Presented to Swift Current Corps of The Salvation Army, 11 Sept. 2011
Presented to Corps 614 Regent Park, Toronto, 14 Feb. 2016
and The Warehouse Mission, Cabbagetown, 11 Feb, 2018
Presented to Corps 614 Regent Park, Toronto, 14 Feb. 2016
and The Warehouse Mission, Cabbagetown, 11 Feb, 2018
by Captain Michael Ramsay
Abbreviated 2018 version here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2018/02/romans-109-say-it-know-it-do-it.html
Abbreviated 2018 version here: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.ca/2018/02/romans-109-say-it-know-it-do-it.html
Today we are speaking about Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And, Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” These are some of the basics of the whole Christian faith (cf. TSA doc. 7). Therefore as we launch into our time today, along these lines I thought that I would share this piece of wisdom that was presented to us at Officer Camp by Major David Ivany – he is in charge of Spiritual Direction for all of Canada in The Salvation Army. He shared this story with us about a kind elderly lady, who in her heart upon a public confession of faith is experiencing the pure joys of Christian love.
This lady, Emma, she goes into a local Christian bookstore and sees a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker. Feeling particularly good that day because she has just come from a great choir practice and prayer meeting, she buys the bumper sticker and she put it on her car – professing her faith publicly. She recalls, “Boy, I’m glad I did! What an uplifting experience followed!” and then she launches into this story. She remembers stopping at a red light at a busy intersection just when she first had on her new ‘Honk if you love Jesus’ sticker. Lost in thought about the Lord and how good He had been to her, she didn’t notice the light had changed.
“It is a good thing someone else loves Jesus,” she said, “because if he hadn’t honked, I’d never have noticed that the light had changed!” She then noted that indeed, lots of people actually love Jesus because while she sat unmoving, blocking the lane of traffic, the guy behind her also honked like crazy before leaning out of his window and screaming, “For the love of God! Go! Go! Jesus Christ, Go!” She remembers thinking, “What an exuberant cheerleader he was for the Lord!”
Suddenly, it seemed as though she had started an epidemic and everyone started honking. Impressed by such a response, she leaned out of her window and started waving and smiling at all these loving people – while she was still parked in front of the intersection. “I even honked my horn a few times to share in the love!” she recited. Then she realized the mix of celebrants. “There must have been a man from Florida back there because I heard him yelling something about a “sunny beach… I saw another guy waving in a funny way with only his middle finger in the air. I asked my teenage grandson in the back seat what that meant, and he suggested that it was probably an Hawaiian good luck sign or something…”
The woman admitted that she had never met anyone from Hawaii before and was unaware of their customs. “I leaned out the window and gave him the good luck sign right back,” she reminisced.
She also remembers that a few persons were so caught up in the joy of the moment that they got out of their cars and started walking towards her. “I’ll bet they wanted to pray or ask what church I attended but that was when I noticed that the light had changed. So, I waved to all my loving sisters and brothers in Christ, grinned joyously, and drove on through the intersection. I noticed that I was the only car that made it through the intersection before the light changed again and I felt kind of sad that I had to leave them after all the love we had shared, so I slowed the car down, leaned out of the window and gave them all the Hawaiian good luck sign one last time before I sped away.”
I love this story.
Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And, Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
These two verses are two critical verses to that famous ‘Romans Road to Salvation’ – there are many different versions to Romans Road, by the way, but these two verses, 9 and 13 seem to be regular stops so I thought that we would visit them today. Last week I mentioned that I had a teaching background. This week’s pericope tends to lend itself to an old style of teaching. The passage has in it a ready-made 3 points:
1) Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and
2) Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And,
3) Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
1) Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth. Say it.
2) Believe in your heart in His resurrection. Know it.
3) Call on the name of the Lord. Do it.
What we need to remember, pertaining to Salvation, when we leave here today – and forever more – to take advantage of the Salvation that God has offered the whole world as a free gift (Romans 6:23; John 3:16-17); to take advantage of God’s Salvation, we should
1) Say it!
2) Know it!
3) Do it!
1) Say it! Romans 10:9: “…confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord…’
This is important. Whenever I hear this verse I immediately think of Peter, the rock upon which Christ was to build His church (Matthew 16:13-16; cf. Mark 8:27-29, Luke 9:18-20). We know this story, right? Jesus tells Peter that he is going to use him to help build his church. This is the point where Jesus gives him the name ‘Peter’ as a nickname – that wasn’t his given name; Simon was his given name – Peter means ‘Rock’ or even ‘Rocky’. Simon ‘Rocky-Peter’ here is to be one of Christ’s main ‘go to’ people after His resurrection and we remember the story about how Jesus told Rocky-Peter that he would deny him 3 times before the cock crows twice and then shortly after Peter’s saying ‘I don’t know what your talking about’; shortly after Peter’s third denial that he even knows Jesus; the rooster crows and Peter is devastated (Matthew 26:69-75; cf. Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:55-62, John 18:15-27).
Point #1 about Salvation today: Say it! (Cf. also Luke 21:12–15; 1 Corinthians 12:3; Philippians 2:11; 1 Peter 3:13–16, 21) Simon Peter had his chance to confess Jesus as Lord but he declined it. Now, if the story had ended there it would be sad indeed but John 21:15ff, records Simon Peter’s restoration, as Rocky, as Peter.[1] The Resurrected Lord asks him 3 times to feed his sheep and he agrees to it.[2] Near the conclusion of the book of John, Jesus then blows on Peter -and the other disciples- giving him the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Luke picks up the story of Rocky-Peter in the book of Acts where Rocky-Peter is there at Pentecost, taking the lead as the Holy Spirit like a starting pistol sends the disciples and more out to proclaim salvation to the world. Acts Chapter 2, after they share the gospel in many different languages as the Spirit enables them, the Lord adds to their number daily those being saved (cf. also Deuteronomy 30:14; Matthew 10:32, 2 Corinthians 4:13-14; Philippians 2:11). Point 1, Romans 10:9, for us today, Say it!
Peter and the disciples said it and many were saved. And just to underscore that Peter did fully recover from his earlier denial, church tradition states that in the end Peter even earned his martyr’s crown. He was apparently crucified upside down as he left his life here for heaven to await the resurrection. Point 1: Say it! This brings us to Point 2.
2) Know it! Believe in your heart in His resurrection.
It is great and it is very important to proclaim the gospel but that is not the end of it. Speaking is one thing and believing is quite another. If you have any doubt about that, think about the general reputation (accurate or not) of our elected politicians – speaking is one thing, believing what you say is quite another. Paul in this section of scriptures is really addressing the whole problem of Israel (Romans 9-11; cf. also Deuteronomy 30, Leviticus 18). He is addressing the problem of the Law and their relation to the Law and their relationship to God. He is quite concerned about people who are quite happy to say what needs to be said – the Pharisees, as a group, did believe in the resurrection in general and as a group were quite evangelistic (cf. Acts 23:7-8)! But believing in your heart in Jesus’ resurrection is quite a different matter though (1 Corinthians 15:17; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:13-14). And the Apostle Paul - who was a Pharisee - celebrated the fact that Jesus has been raised from the dead but sadly many Israelites and even Pharisees did not. It pained Paul that people who were zealous for God’s Law were indeed missing out on the benefits of the culmination of the Law, Jesus, the one whom the Law points towards (cf. Romans 9:1-5; 10:1-4; Matthew 5:17,18; Luke 16:16; Acts 4:12; Galatians 3:19-24). Salvation is about, Point 1, Saying it, confessing that Jesus is Lord, and it is also about, Point 2, Knowing it, really believing in your heart in the resurrection and in Jesus’ resurrection, which is the central part of not only’ Paul’s message but of all of Christianity (Romans 6:9, Romans 9:16; 1 Corinthians 15:17, 20; 2 Corinthians 4:13-14; Ephesians 1:20-23; Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:9; Revelation 1:17-18; cf. Deuteronomy 30:14, Acts 4:12, cf. also Isaiah 28:16).[3] N.T. Wright tells us, “Almost all early Christians known to us believed that their ultimate hope was the resurrection of the body. There is no spectrum such as in Judaism. Some in Corinth denied the future resurrection (1 Corinthians 15.12), but Paul put them straight; they were most likely reverting to pagan views, not opting for an over-realized Jewish eschatology.”[4] Belief in the resurrection and the resurrection of Christ is central to Christianity.[5]
To review what we know so far about Romans 10’s three points of Salvation:
1) Say it! - Confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth.
2) Know it! - Believe in your heart in His resurrection.
3) Do it! Call on the name of the Lord.
3) Do it! Call on the name of the Lord.
This is important. Saying it is good. Knowing it is better. Doing it is imperative (This fact is also implied in v. 9).[6] The scriptures speak about this quite a bit (cf. for ex: Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 30:11-16, which are cited in vv. 5-8; Luke in Acts 2:16-21 and this passage by Paul are both quoting from Joel 2:32).[7] I believe that Matthew actually paints this picture quite vividly. In Chapter 25:31ff is recorded the parable of the sheep and the goats. In that parable you have two groups of nations. Both groups – the sheep and the goats – 1) say and 2) know that Jesus is Lord. But it is only the sheep that do anything about it. As a result, only the sheep are saved. The goats that didn’t do anything go off to where there is a weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 7:21 is quite clear on this matter: it is recorded that the Lord says “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of my Father in heaven”: Say it! Know it! Do it!
