3 Truths from Romans 10:9-10, 13
If you are a believer and follower of Jesus, our enemy the devil, along with the angels who were deceived and followed him that we now know as demons – are constantly throwing things in our way in attempt to eat away at our assurance of salvation. To start out this morning, I would like to be so bold as to discuss 5 common things that give us False Assurance that can kill your soul.
Q: How do you know you’re a Christian?
For some of us, we don’t even think we can know.
Statistically speaking, most people who say they are a Christian will admit in surveys, or even in conversation, that they don’t even believe you can know.
“So are you a Christian?” The usual answer is, “I think so.”
“But do you know you’re going to go to Heaven when you die?” – Q: What do you think the answer usually is?
“No – I don’t know that I’m going to Heaven – nobody knows that; God will decide whether I go to Heaven or hell when I die.”
If you believe like that, you’ve gotta’ be miserable living every day of your life without the assurance or the confidence that your sins are forgiven and that Jesus lives in you!
Q: How do you think God is going to arbitrarily decide who goes?
“I just hope that my good deeds tip the scale, and that I’ve got a few more Good Deeds than Bad Deeds.”
That’s a horrible way to live! God doesn’t want you to live like that!
You could never be good enough to get into Heaven. Jesus was good for you. Jesus was perfect when you were imperfect. Jesus did not sin. When we sin, we deserve to die and to pay the penalty for our sin, but God loved us so much that He sent His only son into the world so that Jesus could die and shed His blood so that we don’t have to! And if you put your faith in that, you can know!
I’m going to show you a verse that some of you know very well, but this is a verse that blows peoples’ minds today because some people don’t even know that this verse is in the Bible!
This verse was recorded by Jesus’ closest disciple among the 12, one of Jesus’ best friends, and the last disciple to die according to church tradition, John. God had him write these things down for us, you and me…
1 John 5:13 – “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”
God wants you to have confidence in your salvation! It’s really confidence in Him, and He wants you to know that you’re going to go to be with Him when you die! And just as important as that, God wants you to know Jesus now! He is your Lord now! He is your best friend now! He is your savior now! He will never leave you nor forsake you now! He will not abandon you now! I get a relationship with Jesus now! And I get an eternal relationship with Jesus forever!
You can know that! You cannot, however, based on your good works, not based on what you’ve done, not based on these five common misconceptions I’m about to share with you.
Here’s what most people think makes them a Christian. When asked, “Are you a Christian?”, people will typically respond in one of these five ways. Maybe one of these is you. Many don’t have a confidence in their salvation. You hope so; you think so; you guess so; you wish so. But today in the next few minutes you’re going to know so by the grace of God! Here’s what a lot of people say when asked, “Are you a Christian?”
#1 – “I’m a good person”
Don’t hate the messenger – I love y’all – and no, you’re not. We all have “flurries” of goodness. We have moments of goodness, when the weather’s just right, and the humidity is low, and you got eight hours of sleep, and you’ve had coffee, and your clothes fit right, and your hair cooperated (for some of us). You might have a really good day, and you might have a moment or two of goodness, but you’re not good. Youth and children, just think back to the last time your parents or grand-parents told you to do something you were already supposed to have done! Parents and grandparents, just think back to the last time you told your kids or grand-kids to do something they were already supposed to have done! There it is.
By the way, if being a good person made you a Christian, how good would you have to be? We’ve talked about that together in here before!
You’d have to be perfect! You’re not perfect. Neither am I – far from it!
#2 – “I was raised in a Christian family”
It’s good to be raised in a Christian family; that means you’ve got a Christian Heritage. But that does not mean you are a Christian.
People in India who are Hindu believe that if you’re born in a Hindu family, you are a Hindu.
People from Muslim countries who worship Allah and are Muslims believe that if you’re born into a Muslim family with Muslim parents, you are born a Muslim.
