Introduction: Saying It Isn’t the Same as Believing It
Every week, out on the streets, we meet people who say:
- “Jesus is Lord.”
- “I believe in God.”
- “I’ve confessed Jesus.”
And yet, when we dig deeper, they don’t know the Gospel. They’ve never trusted in what Christ did for them. They’ve said the right things, but they’re not saved.
Why? Because confessing with your mouth does not save you. But there are many people out there who think that it does. And they’re wrong.
I. Romans 10 Is the Most Misused Gospel Passage Today
People lift out Romans 10:9 and build a whole doctrine around it—but they skip the second half of verse 10:
Romans 10:9
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.
They take the first part of the verse: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus.”
And they’ll say that they have confessed Jesus, and they are saved. And I’ll say something like this: “So do you think confessing with your mouth saves you, or do you need to do something else?” And there’s usually always something else that isn’t what Jesus Christ did for them.
Righteousness doesn’t come from the mouth. It comes from faith in the heart.
The mouth may speak, but the heart must believe.
Romans 10:10
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
There will be pastors out there who say that someone has believed unto righteousness but they haven’t confessed the Lord Jesus out loud so they aren’t saved. Imagine someone having the righteousness of Jesus imputed unto them but they aren’t saved. That can’t happen.
They completely have things 100% backwards.
The truth is that believing IN the Lord Jesus Christ saves you at that exact moment. There is nothing else required. Faith alone IN the Lord Jesus Christ is what saves you. Faith alone plus NOTHING and minus NOTHING. There is no equation for salvation. Just faith.
II. Confession Is a Good Work—But It’s Not a Saving Work
Let’s be clear: it’s good to confess Jesus. But salvation isn’t based on how loud you are—it’s based on what you believe.
Romans 4:5
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Confession is something you do. Belief is something you trust.
And the Bible says we’re saved by faith, not by works.
III. Biblical Example: People Who Believed but Didn’t Confess
John 12:42-43
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
These men believed—but were afraid to confess.
Did their fear cancel out their salvation? No. The Bible still says they believed.
Jesus says if you believe in Him that you’re saved forever. Others are saying these people weren’t saved because they didn’t confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus.
There are many saved people out there who love the praise of men more than the praise of God. We’ve all made that mistake before.
IV. Peter: A Saved Man Who Denied Jesus Publicly
Luke 22:61-62
And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Peter was saved long before this. Jesus said to him earlier in this same chapter:
Luke 22:32
But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Yet Peter denied the Lord three times—out loud, publicly.
Was he still saved? Of course. His faith was real—even if his mouth failed in fear. Why did Peter not confess the Lord Jesus Christ right there? Peter was afraid of man. But Peter was already a saved man who put his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Everyone in here has denied the Lord Jesus Christ in the same way. You might say, “Not me.” You better start thinking. Don’t forget some of those times. You aren’t better than Peter.
V. Romans 10: Confession Is Descriptive, Not Prescriptive
Romans 10:10
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This is not a formula or a requirement.
It’s a description of what often happens when someone has believed—they confess. Notice I said this often happens. I didn’t say it always happens and the Bible isn’t making confession with the mouth a requirement to be saved.
Some believers stay silent out of fear. Some never get discipled. Others live in hostile cultures or family situations.
Their faith still saves them, because salvation is not earned by boldness.
The boldness can come after someone is saved. Or maybe it never comes because they choose not to walk in the Spirit and do what God has asked them to do. But they are still saved.
VI. Faith Alone Saves—Not Faith Plus Words
John 6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
Acts 16:30-31
And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
Not one mention of confession. No instruction to “say it out loud.” Just believe.
And every Scripture in the Bible is 100% truth.
If the Bible says hundreds of times to believe in Jesus to be saved and then you think another verse adds something to salvation such as YOU confessing with YOUR mouth, then you are saying all the other Scriptures are wrong.
You are saying that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus isn’t enough to save you. You’re adding to the Gospel. This is a FALSE GOSPEL.
VIII. Confessing Without Believing Is a Dead Work
Matthew 7:22-23
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
They confessed Jesus—but they never believed in His finished work.
Jesus paid it all. They are confessing the Lord Jesus but they haven’t believed in the Lord Jesus. Jesus says, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
So there’s constantly people using the name of Jesus. They are confessing Jesus, but they don’t have faith in Him. You might see these people on the TV, on your phone, on social media, playing sports, and other places. But they aren’t doing good because Jesus says so.
He says right there at the end: “Ye that work iniquity.” They believe in their own good works such as confessing the Lord Jesus. Again, “Ye that WORK iniquity.”
And you can again, compare this side by side to this Scripture that we’re focusing in on today:
Romans 10:9
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 confessing with thy mouth the Lord Jesus is mentioned first. Why is that?
Because most of the people who will listen to the Gospel are confessing the Lord Jesus Christ. But they haven’t yet believed in Jesus. This happens all the time. It’s the second part of the verse that saves. We know people can confess the Lord Jesus and not be saved.
We know that people can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and not confess with the mouth and be saved.
Acts 10:43-44
To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Salvation comes through Jesus only. It’s not a confession with your mouth to someone. The people in that Scripture right there were saved but they had not yet spoke. They were saved at the moment of believing IN Jesus Christ.
IX. In Soul Winning: Watch for the False Assurance of Confession
Out on the streets, many people rely on a prayer or a confession they made in church years ago. They say:
- “I’ve already confessed Jesus.”
- “I already said the prayer.”
But when we ask what they’re trusting in, it’s:
- Their lifestyle
- Their water baptism
- Their past church attendance
- Their prayer from years ago
They confessed—but they never believed. They are not saved.
Conclusion: Don’t Settle for Sounding Saved—Be Saved
Confession doesn’t save you. Belief does.
Romans 10:10a
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness.
- Don’t teach people to repeat a phrase—teach them to believe the Gospel.
- Don’t trust in what you said—trust in what Jesus did.
We are saved when we stop working, stop talking, and start trusting.
Some people confess with their mouth the Lord Jesus but haven’t believed. Some people don’t confess but have believed. Some people do both, which is great. In every case of salvation, it is the believing that saved the soul forever. And nothing else.
If you’ve been putting your trust in that confession, you need to change that today. You need to put all your faith IN the Lord Jesus Christ.
If you’ve been teaching people that you must ask to be saved, it’s time to change that. It’s faith alone that saves.
Let’s pray.
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