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October 20 That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man 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.” Romans 10:9-11. This verse is often quoted, but I feel that some clarification is needed. We see from this Scripture that believing is a function of the heart, not the mind. If we regard the heart as the center of our personality, the origin of all emotions and love, then we can see how God would want to reach into that heart and transform us. Many would acknowledge the existence of God with their mind, but here we are asked to take Him into our heart. The difference is great! Believing in our heart is to be followed by speaking with our mouth. That is the proper order. It is the action that follows faith, or more properly it is the action that completes our faith. The result is our salvation. I believe that we experience more and more of what salvation entails as we confess that Jesus is our Lord. Some would call this growing in sanctification, and I could not disagree. Father, I ask today that my words will express my love and praise for You. You have changed my heart, and it will produce words that reflect that change. You have made us that way, and I can only marvel at how You use the Holy Spirit to constantly urge and guide us. My heart is becoming more and more like that of Jesus. Thank You and Amen. |
