With the heart one believes ...

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“The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” -Romans 10:8-11 ESV

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This passage compels the question: "Is it possible to be a secret believer?" The question is a good one. Is it really possible to live a life of faith that is simply confined to the inner recesses of the heart? Can genuine faith never surface and affect the things that we say or do? The evidence of scripture, and of history, seems to answer with a resounding no. Faith that begins in the heart always seems to spill out like a cup running over or a spring bubbling up.

These verses teach us that a generic faith is not enough. Paul tells us that our confession must be one of a divine lordship that can only be proclaimed when we believe that Jesus is alive. A dead savior can save no one. If Jesus did not rise from the dead then no one will rise. This is the gospel. Jesus is alive and He is Lord. Our response is to embrace this risen Messiah with every fiber of our hearts and to proclaim that he is Lord. In that God is glorified.

Jesus has risen from the dead and He is Lord. Let every tongue confess and every heart believe that He is Lord.

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