I want to make sure that we are clear about this: The Christian faith does not teach that about Christianity! We are not born a Christian because you’re born in a Christian family. We are born to flawed sinners; we must be re-born into the Christian faith. That’s what Jesus meant when He told Nicodemus, “Unless a man is born again, he can’t even see the kingdom of God.” You are not born okay the first time! It’s just not true. You are not born okay. I’m not born okay. We are born dead in our sin. And until Jesus’ message of Good News, the Gospel, convicts you of your sin, and you repent of your sin and are born again, you are not a Christian. Being raised in a Christian family is great, but that is not what makes you a Christian.
#3 – “I love everyone”
Do you really?!
First of all, I can’t say I love everyone because I don’t even know everyone! There are 8 ½ billion people on planet Earth! I’ve met a couple hundred thousand, or maybe even a million of us over the years, but I don’t know everybody, much less love everybody. Second of all, I can’t love everybody unless the love of Jesus lives in me. And if loving everybody made you a Christian, what happens when you meet somebody you don’t, won’t, or can’t immediately love? What happens when somebody who you used to love hurts you, and now you don’t love them anymore, or you’re mad at them, or you kind of still love them, but you also kind of don’t? Bottom Line: You can’t love others more until you love Jesus first and most!
But, loving everybody is not what makes us a Christian. It’s a fruit of the spirit – a by-product; it’s evidence that you’re a Christian, but it’s downstream from becoming a Christian.
#4 – “I was baptized”
This is the one I hear the most. Baptism is good. It’s important. It is an act of obedience. But baptism is a symbol. It is not salvation.
Catholics do it one way; Methodists do it another way; Baptists do it yet another way; Pentecostals and charismatics do it a certain way; other religions even have purification rights that are similar to baptism. But the waters of baptism don’t wash away your sins – the shed blood of Jesus does that! Getting baptized is also downstream from getting saved, another by-product. And I’m glad if you were baptized. But unless it happened after you became a Christian, it really doesn’t mean or symbolize much of anything.
#5 –“I go to church”
Okay, well, I gotta’ confess – I’ve been going to church since I was born, and some of the meanest people I’ve ever met in my life go to church, including myself sometimes. And if going to church is what makes you a Christian, then what’s the attendance policy? Does God keep attendance, does He take role? How much do you gotta’ go to church: Once a week? Twice a year? Every time the doors are open? How many are you allowed to miss?
Going to church is important, but it’s not what makes you a Christian.
Q: So how can you know then?
I just want to show you what the Bible says, which really is Good News, that we can do!
The scriptures give us three simple truths to knowing that you’re a Christian. They are so simple, and they come straight from the book of Romans chapter 10.
Paul originally addressed this book to a small group of believers in Rome who were meeting in homes under the shadow of the Roman Empire, where the Caesars (Julius, Augustus, Nero, Vespasian, Dometian) would command people to declare, “Caesar is Lord”.
The Caesars believed that they were “King of Kings, Lord of lords, Caesar of Caesars”! They would demand people worship them as if they were a God. Paul writes to the church in Rome saying that there is only one Lord, and it isn’t Caesar! And in Romans chapter 10, verses 9, 10, and 13 we see the three ways that you can know you’re a born-again, heaven-destined follower of Jesus!
God gives us these verses to remove confusion, manipulation, and emotionalism. For me personally, I’ve committed what time I have left in this life to helping people know for sure that they are a believer who loves Jesus, who belongs to Jesus, and who is going to be with Jesus in a place called Heaven when they die – because everyone is going to die, and everyone has a soul who will spend eternity somewhere!
I want you to live forever with Jesus in Heaven, so here’s how you know!
Romans 10: 9-10 and 13 NLT – “9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved…13 For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Truth #1 – Confess With Your Mouth
Romans 10: 9 – “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Full stop! This is not complicated. Do not over-complicate something that God has simplified! I’ll read it to you again – “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Now look at verse 10 – “For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.”
