By: Robert Serreyn
Question? Is Confession of sins a requirement for salvation per Romans 10:9?
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Answer:
There seems to be some confusion regarding the word confess in Romans 10:9.
The words “Confess with thy mouth” and “Thou shalt be saved” have been GROSSLY taken out of context and linked together in asumption to refer to a requirement of salvation.
Thou shalt be saved is in reference to being saved in MAN’S EYES because you are Telling somebody about that YOU BELIEVE Jesus Christ went to the cross as payment for your sins.
If confession of sins WAS a requirement for salvation than let me give a couple of points to ponder..
POINT #1 – In John 12:42 those that believed DID NOT confess that they had trusted Christ as their Saviour (Messiah), The rest of Verse 42 and 43 gives the reason why.
John 12:42-43 – (42) Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him (Jesus Christ); but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: (43) For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
POINT #2 – Every person who could not speak physically due to a disease, birth defect, or some other reason would automatically be destined to go to hell BECAUSE they COULD NOT fulfill the SUPPOSED requirement “Confess with your mouth”.
POINT #3 – No where in the book of John is the word confess anywhere mentioned for salvation .
POINT #4 – Jesus NEVER TOLD Nicodemus in John Chp.3 or the believing Theif in Luke Chp 23 that they had to confess.
John 3:1-4,10,14-16 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: (2) The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. (3) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (4) Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born. (10) Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? (14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: (15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Luke 23:39-43 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. (40) But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. (42) And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. (43) And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
POINT #5 – Having to confess you sins would add works to the Gospel.
Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Bottom line is… God IS NOT the author of confusion.
1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
God DOES NOT require one condition in one place in the bible than a different one in another place of the Bible, THIS would make God a Liar.
Romans 3:4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.
In Conclusion:
Romans 10:9 has been FALSELY TAUGHT wrong, The word Confess means to “Give Testimony of”.
You CANNOT “Give Testimony of” (confess) about something that you don’t know about or believe in.
Salvation has ALWAYS BEEN “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” NOT a mixture of Faith PLUS our works, Human merits, or religious deeds.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH