I BELIEVE
Kimberly Lawrence
Today's Scripture: “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” Romans 10:10, ESV
Theme: Belief in God and confession of faith are both necessary in order to be saved.
I BELIEVE
In Romans 10, Paul expresses a profound longing for the salvation of his fellow Israelites. His desire is that they recognize the righteousness of God, which is not found in adherence to the law alone, but through the profession of faith in Jesus Christ. He makes a point in verses 1-13 that this is a two-step process: belief AND confession. The heart first believes but, equally important, and in fact essential, is the verbal confession which saves. James said, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble!” (James 2:19). If I stop at step one, simply believing God exists, am I any better than the demons? Heaven opens to those who not only acknowledge God’s existence but who, by faith, accept and profess that He is Lord.
BETWEEN ME AND GOD
I’ve heard people say things like, “I don’t discuss politics or religion,” and “My faith is private… between me and God.” And, while a verbal sparring match has never been a successful strategy for winning others over for Christ, I’ll admit I’ve used phrases like this to dodge touchy conversations about topics that make me feel insecure. “My faith is private” implies it’s so highly personal and intimate I couldn’t begin to describe the depth of feelings I have on the subject and that they just wouldn’t understand. The conversation usually nears its end, and there is very little responsibility to further discuss God’s work in my life. It also implies I’m not going to push them to an uncomfortable discussion about their own salvation. Truth be told, when I say, “It’s private,” it’s more likely a cover-up. I'm hiding my own insecurity about articulating my belief in God, decision to follow Christ and certainty that the Bible is Truth. Making myself and everyone else comfortable sometimes takes priority over my calling to share the “Good News.” My deep, personal relationship with Him doesn’t seem to be quite as deep when I remain restrained in speech. I may have mastered step one, believing in God, but have some work to do on “confessing with my mouth.”
Make It Personal: I’ve always believed in God. I may not have always been able to quote Scripture, but I knew of His existence. Once I came to faith in Christ, silently and emotionally whispering my profession of faith and confession of sin, I began a relationship with Him. I accepted the grace and mercy of my loving God who gave His one and only Son as a living sacrifice for me. That confession was easy! I knew He loved me, despite my flaws and faults. Any shyness in proclaiming the Good News to others likely comes from my fear of their worldly judgement. Join me today in not only acknowledging God but professing your faith in Him, boldly and publicly claiming His authority in your life.
Prayer: God, thank You for being patient with me as I continue to learn and love You better. I pray today for the courage to be bold in sharing my belief in You and taking every opportunity to proclaim what You have done in my life, not just when I’m in a safe conversation. I want Your light in me to shine brightly, not to remain hidden. Help me acknowledge You, just as I pray You’ll acknowledge me someday in Your kingdom. Amen.
Read: Romans 10:1-13
Weekly Memory Verse: “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9, ESV