But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 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. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts 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.”
(verses 8-13)
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Back in High School days there was a Biology teacher who had a fairly pronounced Greek accent. One of her hallmark statements, used whenever she was explaining some new concept, was, “Eet’s so simple!” I never took the class, but I heard fellow students repeating the phrase often, accent and all. It stuck. It comes to mind now.
Faith is so simple. It’s right at hand, ready to be engaged by anyone. So simple. Yes. But not simplistic.
Paul starts these verses with a quote from the Old Testament which at first seems slightly obscure. He’s making the point, though, that faith is accessible, right here, right at hand. “‘The word is near you: it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is the word of faith we are proclaiming.”
He goes on immediately to describe the role of both mouth and heart. “Confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” … believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead.” It’s so simple.
But not simplistic. This isn’t a “one-two” mechanistic formula for salvation, as if we could speak out one short phrase and believe one point of doctrine, and then we’re good to go.
No. Faith is simple, but wonderfully rich. This two-fold response of mouth and heart encompasses the splendour of the Gospel.
The statement, “Jesus is Lord,” was one of the primary confessions of the early church. Some 300 years earlier, when the Hebrew scriptures were translated into Greek, the word “Lord” was used to translate the covenant name of God, “Yahweh.” Therefore, to say, “Jesus is Lord,” is to unabashedly embrace his divinity, his unity with the Father, his sovereignty over all creation, and to claim that he is the One worthy of all worship, adoration and obedience. To truthfully speak that statement with your own mouth is to make a declaration of submission, for all of life and eternity. It’s simple, but profound.
Likewise with the issue of the heart. To believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is to embrace the centre of the Gospel itself. Jesus’ resurrection presupposes his crucifixion, which assumes his role as Ransom and Saviour. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He has redeemed us. And when God raised him from the dead, his sacrifice was vindicated, life itself being given to all who are in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:22), the power of the resurrection extended into our lives right now by the Father (Ephesians 1:19). Believing in your heart that Jesus was raised, encompasses it all. It’s simple, but profound.
“For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last” (Romans 1:17). Righteousness is what we need. Faith is how we receive it. Faith itself is near at hand, accessible to all. “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (verse 13).
It’s so simple. Praise God.
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Lord, thank you for your gift of righteousness, given to me in Christ, accessible through the simplicity of faith. Thank you for opening the door to faith in my own life. Thank you for your salvation given, your life received, your power poured out. “Jesus is Lord!” I believe he was raised from the dead! Thank you. Praise your name.
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Confirm Faith:
Reflect on the depth of the phrase “Jesus is Lord!” Look for an opportunity to speak it out with your mouth this day.
Reflect on all the implications flowing from the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead. Embrace it all afresh, believing in your heart.
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Photo by Anthony Chiado on Unsplash
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