Are You “Saved”?

Today’s passage is rather long, verses 5-13 of chapter 1O:  Here they are:  “⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” ⁶ But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) ⁷ or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. ¹³ For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”  This is the opposite truth to the lie that righteousness comes through the law or through human effort.  Paul says that if one confesses Jesus with his mouth and believes in his heart that God has raised Jesus from the dead, he will be saved.  Then Paul ties the ideas of “heart” and “mouth” together.  Belief originates from the inside out.  The word “heart” is a word that means far more than the muscle that pumps blood.  The word “heart” is a reference to the total being.  With our being we believe.  With all that we are we believe.  With the heart one believes unto righteousness.  Then, if there is genuine belief in the heart the mouth naturally opens to make confession of the Lord Jesus.  That’s just how it works.  If one is afraid to speak or make a confession of the Lord Jesus that indicates a “heart” problem.  Paul also makes the connection that this gospel is for the Jew and the Greek.  The gospel is no respector of persons, despite much of the church’s failure over the years to stand up for racial equality. The gospel is truly “race-neutral”. Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.  So the question for each of us is “Have we called on the name of the Lord”?  Have we believed in our heart that Jesus is Savior and Lord?  If you have questions, I’d be privileged to try to answer them.