Faith expressed

Romans 10:5-13

⁵ For Moses writes that the law’s way of making a person right with God requires obedience to all of its commands. ⁶ But faith’s way of getting right with God says, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will go up to heaven?’ (to bring Christ down to earth). ⁷ And don’t say, ‘Who will go down to the place of the dead?’ (to bring Christ back to life again).” ⁸ In fact, it says,

“The message is very close at hand;
it is on your lips and in your heart.”

And that message is the very message about faith that we preach: 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. ¹¹ As the Scriptures tell us, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.” ¹² Jew and Gentile are the same in this respect. They have the same Lord, who gives generously to all who call on him. ¹³ For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It’s no good if I say all the right things, but God’s word isn’t in my heart. Neither is it any good if I believe in him passionately in my heart but never express that in word and action. Neither superficial nor secret: It has to be both fundamental to my innermost core and outwardly expressed in my life.

Belief in my heart is essential to coming into a right relationship with God. Speaking out that truth is essential to being saved for eternal life.

Similarly, James 2:26 says that I’m kidding myself if I think I have faith in my heart but it’s not expressed in how I act. Galatians 5:22-3 says that the Holy Spirit in my heart is inevitably expressed as his character in my life.

I’m challenged by the importance of speaking out the truth about Jesus. I’m also encouraged that God’s promises are for everyone. What I say needs to be sensitive, but it will never be useless.

Written by David Cornell