https://soundcloud.com/antioch-church-325593234/we-are-saved-with-heart-and-mouth
We are saved by our Heart & Mouth
Romans 10:5-13 (Pastor Heo)
5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.” 6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: 9 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. 11 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This final sentence is quoted from Joel 2:32. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Last time’s conclusion: Jesus is the END of the Law – so there is righteousness for everyone who believes.
What does this mean?
Jesus is the END of the Law =
- The Full satisfaction of the requirements of the Law (only he lived a fully, perfectly holy, sinless life)
- The end of Legalism (through his death and resurrection, he has terminated the Law’s requirements for those who believe)
- The end of the Requirements of the Law (Romans 8 “For what the Law was powerless to do, God did through Christ…”) The Rule/Reign of the Law has ended in Christ
- The Law is only a Shadow/Type of Christ (Christ is the REALITY of all types, patterns, symbols in the Bible. EVERYTHING in the Bible points to Christ – all sufferings, festivals, offerings, prophecies, priesthoods, sacrifices, etc). Jesus is the Final and Living sacrifice
Today’s text = contrast between LAW righteousness and FAITH righteousness
v. 5 LAW righteousness
“5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.””
v. 6 FAITH righteousness
“6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).”
Leviticus 18:5 is quoted here in Romans 10:5
“5 Moses writes this about the righteousness that is by the law: “The person who does these things will live by them.””
Now let’s look at Deuteronomy 9:4-6
“4 After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, “The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.”
Stiff-necked = hard-hearted
Three times repeated: “Not because of your (LAW) righteousness.”
The contrast between FAITH and LAW righteousness:
- LAW = only introduced to the Jews in the NT
- FAITH = introduced to ALL people everywhere
- LAW = based on works/actions
- FAITH = comes only by faith
- LAW = keep the Law outwardly
- FAITH = call on the Lord and trust Christ alone
- LAW = self righteousness
- FAITH = God’s (Christ’s) righteousness (Jesus is our righteousness – 1 Cor 1:13)
- LAW = cannot save
- FAITH = brings eternal life and salvation
- LAW = leads us to pride, hypocrisy, misery, wretchedness
- FAITH = leads us to humility, joy, thankfulness, giving glory to God
This is the difference. Big difference.
This FAITH righteousness comes only from Christ.
v. 6-8 (Deut 30:12-14 quotation)
“6 But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “**The word** is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: “
Today’s message = very DEEP but very SIMPLE
v. 6 = “Who will ascend into heaven?”
In order to see/meet Christ, we do not need to go to heaven, because Christ came to this world for us. (John 3:16) God SENT his one and only son into the world to save the world through him (1 Tim 1:15)
To meet Christ, we don’t need to go to heaven because he CAME to us.
v. 7 “Who will descend into the deep?”
To meet Jesus, we don’t need to go to death, we don’t need to die – because he ROSE from death and is now alive.
v. 8 “The Word is near you”
To meet Christ, we do not need to do a difficult labor. We do not need any kind of image, picture, sign, wonder, miracle, vision… ALL that we need to meet Christ is a (the) “Word”
Hebrews “The Word of God is living and active and more powerful than a double-edged sword…”
The ONLY thing we need to meet Christ is the WORD of God.
John 1 “In the beginning was the WORD (Logos), and the Word was with God and the Word was God. Through him all things were created, and without him, nothing was created that has been created. In him was the light of Man…and he came and made his dwelling among us… and we have seen his glory.”
v. 6-7 “Who will ascend / who will descend”
These two verses are reminiscent of Psalm 139:7-8 “Where can I go from your Spirit, where can I flee from your presence? If I go to heaven, you are there. If I go to the depths, you are there.”
- Even before we begin to look for God – God is THERE. He is present. No matter how far we go out of our way, God is never farther away than when we first started.
- As long as we insist on finding God – we will discover that this search never ends.
- But, if we begin by trusting Christ through the Word, we will discover that he is already there and will be found.
“For I am with you always to the very end of the Age.” (This is the final verse in Matthew 28:20?)
Jesus’ name is Emmanuel (God with us).
The next verse is very clear in teaching us how to be saved.
v. 9 -10 (memorize these – keep them in your hearts)
“9 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.”
- Verse 9 is enough.
- Verse 10 is added for detailed emphasis.
Shout with your mouth “Jesus is Lord!” (ask your neighbor, “really?”)
These two verses are very clear in teaching:
- What we NEED to be saved
- HOW we can be saved
#1 What do we need to possess to be saved?
We need a MOUTH and HEART.
Do you have these? Then you can be saved.
The Bible says:
- Confess with your MOUTH
- Believe in your HEART
- You will be SAVED
It does not say anything about your character, merits, deeds, actions, wisdom, knowledge, wealth, honor, education, family, career, degree, etc.
