What Is the Promise If You Believe in Your Heart and Confess with Your Mouth?

Direct Answer

The promise is that you shall be saved.

Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, "thou shalt be saved." Les Feldick treats this as a firm promise from God, not a maybe or a hope-so statement. He emphasizes that this salvation is by faith alone, with everything else following but having no part in saving you.

Key Scriptures

Romans 10:9 — This is the verse that directly states the promise connected to heart-belief and mouth-confession.

Romans 10:13 — This verse extends the promise of salvation to everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord.

What Does the Bible Say About This Promise?

Romans 10:9 plainly states the conditional promise: if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Verse 10 gives the two sides of this promise: with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Verse 13 adds an even broader promise: whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

What Does Les Feldick Teach About Confessing and Believing?

Les Feldick calls Romans 10:9 "the heart of our salvation message." He stresses that this is not a mental assent or head knowledge; true heart belief is knowing that Christ died for you, was buried, and rose again. He also teaches that God is a communicator and expects believers to verbalize their faith, not just keep it inward. Les calls "thou shalt be saved" a promise that believers can rest on and even hold God accountable to, because God cannot lie and He said it. At the same time, he is careful to say salvation is by faith and faith alone, and he rejects Lordship Salvation as works—though when a person enters by faith and is born again, Christ does become Lord of that believer's life.

What Does It Mean to Confess with Your Mouth?

Les Feldick says God expects you to communicate your faith not only to Himself but to others. He warns that many people have had a mental assent and say, "Well yeah, I believe in God," but that is not what God is looking for. God is looking for verbalization, and Romans 10:10 says that with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Les also says that if you are excited about what God has done for you, you will tell people.

What Does It Mean to Believe with the Heart?

Les Feldick contrasts true heart belief with mere head knowledge. A lot of people know Jesus lived, know there was a crucifixion, and maybe even believe He was raised, but that can still be just historical knowledge. For the one who truly believes, this is not merely history; it is knowing that when Christ died, He died for us, and when He was buried, we were buried with Him. Believing in the resurrection also implies believing He died and was buried before He rose again.

What Is the Place of Calling on the Name of the Lord?

After explaining Romans 10:9 as the heart of the salvation message, Les asks, "But in order to trigger it, what are we to do? Call upon Him." He uses the analogy of children in a swimming pool: a weak call for help gets lost in the noise, but a genuine call for help gets attention. Romans 10:13 promises that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Is Salvation by Faith Alone?

Les Feldick is emphatic that salvation is always by faith and faith alone. He says everything else must follow but has no part in salvation, and anything added says to God that He didn't quite finish the work. At the same time, he explains that he does not agree with Lordship Salvation because it smacks of works; yet when we enter in by faith and experience the new birth, one of the things that happens is that Christ becomes Lord of our life.

From the Teaching

Confession as Verbalization

Les teaches that God expects believers to verbalize their faith, not simply hold a mental assent that God exists.

God's Promise to Save

Les says believing that Christ died, was buried, and rose again brings the promise, "thou shalt be saved," and believers can rest on that promise and hold God accountable to it.

Calling on the Lord to Trigger Salvation

Les presents Romans 10:9 as the heart of the salvation message and says salvation is triggered by calling upon the Lord, using a swimming pool analogy to show a cry for help.

Christ Becomes Lord After Salvation

Les rejects Lordship Salvation as works, but teaches that Christ becomes Lord of the believer's life through the new birth and faith alone.

Confession Made Unto Salvation

Les connects mouth confession to salvation and says someone excited about what God has done will naturally share it with others.

Heart Belief, Not Head Knowledge

Les clarifies that true belief is not just historical head knowledge; it is knowing that Christ died for us and we were buried with Him.

The Promise and Calling on the Lord

Les says the resurrection implies the crucifixion, the promise "thou shalt be saved" is sure because God cannot lie, and Romans 10:13 extends the promise to all who call on the Lord.

Faith Plus Nothing

Les insists salvation is by faith and faith alone; everything else has no part in salvation and adding anything dishonors the finished work of Christ.

Bible Verses

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.

This is the central verse that states the promise of salvation based on mouth confession and heart belief.

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

This verse explains the role of both the heart and the mouth in the salvation promise.

Romans 10:11: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

This verse reassures that the one who believes on Christ will not be put to shame.

Romans 10:13: For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

This verse extends the promise of salvation to everyone who calls on the Lord.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does God promise salvation if I confess Jesus as Lord?

Yes. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Les Feldick emphasizes that this is a promise, not a maybe, and that God cannot lie.

Is mental agreement enough to be saved?

No. Les Feldick says many people have mental assent and say they believe in God, but that is not what God is looking for. God expects verbalization and heart belief, not just a casual statement that you believe in God.

Is salvation by faith alone?

Les Feldick teaches that salvation is by faith and faith alone, faith plus nothing. Everything else must follow, but nothing else has any part in salvation. He also says he does not agree with Lordship Salvation because it smacks of works, although Christ becomes Lord of the believer's life at salvation.

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Source Video

Watch the Teaching: How Can You Know You're Saved? The Plan of Salvation in Scripture