ROMANS 10:8-13 WITH COMMENTS

Those who believe a person can be saved by accepting Jesus as his Savior are correct. However, when one accepts Jesus, he is saved IF the Jesus he accepts is the Jesus of the Bible. Mormons believe that Jesus and Satan are brothers, that He was simply a man who is now elevated to "God-status." Jehovah's Witnesses believe Jesus was simply the man God chose to be man's substitute for sin. Neither of the two believes He is Eternal God, and Creator of the Universe (Jn. 1:1-3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:1-2). Muslims believe Jesus will return as their Mahdi, the one who will execute all those who refuse to surrender to the Allah of Islam.

Yesterday's blog provided a lengthy list of the names and titles of Jesus in the Bible. Do you suppose, for an instant, that a born again believer would deny any of those listed as being true? And while a person does not usually know that Jesus is described in so many ways at the time he accepts Jesus, there is one title he must understand: Jesus is Lord! That means He has authority over all those who put their trust in Him, past, present, and future. Here is what the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 10:8-13 on this matter. I have highlighted my comments in bold type.

[8] But what saith it? The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach (that is, the Gospel of the Lord which is the power of God unto salvation - Mk. 15:16; Acts 2:36; Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 15:1-4);
[9] That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus (proclaim Him as your Lord publicly), and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead (have genuine faith in the resurrected Lord), thou shalt be saved.
[10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (notice believing comes first, and then confession).
[11] For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed (the natural result of a genuine faith in Jesus is a willingness to boldly tell others).
[12] For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek (there were only two classes of people in the world - Jews and Greeks, also known as Gentiles): for the same Lord over all (LORD OVER ALL) is rich unto all that call upon Him.
[13] For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord (CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD) shall be saved.

Trusting in Jesus to have taken away one's sins, but being unwilling to trust Him to lead him as his Lord, makes absolutely no sense. That is like trusting a doctor to diagnose your illness, but being unwilling to follow his advice on what to do about it. A genuine born again believer has within him the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13; 4:30), whose job it is to remind you of the Lord's instructions, and guide you into all truth (Jn. 14:17, 26; 16:13). Do you think it is possible that the Holy Spirit would remind you of Christ's "suggestions" instead of His "commands?" The Great Commission has three parts: preach the Gospel that they might be saved; baptize those who accept Jesus; and teach them "to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt. 28:19-20). That certainly sounds like Lordship to me!

One must accept the Jesus of the Bible, and not simply what He did in the Bible!