We must actually call on the name of the Lord. We have to call on Him. We have to trust him.[8] This is important. For example, it is one thing for me to confess that I know my wife; it is another thing to believe in my heart the many wonderful things that have been done through her: these are wonderful things but my relationship with Susan only grows when I actually call on her, when I actually spend time with her. I can say she is my wife all I want; I can believe she is my wife all I want; but we only actually have a marriage if I bother to see her, to call on her sometimes. This is important. Christianity isn’t some academic pursuit. Christianity isn’t some code. Christianity isn’t some rules and regulations. Christianity isn’t some club. Christianity isn’t some principles to live our life by. Christianity is a relationship with the risen Christ. Jesus Christ raised from the grave and he promises that, Romans 10:13 “…everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” He loves us and he wishes that none would perish. And Salvation in our text today is as easy as 1, 2, and 3. It is my prayer today that every one of us here will:
1) Say it! - Confess Jesus as Lord with our mouths.
2) Know it! - Believe in our hearts in His resurrection.
3) Do it! – That we would call upon the name of the Lord.
Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Matthew 11:30: “For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Romans 10:15 and Isaiah 52:7, "...How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (cf. Psalm 118:26, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 23:39, Mark 11:9, Luke 13:35, Luke 19:38, John 12:13). Romans 10:9a, say it: confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord. Romans 10:9b, know it: believe in your heart in Jesus’ resurrection. And above all else, Romans 10:13, do it: call upon the name of the Lord and then even we will be saved. Halleluiah! Praise the Lord! Let it be.
Let us pray.
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[1] Cf. Captain Michael Ramsay, ‘John 21:15-23: We’re Back!’ Presented to Weston Corps of the Salvation Army, May 2006 and Nipawin Corps of The Salvation Army, 21 February 2009. Available on-line: http://sheepspeaks.blogspot.com/2009/02/john-2115-23-were-back.html
[2]Cf. George R. Beasley-Murray, John, (WBC 36: Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987), 404-405.
[3] Cf. William Hendricksen, Exposition of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, NTC (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic: 1981), 345
[4] Cf. N.T. Wright, 'Jesus’ Resurrection and Christian Origins' (Originally published in Gregorianum, 2002, 83/4, 615–635). Reproduced by permission of the author on-line at http://www.ntwrightpage.com/Wright_Jesus_Resurrection.htm
[5] Cf. Everett F. Harrison, The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-, ROM:Romans/Exposition of Romans/VI. The Problem of Israel: God's Righteousness Vindicated (9:1-11:36)/D. Israel's Failure to Attain Righteousness Due to Reliance on Works Rather Than Faith (9:30-10:21), Book Version: 4.0.2: Paul's statement in vv. 9, 10 is misunderstood when it is made to support the claim that one cannot be saved unless he makes Jesus the Lord of his life by a personal commitment. Such a commitment is most important; however, in this passage, Paul is speaking of the objective lordship of Christ, which is the very cornerstone for faith, something without which no one could be saved. Intimately connected as it was with the resurrection, which in turn validated the saving death, it proclaimed something that was true no matter whether or not a single soul believed it and built his life on it.
[6] Cf. John Murray, The Epistle to the Romans Vol. II, NICNT, (Grand Rapids, Michigan, Eerdmans, 1968), 56; John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World, (Leicester, UK: IV Press: 1994), 283; F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 6), S. 201 - Doing it, though not specifically reference (it doesn’t need to be because it is referenced a few verses later in v.18), is implied as well in verse 9.
[7] F. F. Bruce, Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove, IL : InterVarsity Press, 1985 (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries 6), S. 201: There the statutes and ordinances of God were enjoined on the people so that they might do them and live. Here God says that his commandment ‘is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, “Who will go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who will go over the sea for us, and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?” But the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.’ (Paul significantly omits the italicized words.) That the doing of the commandment was the way to life in the Deuteronomy context is evident from the words of Moses which follow immediately: ‘See, I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you this day, by loving the Lord your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his ordinances, then you shall live …’ (Deut. 30:15–16).
[8] Cf. John Stott, Romans: God’s Good News for the World, (Leicester, UK: IV Press: 1994), 285
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