If on your lips is the confession, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and in your heart the faith that God raised him from the dead, then you will find salvation.

So, now, the “word” or message that “Jesus is Lord” was being proclaimed not only to the Jews, but also to the Gentiles, to all the nations. This “word” from God is made readily available to people everywhere. Paul’s letter to the Romans said that the “word is near you: it is upon your lips and in your heart.” But what will the individual do about it? If the “word” really gets down into his heart he will believe. He will have faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and as the one through whom God will carry out all His grand promises. (2 Cor. 1:20)

Paul was proclaiming “the word of faith.” What was that faith based on? There were two very definite things that Paul had in mind, and so must we 1,900 years later. To be a Christian one must hear “the word of faith” and be convinced (1) That Jesus, the Son of God, is Lord, that by his sacrificial death he purchased mankind and so he must be acknowledged by Christians as their owner; also, (2) That Jehovah God raised Jesus from the dead. Of course, you would want some proof of these two things since they are essential for one’s finding salvation, that is, finding everlasting life.​—2 Cor. 5:14, 15.

Just as the apostles and the early Christians did, so Christians right down to this day make confession with their lips that Jesus is Lord. If they are true Christians, this is more than a verbal expression, however. They demonstrate their submission to Christ as Lord by doing the will of Jesus’ Father, as Jesus taught his disciples to do. (Matt. 7:21; John 15:8) Christians must believe something else too, and that is that Jesus was resurrected from the dead by God. Peter confirmed this on the day of Pentecost. He said: “This Jesus God resurrected, of which fact we are all witnesses.” (Acts 2:32) Now do you believe these two fundamental facts stated by both Paul and Peter, that “Jesus is Lord” and that “this Jesus God resurrected” from the dead? If you do, then there is something you have to do about it, namely, make confession of your faith with your lips.

The things in which they confessed faith before baptism also were to be declared publicly after baptism so that others might believe. Paul wrote: “If on your lips is the confession, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and in your heart the faith that God raised him from the dead, then you will find salvation.” (Rom. 10:9, NE) If they really believed this they would be zealous in preaching it to others. They must prove their faith by the things that were on their lips, by expressing their belief to other people that Jesus truly is Lord. They must prove by their actions that they believed that Jesus had been exalted to a position second only to God and that “every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11) We, too, must give evidence that we have such faith. Of course, in order to believe that, every Christian must also believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and that Jehovah God in heaven did this for his Son. Paul shows in his letter that he was convinced of it, and he was trying to persuade all readers of his letter that they should tell out the information that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead. In that way the individual will find salvation. Of course, one who is saved is a winner. He overcomes the world. He will gain life everlasting.

11, 12. How does Romans 10:10 show true faith must be deep-seated?

¹¹ Paul emphasizes the need of faith, not only in these two things, Jesus’ being Lord and the resurrection, but, of course, in all the things that Jesus taught. This faith must be deep-seated, not superficial, not something that is just on the surface; “the faith that leads to righteousness is in the heart, and the confession that leads to salvation is upon the lips.”​—Rom. 10:10, NE.

¹² World wide today the Christian witnesses of Jehovah are making this confession. Peoples of all nations in hundreds of languages are learning the truth of God’s Word. Christians must prove that they have faith by the deeds they perform.