Simply Said || Romans 10:9-10 || Manna for the Mind #44

Welcome to Day 44 of my “Manna for the Mind” devotional series! This series takes a passage of scripture (typically 1-3 verses) and builds understanding through its context and connecting scripture. This helps us understand what the Bible truly teaches us.

Romans 10:9-10

9            If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10          For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Salvation is as close as your own lips and heart. People think it must be complicated, but it’s not. We will be saved if we sincerely believe and profess that Jesus is the risen Lord. Don’t believe me? Jesus says it himself in Matthew 10:32.

Matthew 10:32

32          “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.

Anyone who publicly acknowledges Jesus Christ (the public professes their faith in him or declares allegiance to him) will be acknowledged by him before God. Jesus told his followers that they would deal with the earthly courts of law, where they would have to publicly claim their alliance. These situations were often life or death. Genuine discipleship always involves acknowledging Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

These are the end of my notes today. “If that’s the end, what are you going to talk about?” I want to focus on the belief that people believe following Jesus is complicated. Why is it so complicated? People focus on the rules. People see false representations of God’s love shared with them. People see politics affect the direction of the church. People see the agendas of church leaders on Sunday mornings. People see prosperity praised over people. People see the church’s faults and write off the body of Christ as a false representation of the church. Yet, following Jesus is more than the church.

These are why you see a decline in denominational churches and religions and an increase in non-denominational congregations and groups. The rules and polity of denominations have been the downfall of the church more times than not. I’ve seen this happen growing up and working in United Methodist churches. The arguments over homosexuality have divided our congregations so much that there was a split from the United Methodism to Global Methodism. I know this isn’t unusual with Methodism, but why have we gotten comfortable with these splits. We’ve separated over the disagreements in the interpretation of Scripture instead of attempting to meet in the middle. We’ve separated because we cannot see eye to eye instead of loving the opposition as Jesus called us. We’ve condemned, bullied, and abused those Christians and non-Christians who do not have the exact viewpoints we have. “You’re not following the rules and are in trouble.” Religion can feel like we’re back in school. Jesus didn’t come to create religion. Jesus didn’t come to force people to follow the rules.

Jesus was sent to the world to create the right relationship. It’s not for a right religion, but a proper relationship. Jesus was sent to rescue us from a life bonded to sin. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that did away with the religious sacrificial system. Jesus was sent to teach us God’s ultimate goal for the world: to love Him with all of our mind, soul, heart, and strength and to love our neighbor as Jesus has loved us. Jesus was sent to give us the path to eternal life, a place where there’s no suffering, pain, or sorrow. How do we get there? Declare that Jesus is Lord and believe that he was resurrected. That’s all. Make that intentional choice to accept Jesus as the one to save you from a life of being chained to your sinful nature and turn away from that old life to follow his teachings and to help bring the Kingdom of God down to earth. Will you make that choice?

Father God, thank you for the simplicity of getting into the right relationship with you. We made it so complicated in our world today through religion, but we know its relationship above all that. Please help us to strengthen our relationship with you and to lead others to make that choice in the relationship as well. It’s in your name, as well. Amen.