In Romans 10:9-10 you followed some instructions that made you a child of God, a member of His family, and a citizen of His eternal Kingdom. In two simple steps, you obeyed Jesus’ requirements from the Bible and miraculous, supernatural, and God-sized things happened to you. But, when you obeyed these two verses, you probably didn’t understand fully what you were doing. Let Jesus show you one of the important aspects of Romans 10:9-10.

Rom 10:9-10 (NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. When you confessed with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” you were making Him YOUR Lord. You were saying that you were going to allow Him to be YOUR Boss. BUT, that type of relationship with Jesus isn’t like any earthly king, boss, employer, leader, or authority relationship you have ever seen or experienced. Since you have a God-given free will, you have to allow Jesus to be your Lord on a moment-by-moment, issue-by-issue basis.

1 John 1:9 (NIV) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from ALL unrighteousness. Now that you have obeyed Romans 10:9-10, when you make a mistake, accidently sin, or do wrong on purpose, all you have to do is, confess you sins and your record with God will remain pure and perfect. 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV) God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Moment by moment and issue by issue you can continue to be the righteousness of God. As long as you don’t try to justify your sin, explain it away, forgive YOURSELF, or try to get your friends to convince you that it wasn’t your fault, you can confess it and remain the righteousness of God.

Rom 7:15 (NIV) I do not understand what I DO. For what I WANT to do I do not do, but what I HATE I do. This is how the new and untrained CHRISTIAN treats themselves and those around them. But, as long as you WANT to do good and HATE doing wrong, bad, and evil, your record WITH GOD stays clean. AND, if you REALLY do WANT and HATE those things the Bible and the Holy Spirit are speaking to your conscience, then you remain pure WITH GOD. All those things in your life that are wrong, bad, and evil relationships with yourself and others can be cured through sanctification (spiritual growth). Rom 7:24 (NIV) What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?

Rom 7:22-23 (NIV) For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; But I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. This is the way the new Christian starts out; and, this is the way the untrained Christian remains. That means that as long as you have your God-given wants and hates, your record remains clean WITH GOD. AND, that means your record with yourself and others remains messed up. You will continue having life problems that you can’t get rid of. But, it is Jesus’ plan and provision for you and Him to work together to empower you to live out those things on your record WITH GOD.

Rom 7:20 (NIV) Now if I DO what I do not WANT to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. As long as your God-given WANT stays intact, it is no longer you who do it, but it is sin living in you that does it. God has separated YOU from the deeds of your body; that is how YOU and your record remain clean and pure. As long as this is you: Rom 7:24 (NIV) What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?, your record remains clean and pure WITH GOD.