That 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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
Romans 10:9-10
Many people are confused about what it takes to become a Christian. They think accepting Christ is a complicated process, but salvation requires only two things: belief and confession. With his usual directness, Paul sums it up this way: believe in your heart that Jesus is who he said he was, and willingly share this truth with others. Then you will know you are a Christian.
Millions of people through the centuries have proclaimed Jesus as Lord without following him personally. They have declared Christ to be God without ever believing he could make a difference in their lives. Their words were empty because they were not backed up by personal faith. Sadly, words without faith are not enough.
Likewise, the Bible doesn't recognize secret Christian. Believing that Jesus is alive and risen from the dead is only part of the equation. According to Paul, true followers of Jesus will confess him before others. Jesus said that in heaven he will confess his relationship with those who confessed him on earth (Matthew 10:32-33). Confessing Christ doesn't require eloquent speeches or theological training. It simply requires acknowledging before others that we know Jesus, not only as Lord of the world but also as Lord and master over us personally. Baptism is one way of showing publicly that we belong to Christ. In Paul's day, confessing Christ was dangerous business. We are free to declare our allegiance to Jesus in ways that Paul could never have imagined.
If you or your friends have been unclear about what is involved in becoming a Christian, Paul teaches that it is a combination of two things: believing and confessing. Take a few moments to examine your heart. Do you believe with all your heart that Jesus is alive, that he loves you, and that he is guiding you today? Are there ways you need to make your faith public?
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