Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believes to righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. n: — I. "WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS." 1. Belief and faith are one. In respect to mundane matters, we receive the testimony of men; while in the matters pertaining to the unseen world, we receive the testimony of God. Faith in man sustains the whole fabric of our secular and scientific knowledge, and faith in God is the support of our spiritual and religious knowledge. If, in order to secure the salvation of our souls, we must have the latter faith, even so, in order to the preservation and comfort of our bodies, we must have the former. "Without faith it is impossible to please God"; and without faith, belief, it is impossible to enjoy the advantages of civilised life. And whether it has respect to man or God, faith is belief in testimony (1 John 5:9-11). 2. The apostle clearly intends by "the heart" the inner, as contrasted with the external man; and not the emotional, as opposed to the intelligent man. For the contrast is not between heart and head, but between heart and mouth. The sacred authors often spoke of bodily organs as if they projected mental values into them. With them the "heart" did not specially denote the affections as distinguished from the understanding (Deuteronomy 29:4; 1 Kings 3:9, 12; Mark 7:21; Mark 2:6; Acts 11:23; Proverbs 16:21). The heart stood for the very centre of the person, where thought had its fountain, intelligence its post of observation, and the stores of knowledge and experience were treasured up. 3. The testimony to be believed is here spoken of as a "report"; i.e., the thing announced by the witnesses and heard by those to whom it was spoken. It was a report concerning the Saviour, and being given by competent and faithful witnesses, and confirmed by the attesting seal of God, there was no need for any man to go out of or beyond himself for Christ. For the word was nigh him. 4. But why specially believe that God hath raised Christ from the dead? Because the testimony is that He died for our sins, and His resurrection is the proof that the sin is purged; for our Substitute has been discharged and restored to deathless life. Therefore a sure belief that God hath raised Him from the dead carries with it a sure belief that our everlasting life is made certain. 5. But though faith, considered in itself, is simply belief in testimony, it nevertheless serves to awaken various emotions of the heart in accordance with the character of the testimony believed, and the kind and amount of personal interest involved. If we have no conscious interest in that which is the subject of testimony, then no emotion will result from its belief. But if we have, then the belief will give rise to joy or sorrow, hope or fear, triumph or dread, as the case may be. Tidings come of a terrible hurricane in the mid-Atlantic, in which numbers of ships have foundered, and belief of the tidings instantly fills many a hitherto bright and happy home with the gloom of despair and death. But let them presently have the assurance that the particular ships which contained their hopes have escaped and have safely arrived in port, and, believing this, how instantly they find their sorrow and despair give place to gratitude and joy! And here is a poor guilty wanderer, who has long and grievously offended against his heavenly Father. He has come to realise the fearfulness of his danger. Can any one wonder that he should "roar" because of the disquietude of his spirit? But let him now hear and believe that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners," and that "whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life," and of what a change from the terrors of despair to the joy of salvation is he at once conscious! II. "WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION." 1. The "salvation" spoken of is not already attained, but one for which, or in order to which, confession is made. It is therefore something which is yet future. Though a Christian man is saved here and now, yet this present salvation is but a thing begun, not completed (1 Corinthians 15:2; Philippians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; Romans 8:24; Hebrews 1:14; Romans 13:11; 1 Peter 1:5; Hebrews 9:28). 2. Now it is in respect to this continued and ultimately completed redemption that confession is made with the mouth unto salvation. "The righteousness obtained by faith would, forsooth, fall to the ground again, and would not be attended by salvation, if faith had not the vital force to produce confession of the mouth, which speaks out of the fulness of the heart." For the confession indicated is not that merely of the lip, but true and bold acknowledgment of Christ both in deed and word, Jesus Christ "before Pontius Pilate witnessed s good confession" (1 Timothy 6:13) — one that cost Him His life; and any union with Him which has not in it the spirit of devoted loyalty to Him, even unto death, if needful, is vain (Matthew 10:28-33; Revelation 21:8; Hebrews 11:33). (W. Tyson.) Parallel Verses KJV: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. |
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