City Life Starter

I. The Word: Romans 10:8-11

⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); ⁹ because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. ¹¹ For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

II. Reflection Questions:

1. Have you ever been so obsessed with someone or some thing that you couldn’t stop talking about them/it?
2. Where is your relationship with Jesus compared to that obsession above?
3. How do you keep that love kindled in your relationship with God?

Thank God for the finished work of Jesus for us. God does not require superhuman works from us, but faith in the gospel Paul preaches. It’s that faith that is on our lips and in our heart. Paul goes on to say “if you confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” This shows how faith is not only spoken outwardly, but also believed in our heart inwardly. These two are absolutely inseparable.

An outward confession without an inward belief is false and deceptive. An inward belief without an outward confession is lifeless, heartless, disingenuous and cowardly. However, an inward belief and outward confession is the powerful mixture needed for a transformed life.

Notice that the text, in verse 9 and 10, doesn’t say if you “know” Jesus is Lord in your mind, but rather it focuses on the heart’s belief. In verse 10 Paul goes as far to say that it is with the heart one believes, not the mind. Why is that? I believe it is because human beings are not primarily thinking creatures. We definitely think, which is unique, however we are primarily creatures driven by our loves. It’s when the heart believes and our loves align that we see change. We all do simply what we love and are ultimately driven by our affections. This is heart belief and trumps intellectual knowledge every time.

Consider the person obsessed with a particular celebrity. They can tell you all there is to know about the person. Where they are from, their favorite things and flings, even down to the most minute details most people do not care to know. You do not have to beg this person to study their celebrity idol. Their loves force their obsession and behavior. It’s not a discipline to follow them, it’s a desire.

This is heart belief at it’s most obvious and describes well what a follower of Jesus should look like. We should know his words, actions, mind, etc. and want to continue to pursue Him when we believe he was raised from the dead. His death defying resurrection means He has conquered our greatest foe, death and death’s cause, sin. This makes Jesus Lord of all and worthy of our obsession more than all others, things or people.

That has to then produce outward confession to tell everyone we know about our greatest heart belief and affection. Of course Paul then builds greater confidence in verse 11 that your belief, obsession, heart affection, will not be put to shame. He will love you and prove that affection as the most worthy affection in the end. No one will doubt, on judgement day, who was truly worth giving our heart to. People might try to shame you now for being too “spiritual”, but in the end they will see their affections bow before the Lord of all lords.