02/18/Th – The Joy of Salvation

NT: “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:9-13‬ ‭CSB)

Earlier in Chapter 10 of Romans, Paul recognized the Jewish people’s zeal for God. In fact, Paul was at one time one of those zealous Jews who felt like he needed to persecute followers of Jesus. But their zeal was for the Law of God and not a zeal born out of a true and experiential knowledge of God. The law of God, by design, pointed people to Christ. It was never meant to be the solution itself. As Paul said, the end of the law is Christ. Because of their zeal for the things of God, the Jews didn’t think they needed saving… from sin at least. The Jews were undoubtedly sincere and devout, but sincerity and devotion to religious practices does not bring about salvation. Religious people today suffer the same misunderstanding… they believe that because they are sincere and devout to religious things, they don’t need salvation. Salvation doesn’t come from doing – it comes from confessing and believing. Salvation comes through confessing Jesus Christ as Lord and believing on His death and resurrection.

There is a belief out in Christendom that someone can be saved, but not make Jesus Lord. According to Paul, that belief is a complete lie. Salvation comes through belief AND the outward confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. You can’t be saved by just believing in Jesus… for even the demons believe who Jesus is. Salvation comes through saving faith on Christ’s death and resurrection, which compels one to surrender his life to Jesus Christ as Lord. If one does not confess Jesus as Lord, there is doubt that saving faith actually existed. The good news is that because salvation comes from confession and faith, it is available to any and all who call on Christ. Anyone and everyone that calls on the name of Jesus Christ the Lord will be saved.

Psalms: “Lord, the king finds joy in your strength. How greatly he rejoices in your victory! You have given him his heart’s desire and have not denied the request of his lips. Selah For you meet him with rich blessings; you place a crown of pure gold on his head. He asked you for life, and you gave it to him — length of days forever and ever. His glory is great through your victory; you confer majesty and splendor on him. You give him blessings forever; you cheer him with joy in your presence. For the king relies on the Lord; through the faithful love of the Most High he is not shaken.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭21:1-7‬ ‭CSB)

This psalm was written by King David and was probably used to praise God after a victorious battle. King David called out to the Lord God and placed his faith in the Lord God, and the result was salvation from the enemy and rich blessings from God. The same could be said of our salvation from sin and death. When we confess with our mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, place our faith on His finished work and call out to Him for salvation, we are saved from our enemies that held us in bondage: sin, death and the devil. As we continue to live our lives in faith under His lordship, we are delivered from the enemies that would seek to limit us and destroy us: the world, our flesh, and the devil. As we remain in Christ, we find joy in His abiding presence, we experience freedom from oppression and we live in peace… all rich blessings from God.