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"The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8b-13)
What we say is usually heard and remembered by the people with whom we speak. We know the power of words to heal, encourage, also to hurt, harm, and kill. What we as believers also know is the power of the Word to bring salvation to our lives. This passage is all about that; if we confess with our lips that Jesus is the Lord and if we believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we will be saved.
What is salvation? It is being pulled away from all the wrong relationships with people and things that are taking our lives away from God, and pulled into a new, right and healthy relationship with God. Remember Jesus said, "The enemy comes only to kill, steal, and destroy, I have come that you might have life and that in abundance." Asking Jesus to forgive us starts with our confession that we are sinners and need to repent (turn away) from our sins, and then to invite Jesus to be a part of our lives. The beauty of that is that this passage says, "No one who believes in Him will be put to shame." With Jesus in us and on our side, we face all trials and temptations with a Victor, Who gives us the victory in all things.
We then begin a life of growing in our knowledge and love of Jesus and we begin to love like Him, and we begin to serve Him. Ours is the joy to tell others, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." And you may just save a life from an eternity separated from God.
PRAYER: Lord, let me live such a life. Let me be bold enough to tell others about what You have done in my life, how you saved me from my sin and the path I was on, to the path of perfect peace. This I ask in Thy precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
