Romans 10 - You Cannot Make Jesus Your Savior Without Making Him Your Lord!

Romans 10 - NIV

Enduring Word Commentary

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.” Romans 10:8-13

Paul verses here are of "penultimate importance" for many reasons. In a lot of ways it is a summary of what it means to put your faith in Christ and what that looks like. It is also very important for our evangelism efforts that we get the theology behind these verses, as they are often quoted at evangelical rallies, revivals etc ...

The first thing to note is Paul's phrase, "The word is near you". The word is the message of Christ, the gospel. It is near in the sense that anyone can get to it and anyone can share it. It is a word everyone has access to. You don't have to travel far or scale any heights, it is on your lips and in your heart. 

A little later in this chapter, Paul stresses that faith can only come from hearing the word about Christ. How will someone come to faith in Jesus unless someone is willing to preach the word about him? He concludes, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring Good News!"

While he is not specifically referring to the bible we hold in our hands today, our bible contains the Word. Every word in the Old and New Testament points to the Word made flesh, Jesus the Christ! 

You will also notice that Paul focuses on two separate aspects of coming to faith in Jesus. First, one needs to believe it in their heart. What does that mean? My favorite 21st century theologician Dallas Willard says it this way, 

"To believe in your heart means placing a deep, life-altering trust in Jesus, rather than just agreeing with a fact in your head. It is an internal conviction that shapes your entire life."

Note also it says, "To believe God raised Jesus from the dead." The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the linchpin of the Christian faith, and on it the Christian faith stands or falls. Paul says that if Jesus didn't rise from the dead, our faith is worthless and in vain. But Jesus did rise from the dead, and this is why we have complete confidence in what we believe.

Our historic Creeds (Nicene, Athanasian, and Apostle's) all state this clearly. They were important in the history of the church to make sure this word about Christ never got compromised or watered down.  In the Second Article of the Apostle's Creed we confess, 

I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

To "confess" means to say the same thing as, or to agree with. When we confess Jesus as Lord, we are agreeing with what God said about him. Just like when we confess our sin. we are saying the same thing that God says about it. While believing in your heart is an inward matter, confessing Jesus as Lord with your mouth is an outward matter. 

I have been personnally convicted about the fact that we often talk a lot about Jesus as Savior, as we should. After all, Jesus is our Savior and saved us from sin, death, and the devil when he died on the cross. But we also confess, "Jesus is Lord". Sometimes we in the church bifurcate believing in Jesus as Savior, and then declaring that He is Lord. In the same way people make discipleship optional. I.e. I can believe in Jesus without being his fully devoted follower. Jesus or the rest of the New Testament know nothing of this. 

"We can never forget all that it meant to say that Jesus Christ is Lord. “If a man called Jesus kurios he was ranking him with the Emperor and with God; he was giving him the supreme place in his life; he was pledging him implicit obedience and reverent worship.” (Barclay)

When we believe in Jesus, we are saved, and we make him the Lord of our lives. There are many who would go around saying they are "saved". but yet there is no evidence of Jesus being Lord of their lives. This does not present a good "look" to the world. It has been likened to buying an insurance policy. I believe in Jesus so that in case I die I will go to heaven. I keep the policy around me at all times, but it doesn't really change the way I live my life. 

This Jesus becomes like our nurse that we go to when we have our problems. But once we get cured, we go on our merry way and live life on our terms. This is probably why Jesus made it crystal clear what it meant to follow him when he said, 

"If any man would come after me, He must pick up his cross and follow me!" Matthew 16:24 

A verse later Matthew says it similar but differently. I like the NLT version. 

New Living Translation

"If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." - Matthew 16:25

Notice he is not describing an intellectual belief but a brand new way of life! To follow Jesus means to stop living as the one in charge of your life, and give him the drivers seat. It is one of the hardest things you will ever do, but also the most freeing and fulfilling things you will ever do.  

Have you made Jesus both Savior AND Lord of your life? 

Is following Jesus for your a mere agreement with some facts about Him, or a "whole life" proposition? 

Are you experiencing the abundant life, the life you've always wanted? It is only by surrendering our life to him that we find it. 

Jesus said, "The devil came to steal, kill, and destroy but I have come to give you life and life to the FULL!" 

Jesus, thank you for coming to earth to show us the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Thank you that someone shared the word with us about you. Your life, your death, and your resurrection from the dead. We believe it in our hearts and we are ready to confess it with our lips whenever we are asked! Amen! 




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