Q: How do you know you’re saved? It says it right there. And as if he anticipated us being stubborn, hard-headed, or maybe just not paying attention, he goes on in verse 13 to further simplify it down to its basic Truth: Romans 10:13 – “For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
This is so easy to understand, but so hard to do. Take it at face value that it’s that simple to know you’re a Christian! So, again, Truth #1 – Confess With Your Mouth
Do you want to know you’re a Christian? Confess with your mouth because you mean it.
The word confess means, “to say with”, or “to agree with” God.
When you “fess-up” to something, that means to admit. So, to confess that Jesus is Lord, and to confess that you’re a sinner means you’re agreeing with what God already knows is true! You’re not hiding your sin from God – He knows all about it! I’m not hiding my anger, my insecurity, my lust, my pride – I’m not hiding any of that from God…He knows it already!
It is very freeing to just go ahead and own up to what you know is true and what God knows is true about you, to just quit trying to play the game, quit trying to sweep it under the rug, stop running from God, stop making excuses, stop laying in bed at night worrying about what is going to happen when you die. Don’t do that anymore! Just confess, fess up, own It! None of us is a victim in this world. There was one sinless victim – His name was Jesus, and He volunteered to die so that we could be forgiven of our sin. Every one of us is guilty, including me. But by the grace of God, confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
Point #1 means that there actually has to be a verbal confession. This is tied to Proverbs 18:21 which says, “The tongue has the power of life and death.” You know it because you will say with your mouth what you…Truth #2 – Believe in your heart. It’s right there in verses 9-10:
v10 – ”For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.
Truth #1 – Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
Truth #2 – Believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead. They’re connected, cause’ if you really, truly, authentically, genuinely, actually – not symbolically, not allegorically, but in real time – if you actually believe that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross to take away the sins of the world, and He did it because He loves you, and that He was dead, and then three days later raised from the grave; if you really believe that’s actually true and that He did it for you, it is not hard to confess that you believe in Him with your mouth!
You do what you believe. Your choices are the manifestation of what you accept. It’s what you realize and make known.
I love my wife, so I naturally talk about her. I love her. I love my 2 boys; I talk about them.
If you struggle with: Insecurity, believing anyone trusts you, having relationships, popularity, substance abuse, gender confusion, dealing with sexuality, sorting through all the lies from the enemy of our souls – Jesus can help you with those things, but you’ve got to give your life to Him first! Have you struggled with your own identity, your own gender ideology, your own sexuality? Jesus can help you with that, but you’ve got to give your life to Him first! All those things – He wants to change and transform them all in you and me, but not until we surrender our life to Him. Why? You and I are not strong enough to change without Jesus! it’s a fool’s errand to try to do it without Jesus. It’s waisted effort. You must confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, and Truth #3 – – this is so easy, so simple – it’s right there in v13 – ”For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Do you really want to know that you’re a Christian? Do you want to finally settle the confusion? Do you want to close that neural pathway, that loop that Satan always throws at you: “You’re not going to Heaven”; “You’re not really a Christian”; do you want to finally settle it and get confidence? Then, Truth #3 – Ask Jesus to save you! That’s it! That is it. Ask Him.
You can have the freedom of never worrying about your soul ever again, because you could give it to Jesus so easily and so quickly if you’ll just humble yourself and just ask Him to save you!
I’ve been married for 32 years (33 years in 27 days), and I wear a wedding ring to symbolize and signify my wedding to my wife. The reason she and I are married is very simple. It’s because on December 17, 1990, during intermission at The Singing Christmas Tree at our church, I got down on one knee, and I asked her, “Will you marry me?”
We would not be married today if I didn’t ask. Somebody’s gotta’ ask. Do you want to be a Christian? Do you want to know you’re saved? Do you want a relationship with Jesus? Do you want Him to take away your shame and your guilt and all the blame? Do you want Him to help you with your struggles? Do you want to know Him and be His friend? Then ask Him. He’s already said yes; He’s waiting on you, and He loves you. And if you’ll ask Him, He’ll save you – anyone who asks, and He’ll begin a relationship with you that will literally last forever!
