Many of us as christians feel shy to confess our faith in public, but at the same time, I have seen some of the Non-Christian friends don’t shy away to confess their religion in public. I did get a deep understanding of confessing our faith and its impacts , when I meditated what Paul spoke to the Romans.
'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. 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. As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ' Romans 10:9-13
Context of Paul teaching
Early first century Christians when they met on the street they would greet themselves as “Jesus is Lord”.Same way when someone was baptised, they would say, “Jesus is Lord” and it was the most common confession of faith by many of the believers to identify they were a group of people who followed Christ. Some of them would say, “He is risen”, but most of them would “Jesus is Lord” and it really became the signature statement of the first-century church. I feel over a period of time, we have got the habit to say “Praise the Lord” when we greet a christian brother.
Earlier roman culture had many gods and goddess. When they said, “Jesus is Lord” it just cleared the table of every other god and goddesses and said there is only one Lord over all that was Jesus.
Jesus is lord
We use “Lord” many times in our prayer and we read Lord in Bible. where does “Lord” come from ? what does “Jesus is Lord” mean ?
After the resurrection, the title “Lord,” as applied to Jesus, became much more than a title of honor or respect. It began with Thomas’ exclamation when Jesus appeared to the disciples after His resurrection: 'Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” ' John 20:28, From then on, the apostles’ message was that Jesus is Lord, meaning “Jesus is God.”
The statement “Jesus is Lord” means that Jesus is God. Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth” (Matthew 28:18). “he is Lord of lords and King of kings” (Revelation 17:14).
Why Verbal Confession
Paul Says “'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.” you will be saved from the wrath of God as he saves you and provides the grace and mercy to you so that you become the follower of Jesus.
You enter the door to salvation when you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord”, You will have to declare this by opening your mouth and not keep this murmuring way. Say out loud in Public his saving grace will come and cover the same.
Jesus also says about this in Matthew 10 ' “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. ' Matthew 10:32-33
When we acknowledge in public “Jesus is Lord”, “Jesus is God” , the word says “I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven”
But if we feel shy and not acknowledge “Jesus is God” , Jesus says, he will disown us on the judgement day “I will disown before my Father in heaven.”
Two things to remember ,why verbal confession
We get saved from the wrath of God and start to receive the Grace and mercy of Jesus when we confess verbally.
When we confess, Jesus also acknowledges us in the last day before the Father in heaven saying he is my son or daughter.
Heart Mouth Connection
'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. ' Romans 10:9
We looked at why we should say “Jesus is Lord”, Paul emphasises one key point “believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead”
When you speak out, the heart should believe that Jesus is God and he has conquered the death.
When you believe that he died for you , in his death, he bore our sins, in his body on the cross he took the curses that came on us and on the third day he was raised from the dead. His rising has concurred the curse that came on our sins and he has the salvation for us.
Your mouth speaks what you believe 'A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 'Luke 6:45
Jesus sees our heart and his blessings comes to us only if we speak out what we mean from our heart, if we have don’t believe and just say from our mouth this blessing of us getting saved will not happen. Proverbs says 'A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart. ' Proverbs 21:2, 'Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ' Proverbs 4:23
Rewards of Confession
Never Put to Shame - If you believe from your heart the things God will do for you, he will never put you to shame 'As Scripture says, “Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.” ' Romans 10:11, “Never” means it’s not in past or future. This is a promise he gives to us that he will never shame us for professing “Jesus is Lord”, but that has to be come out of your heart with a true belief that he is the God who was raised.
He will never forsake you or leave you - when we confess “Jesus is the Lord” the word says “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” ' Hebrews 13:5
Demons shudder when they hear Jesus Name: in times of trouble, say out loud to satan that “Jesus is Lord” , He is your mighty warrior who will save you, remind him that he is defeated in the Cross, say this with true conviction and strong belief as the word says 'You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 'James 2:19 'Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah. 'Luke 4:41
Be bold to profess Jesus is Lord and say that with a pride and true conviction he will deliver you from the struggles of your life and free you.
Comments