E-mail: bk_oyen@hotmail.com
Romans 10:9 & 10 seems fundamental to the theology of some "Lordship salvationists." The verses say this: "if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (New KJV)
Though I believe no one becomes a Christian who does not experience conviction of sin, repentance and faith in Christ; and though I believe no one becomes a Christian whose heart-attitude is still one of rebellion against Christ, I am not convinced Romans 10:9 & 10 means confessing Christ as one's personal Lord, or, as some of them like to put it, "making Christ Lord of your life." If it means that, I accept it. But is that what it means?
Many Bible students don't hold the "Lordship Salvation" view of Romans 10:9 & 10. An example of this is found in THE EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMMENTARY on these verses. The commentator on Romans in this commentary set is E. F. Harrison. He wrote this on the verses under discussion: "Paul's statement in vv. 9, 10 is misunderstood when it is made to support the the claim that one cannot be saved unless he makes Jesus Lord of his life by 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."
I agree with E. F. Harrison's view of Romans 10:9 and 10.
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