And Jesus literally means “everyone“ who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. That’s as extreme as a murderous member of Hamas who killed a Jewish Child In Cold Blood on October 7, 2023 who deserves to be punished to the fullest extent of the law, who deserves justice in this life for the crime of murdering an innocent person – if they were to hear the Gospel and were to have their heart pierced by the fact that the Son of the Living God loves them and died on the cross to save them, and if their heart was warmed to the Gospel, and they were willing to humble themself and beg God for Mercy – if that murderous member of Hamas were to fall on their knees and in humility say, “I deserve to be punished justly for the sins I’ve committed and the crime I’ve just committed, but Jesus I ask You to for forgive me, and I want to follow You as Your disciple,” though he may have to suffer – and should suffer – justice in this life, Jesus suffered on the cross for them. And if they give their life to Jesus, though they may die in this life for their crimes, they would be welcomed into Heaven on virtue of the grace and love of God.
If the Gospel doesn’t work for them, it doesn’t work for me. If the Gospel doesn’t work for them, it doesn’t work for you. Jesus Christ loves all sinners, and though sins have different consequences, the grace of God is available to everyone who will confess with their mouth, believe with their heart, and ask Jesus to save them.
The cross is still bloody, the tomb is still empty, and God is still for you!
Why in the world would you say no to this?
I believe that right now some of you are ready to ask.
Would you close your eyes and open your hearts with me? I’ve talked enough – now it’s time for some of you to respond.
If you are already a Christian, a believer and follower of Jesus, and you know it, you’re confident in Jesus, just pray for those who need to find that confidence right now. If you need to give your life to Jesus fully; if you’re ready to settle it; if you’ve never had assurance or confidence; right now you can. Pray and ask Him right where you sit.
John had also written in John 20:30-31 – “30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book [the book of John]. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”
Read God’s Word to know both what God is like and how He works. Then you’ll be able to recognize Him working around you and join Him more often. As you see as He sees, it’s easier to do as He says!
Don’t get in the way of the cross. If Jesus is in you, and He’s bigger than you (and He is), others should be able to see Him popping out of you! Shine Jesus or get out of the way, ‘cause you’re blocking the light!
The letters of Ephesians and Revelation refer to those who make up the church as The Bride of Christ. So for our Next Step as followers of Jesus, the Bride of Christ, I came across this simple acrostic from pastor Derwin Gray of Transformation Church that puts into perspective what it looks like to be united in Jesus.
W.I.F.E. – (Bride of Christ):
Worship
Romans12:1-2 NLT – “1 And so [Therefore], dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”
God wants to renew our mind, the scene of the crime. Don’t try harder; surrender more, ‘cause as we do, it results in more worship with more of our life.
Indwelling
Galatians 2:20 – “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Believers, Jesus lives in you! That’s what indwelling means. By way of Jesus, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you!
Fellowship
Acts 2:42 – “They [all the believers] devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
This is not just getting together to get together – it’s “partnering” to call each other to worship, to call each other to live though our life in Christ, to call each other to live out Jesus’ vision for our lives, the church, partnering with each other to reach our families and friends who don’t yet know Jesus and His Good News, and encouraging them to do the same for others.
The Gospel is not just rescuing people from a Christ-less eternity, we’re rescuing them from a Christ-less now!
Expression
Matthew 5:16 – In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
We’re like a flashlight without batteries if we try to make our light shine without Jesus.
His life is our life. And He wants to be life for you:
Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
As Jesus’ ambassadors, we are His presence in the World to express the indwelling life of Jesus that is available to all people. Since the first disciples, who led someone to Jesus, who led someone, who led someone, all the way to who led you, will the 2000 years of work that’s gone before you stop with you? You have life that’s worth expressing!
