Bible Questions & Answers Archive 

The Public Invitation - Part Three
By Dr. Max D. Younce
0107

 Question 

Do I have to go forward in church and confess Christ to be saved?

 Answer 

(Part Three) The verses in question are found in Romans 10:9,10. We will examine Verse 9. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” The question is, “Saved in whose eyes?”

Every Bible student knows there are two justifications in God’s word. One is positional justification and the other is practical justification. Our positional justification; i.e., eternal life by faith alone, is found in Romans 5:1. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is justification in God’s eyes.

The Christian’s practical justification is before man. Many people lead very good lives, but that does not mean they are Christians. People cannot look into a person’s mind and see if they have faith in Jesus Christ, and are a Christian. Only when a Christian confesses their faith in Jesus Christ does a lost person justify them as being a Christian. Romans 10:17 explains, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

When one makes a study of the Book of Acts from Paul’s conversion on, you will find Paul witnessing to the lost--not the saved! Romans 10:9 has nothing to do with coming to the front of the church to be saved. We are to confess openly to the lost that we believe that Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected for our sins. We then will be justified as being saved by those we have witnessed to, hoping they will receive Christ, also by faith, and be saved. This is the Christian’s practical justification, of which Romans 10:9 is speaking.

Next week, in Part 4, we will continue in  Romans, chapter 10 and verse 10.