IS PUBLIC CONFESSION NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? IS ROMANS 10:9 THE GUIDELINE ON HOW TO BE BORN AGAIN?

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Many have taught that for anyone to be born-again or inherit eternal life, confessing, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ in accordance with Romans 10:9 and believing in his heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is all that is required.

(Rom 10:9-10) “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.”

They have misunderstood this passage to mean that we are saved only by means of public declaration of the lordship of Jesus alone; whereas in Matthew 7:21 Jesus made a striking statement: 

(Matthew 7:21)“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall inherit the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

He made it clear that merely acknowledging, declaring or confessing Jesus Christ as Lord saying “Lord, Lord” is not sufficient for anyone to inherit the kingdom of heaven. To inherit the kingdom, Jesus taught that God requires us to demonstrate our faith by obediently doing the will of the Father.

Jesus Christ emphasized that following Him requires a great deal of effort and sacrifice from those who would be His disciples. 

(Matthew 16:24, 25) “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whosoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it”.

Meanwhile it is important to note that being chosen for eternal life isn’t the end; it is only the beginning. As Paul expressed it, 

(Colossians 1:21-23) “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and blameless, and above reproach in His sight-if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel . . .” 

Notice in that scripture that the chance to receive eternal life is conditional. To remain holy and blameless before God, we must “continue in the faith.”

What must we do to have eternal life or be born again?
Many have ignored Matthew 19:16-21 where Jesus taught how to have eternal life or be born again. It is amazing how many missed this passage and rely more on Romans 10:9 in leading unbelievers to Christ. Jesus statement in Matthew 19:16-21 is a very clear answer to the question above as it is a direct response to the subject matter.

A wealthy young man approached Jesus and asked Him how he could receive eternal life. 

(Matthew 19:16-21) “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” the man asked. Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith to him, 'What kind?' And Jesus said, 'Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not commit adultery, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, honour thy father and mother, and, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' The young man saith to him, 'All these did I keep from my youth; what yet do I lack?' Jesus said to him, 'If thou dost will to be perfect, go away, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me.'” 

Jesus didn’t answer that nothing is required other than believing in God. He told the young man that he must obey the commandments of God and also follow Him (in other words, believe in Him and His word; believe He is Lord) to receive the gift of eternal life. Jesus didn’t say obedience alone would earn eternal life (in fact, nothing can earn it), but He did make it plain that it is required. Please note that Jesus directive to the young man to go sell his things and give them to the poor was incidental to the main directive of "come, follow me".

Eternal life is free, and obedience is a requirement. At first those two statements may seem contradictory. Yet, as Jesus Christ Himself clearly taught, there are things we must do if we want to inherit eternal life which is obediently doing the will of the Father. Obedience does not contradict or deny faith. In fact, obedience establishes faith. Obedience demonstrates faith. Obedience is based on faith.


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