Romans 10:8–9: But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Paul is saying that man needs to bring into agreement his confession and his life. The mouth and the heart should be in harmony, saying the same thing. It is with the heart that you believe. Your “heart” means your total personality, your entire being. You see, there are some folk who say something with their mouths—they give lip service to God—but their hearts are far from Him. When you make a public confession, you be dead sure that your heart is right along with you. If there is faith without confession, it may be cowardice. It seems to me that Paul is saying here that James is accurate, “… faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). If you are going to work your mouth, be sure you have faith in your heart, my friend. 1
Application
- How often do you confess to others that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?
- Do your words match actions and heart?
Prayer
Lord, thank You for changing the attitude of my heart, for changing my worldly pursuits, and for changing my eternal destination. I’m eternally grateful.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Romans 9-16) (electronic ed., Vol. 43). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
