With The Heart

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

    Considering previous verses to the above text, we understand this verse is concerned with the Lord Jesus Christ being his people’s righteousness and all their salvation. As it is possible to believe anything as fact in the mind, the inspired Word of God makes a distinction of the difference in natural mental accent to this precious truth and the faith that God gives his people in regeneration.

    Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ with the heart is impossible for man apart from the gift of faith. Believing with the heart is the efficacious work of God the Spirit in the giving of spiritual life. Without exception, every child of God that has been given faith in Christ, confesses gladly and thankfully before the world, The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God (Jer 51:10). Our confessing Christ does not make us righteous. Neither does it seal or secure our salvation. The believer’s confession of Christ is a voluntary, natural act of the indwelling Spirit of grace. The believer expresses outwardly that which he loves and that which gives all glory and honour to Christ. Anyone can confess anything with the mouth. Only those who know Christ in a vital union can confess him with the heart, in the context of our verse.

    This mouth confession is a heart confession. It is with the new heart we live unto God, worshipping Him, loving Him, trusting Him, looking unto Christ as the Author and Finisher of our faith. The affections of the believer’s heart is set on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory (Col 3:2-4).