A Believing Heart

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. - Romans 10:10

    If we have a believing heart it is a precious gift from God. I fear that many believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ only with the mind, much as we believe anything that we consider to be true. It is only by the impartation of spiritual life that we can believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to the saving of the soul. A new heart also will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh (Ez 36:26). The new heart that God gives, not only believes with understanding and acceptance, it embraces the Lord Jesus Christ in love, adoration, praise and worship. Therefore, as his love for and commitment to us is manifest, so will our love and commitment to him be manifest—with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

    This confession of the child of God is not only the words that we say, it is the life that we live. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (Gal 2:20). Although imperfect by virtue of our sinful nature, the believer in this world has a God-given love for Christ and his Gospel, which are inseparable—that is; Christ, the Gospel, and the believer are inseparable—Read Ephesians 3:14-21. Where there is no heart-love for Christ there will be no heart-commitment, and for the most part very little outward commitment.

    However, it is equally as true that outward commitment without inward love is nothing but a straw house built upon self-righteousness, and will fall in God’s appointed time. We would be wise to ask ourselves this question: “Does my professed love for Christ constrain me to be committed and faithful to Him, his Gospel, and his church?” By God’s grace, we must look to him and his Word for the answer. I pray that he will make known unto us his glorious person, and in knowing him we will be able to say in our hearts, I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. And as Peter, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.