesus’ statement in (Lk. 6:46), A true confession of Jesus as Lord, [has to be heartfelt] enough to involve a persons actions. Most religious [the word “religious” is translated in Greek “deisidaimonesteros,” meaning “superstitious” - Strong’s Concordance] groups that interprets the word Lord denies the deity of Jesus (Lk. 1:43; & Jn. 5:23). The word Lord is translated in Greek kuros,” meaning supremacy; supreme in authority; i.e. [as noun] controller; by implication; master [as a respective title] - God; Lord; master; sir (Strongs Concordance). Also, the Lord or our Lord means Jesus Christ; God; Christ; Messiah; Jehovah; the Almighty; the Galilean; the Good Shepherd; the Nazarene (The American Heritage Dictionary). This confession of Jesus as Lord, [has to be] a declaration of faith in Jesus as God manifest in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). A Jesus less than God could not provide salvation (Jn. 3:3-7; & Rom. 10:9-10) for the [whole] human race! Therefore, this verse is a promise to those who believe on Jesus to the extent that they are willing to change their actions accordingly and confess Him as Lord [God] with their mouths so that they might be Born Again, saved (Jn. 3:3-7; & Rom. 10:9-10). For true salvation to take place [there must be confession with the mouth and believe from the heart]. (Rom. 10-10) says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” People tend to major on one or the other of these requirements, but that fails to obtain the desired results of salvation (Jn. 3:3-7; & Rom. 10:9-10). Confession is Scriptural, but is a result of faith in the heart. Only when people have already believed with their hearts will confession release the power of God. Confession without sincere belief in the heart is dead works (Heb. 9:14). Likewise, faith without works is dead (Jam. 2:17). When people really believe in their hearts, they will speak what they believe (Mt. 12:34;& Lk. 6:45). A faith that will not confess what is believed is not Gods kind of faith (Rom. 4:17). Failure to properly combine these two truths has caused some people to fail in their attempts to receive from God, and reject faith teaching or confession teaching. However, if one of these truths was presented without the proper emphasis on the other, then it was not Scriptural teaching. The truths of faith and confession will work when used [according to] the instructions in this verse. This is why Thomas said in (Jn. 20:25-31) My Lord, and my God, when Thomas [put his finger in the print of nails through Jesus hands and thrusting his hand in the side of Jesus], Thomas then realized, that Jesus was “God manifest in the flesh” (1 Tim. 3:16). Therefore, (Rom. 10:9) can be said this way, That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus as God, your Savior, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him-self from the dead, you will be Born Again, saved” (Jn. 3:3-7; & Rom. 10:9-10). The Lord Jesus is God (1 Tim. 3:16), the Savior of the world! In the name of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen!
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 13:46:18 +0000
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