To confess with your mouth, according to Romans 10, is to declare aloud that Jesus is Lord — the verbal expression of heart belief in His resurrection and the natural witness of a saved believer.
Romans 10:9 joins the mouth's confession of 'the Lord Jesus' with heart belief in His resurrection. Les Feldick explains that this means declaring Jesus is Lord — the One in control of the believer's life [Clips 1, 2]. He clarifies it is not a public testimony requirement; instead, confession flows out of salvation naturally as the believer tells others what God has done [Clips 4, 5]. Only a Spirit-indwelt believer can make the confession sincerely [Clips 1, 6].
Romans 10:8 — Shows that the 'word of faith' is already in the mouth and heart before the confession is defined.
Romans 10:9 — The definitive verse: confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believing in the heart that God raised Him from the dead.
Romans 10:10 — Pairs heart belief unto righteousness with mouth confession unto salvation.
The key passage is Romans 10:8–10. Paul writes that “the word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans 10:8). Then he gives the defining statement: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). The next verse pairs the two: “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10). Scripture defines the confession as that of “the Lord Jesus,” joined inseparably with heart belief in His resurrection. Romans 10:11 adds, “Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” In 1 Corinthians 12:3, Paul further states that “no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”
Les Feldick teaches that the confession in Romans 10:9 is the confession that Jesus is Lord. He says a better way to read the English is “if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord” [Clip 2]. For the believer, the term “Lord Jesus” comes into its full meaning: Jesus is in control of the believer's life — the One in whom we eat and sleep and move, and without whom we are nothing [Clip 1]. Les is careful not to confuse this with Lordship Salvation, which he says “smacks of works.” Rather, when a person enters salvation by faith and experiences the new birth, one of the things that happens is that Christ becomes Lord of his life [Clip 2]. Salvation is by faith and faith alone — faith plus nothing — otherwise the believer would be telling God He didn't quite finish the work [Clip 7]. Les also describes what the confession is not. Romans 10:9 is not a mandate to stand before a congregation and give a public testimony to be recognized as a believer or candidate for church membership. That is not what the book says [Clip 5]. Instead, if you are excited about what God has done for you, you are going to tell people — confession with the mouth flows out of salvation as naturally as daylight follows dark [Clips 4, 5]. Finally, Les emphasizes the Holy Spirit's role. Only a true, born-again believer can make the statement “Jesus is Lord” with all sincerity of heart, because the Holy Spirit is the evidence that Jesus is Lord. An unbeliever may say the words, but it does not amount to anything because there is no truth in it [Clips 1, 6]. Paul also implies the cross in Romans 10:9 — he does not mention the death, but you do not rise from the dead unless you die — so the verse presses the full gospel of Christ's death and resurrection [Clip 3].
No, according to Les Feldick. He explains that he was once associated with a situation where people had to go in front of the whole congregation and tell their testimony before being recognized as believers or candidates for church membership, using Romans 10:9 as the basis. But Les says this verse is not saying that. Rather, when you have entered into a salvation experience, you are not going to keep it to yourself — you will be sharing it with people [Clips 5, 4].
Les connects Romans 10:9 to 1 Corinthians 12:3, where no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Spirit. He teaches that an unbeliever may say it, but it does not amount to anything because there is no truth in it. Only a true, born-again believer can make the statement with all sincerity of the heart, because the Holy Spirit is the evidence that Jesus is Lord [Clips 6, 1].
Les points out that Paul does not explicitly mention that Jesus died, but you do not rise from the dead unless you die — so the death is implied. Paul is pressing the gospel, writing to the predominantly Gentile congregation at Rome: confess the Lord Jesus and believe in the heart that God raised Him from the dead, and you shall be saved [Clip 3].
Les repeatedly stresses that Romans 10 is about salvation by faith and faith alone — faith plus nothing, otherwise you are telling God He didn't quite finish the work [Clip 7]. Confession is not an added work; it is what naturally happens when someone is saved. With the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation — if you are excited about what God has done, you are going to tell people [Clip 4]. And one of the things that happens at the new birth is that Christ becomes Lord of the believer's life [Clip 2].
How Can You Know You're Saved? The Plan of Salvation in Scripture
God. So He has commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet or still sinners. God doesn't expect people to straighten up and clean up their life, and then approach Him for salvation. I've had people tell me, and Iris has had people tell me, if I can just do this, and if I can just clean up my life, and get rid of this habit, then I'll get saved. That's not the way God works.
Confessing 'The Lord Jesus' in Its Full Meaning
Les teaches that in Romans 10:9 the confession is that Jesus is Lord — He is the One in control of the believer's life, and without Him we are nothing. A believer can say this sincerely because the Holy Spirit is the evidence that Jesus is Lord.
Jesus Is Lord — Rejecting Lordship Salvation
Les reads Romans 10:9 as 'confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord,' but he rejects Lordship Salvation as works. Christ becomes Lord of the believer's life as one of the results of the new birth, not as a condition of it.
The Resurrection Implies the Death of Christ
Les notes that Paul does not mention Christ's death in Romans 10:9, but you cannot rise from the dead without dying — so the cross is implied. The verse presses the gospel on the predominantly Gentile believers in Rome.
Confession Unto Salvation Means Telling People
Les explains that with the mouth confession is made unto salvation — if you are excited about what God has done for you, you are going to tell people. It does not require getting up in front of 300 people at once.
Not a Requirement to Testify Before a Congregation
Les explicitly rejects using Romans 10:9 to require a public testimony before a congregation for church membership. Rather, when someone enters a salvation experience, he will not keep it to himself — sharing is natural.
Only the Believer Can Genuinely Say Jesus Is Lord
Les connects Romans 10:9 with 1 Corinthians 12:3: an unbeliever may say Jesus is Lord, but it amounts to nothing. Only a born-again believer can make the confession sincerely because the Holy Spirit is the evidence.
Salvation by Faith and Faith Alone
Les frames Romans 10 as the chapter on salvation by faith plus nothing — anything added tells God He didn't finish the work. The confession of the mouth belongs to that faith-based salvation.
Romans 10:8: But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
This verse introduces the 'word of faith' that is already in the mouth and heart before the confession is defined.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved:
The key verse pairing mouth confession of the Lord Jesus with heart belief in His resurrection.
Romans 10:10: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
This verse shows the heart believing unto righteousness and the mouth confessing unto salvation as the two connected aspects.
Romans 10:11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Paul grounds the promise in Scripture that no one who believes on Christ will be put to shame.
1 Corinthians 12:3: Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
This verse supports the teaching that genuine confession of Jesus as Lord is made through the Holy Spirit.
No. Les Feldick teaches that Romans 10:9 is not about standing before a congregation to give your testimony in order to be recognized as a believer or candidate for church membership. Instead, when you have entered into a salvation experience, you are not going to keep it to yourself — you will naturally tell people what God has done [Clips 4, 5].
Les says an unbeliever may say that Jesus is the Lord, but it doesn't amount to anything because there is no truth in it. Only a true, born-again believer can make the statement with all sincerity of heart, because the Holy Spirit is the evidence that indeed Jesus is Lord [Clips 6, 1].
Romans 10:9-10 pairs them together: the heart believes unto righteousness and the mouth confesses unto salvation. For Les, the confession is the natural outflow of heart faith — if you are excited about what God has done for you, you're going to tell people [Clip 4].
Watch the Teaching: How Can You Know You're Saved? The Plan of Salvation in Scripture