What do you need? MOUTH and HEART
Salvation = as close as your MOUTH and HEART
- Salvation = available for ALL human beings and accessible by ALL human beings – because God wants ALL to be saved and come to a knowledge of his Son – God wants to see no one perish.
- Salvation is an immediate and instant event.
- This is the BIRTH of a new life.
- Salvation is a gift of God. (Eph 2:9 “It is by GRACE you have been saved – not by works so that no one can boast”)
We can be saved by believing in our hearts that Jesus died for our sins and rose again for the dead for our lives, and then by confessing with our mouths that Jesus is “Lord”.
This is both VERY easy, and VERY difficult.
v. 10
- It is with you HEART you believe and are JUSTIFIED
- It is with your MOUTH that you profess your faith and are SAVED
Justification and Salvation are not mutually exclusive. They are not different. To be saved without justification, and to be justified without salvation – impossible. They go hand-in-hand. They are two parts, two sides of the same coin. To believe and to confess = a WHOLE person’s commitment. This is the key point of this verse.
To believe (HEART) and confess (MOUTH) = two parts to a single step.
- To believe WITHOUT confession = false / fake faith / non-saving faith
For our salvation, we must truly believe that God rose again from the dead. Do you believe this?
1 Cor 15 = The Resurrection Chapter
“If Christ has NOT been raised, then our (whole) faith is USELESS and we are still in our sins. We (Christians) would be the MOST pitiful people on Earth.”
Only Jesus is the only Lord to have risen from the dead. His resurrection makes Christianity MORE than a philosophy of life, more than any other religious option. Jesus is different and distinct from all other religious leaders – because this is the ONLY way to be saved.
If you believe, then you can feel / recognize Jesus’ presence with you anywhere, everywhere, because Jesus is alive.
Confess with your MOUTH
“Jesus is Lord!”
What is the meaning?
At that time, “Lord” = curios (Greek)
- That means, “I am acknowledging his rank, superiority, highest authority, Lordship, kingship, saviorship, Godship, divinity, ownership, mastership.”
- Also, “I am placing my whole life under his protection for safe keeping.”
- Also, “I am pledging my total obedience and worship to him.”
- “I’m pledging myself and all resources to his direction, government, and service.”
We should notice “with my mouth.” Do you have this?
Imagine, if it is enough to confess this before God, then we can confess with our HEARTS alone before God – we don’t need Mouths before God.
However, this is to be audible for others to HEAR – we “confess” before MEN for them to hear.
Jesus says, “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my father in heaven.”
Please remember, these two ALWAYS go together.
HEART and MOUTH.
- A silent Christian is not a “shy” Christian.
- A silent Christian is not a Christian.
Jesus says, “My believer is my witness.”
How can you testify / witness something in a courtroom? With your mouth. “My believer is my witness.”
- Remember, silent Christian is not a Christian.
How can they KNOW you are Christian? By your confession.
This is our acknowledgment, our witness.
“Even though I’m in this world, I’m not of this world. I’m of heaven.”
God bless you to be a TRUE Christian before God, before men, before Satan and angels and demons.
Conclusion:
First part is quoted from Isaiah 28:16
“1 As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” “
Second part is from Joel 2:32 – 700 years before this
The same Lord is the Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.
As my conclusion, I want to make one thing very clear before you:
- We know God has sovereignty.
- We know God has many projects (creator, designer, maker)
- God has ONE nonnegotiable project, permanent project:
A day, a BIG DAY, will come, when all human beings will confess that “Jesus Christ is Lord.”
Colossians 3:23? “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do it all for the glory of God.”
This is the final purpose of God’s creation.
His purpose is NOT for our salvation, but for his own glory.
His purpose can be fulfilled by all things in the universe (“The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm))
Phil 2:9-11 “God exalted his one and only Son to the highest place and gave him the name that is above all names, that at his name, every knee should bow, on the earth, above the earth, and under the earth, and all tongues confess that ‘Jesus Christ is Lord’ – to the glory of God the Father.”
Remember:
- If we confess with our mouths on earth that “Jesus is Lord” then we will continue this work (worship) in heaven.
- BUT if we reject this belief (HEART) and confession (MOUTH), then we will do this job (confessing “Jesus is Lord”) forever in hell.
- Remember, our earthly lives are a blessing / chance / opportunity / one time gift to confess that Jesus is Lord.
- If we reject this chance to confess in this world, then we will confess eternally in hell.
This is the meaning of Phil 2:9-11.
- All knees will bow – in heaven, on earth, under the earth
- All tongues will confess – “Jesus Christ is Lord” to the glory of God the Father.
God bless you to be a true Christian and witness.
“A believer is a witness.”
“I’m a believer before God; a witness before men.”
Let’s pray.
