The commonality in the realm of professing Christendom is the inclusion of human merit for the forgiveness of sin. Whether Roman Catholicism, the majority of Protestantism, or even the peripherally associated cults, such as Jehovah Witnesses and Mormonism; they all require some degree of human effort for salvation. Even with the scriptural revelation of salvation by means of God’s grace, this realm of profession seeks to inject acts of human righteousness to complete this gracious provision. They ruin for themselves God’s provision for their salvation, by rejecting Christ’s complete, satisfactory, and substitutionary work on the cross for their sins. Scripture clearly reveals that salvation is entered into apart from any human works (Rom. 3:20, 5:19; Eph. 2:8,9; Rom.11:6; Titus 3:5). The polar opposite from human works is required for salvation. Lewis Sperry Chafer has stated that approximately 150 passages in Scripture show that faith is the only requirement for salvation. Several such passages are provided here for proof (Rom. 4:5, 5:1; Acts 16:31; Eph.2:8,9).

There are a few verses in Scripture that seem to contradict this well documented truth. Philippians 2:12 says to” work out your own salvation”. What the verse doesn’t say is, “work for you own salvation”. The individual believer, already having salvation, is encouraged to use it! In Romans 13:11 Paul says, “And that knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed”. It seems as though these Christians at Rome, having believed, did not yet possess salvation. In I Timothy 4:16, Paul tells Timothy to “take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” The problem with these two passages and several others, is that a lack of understanding that grace salvation unfolds in three tenses. The Timothy passage is not confusing when understood that it refers to the present tense of salvation. The Romans passage on the other hand, refers to the future tense or salvation. When every reference to salvation is forced to be the past tense of salvation, where salvation is initiated by faith in the gospel of Christ, the result is confusion!

Romans chapter ten has two terms related to salvation that seem to require the need for human actions to be added to faith. Verse nine appears to join a vocal utterance with faith in order to receive salvation, while verse 13 seems to require a general form of communication with God in order to initiate salvation. Let us be reminded from Scripture that an act of faith in the mind is not considered by God to be defined as work (Romans 4:5). Any activity outside the mind is scripturally understood as work.

How then are these two terms in Romans 10:9 and 13 to be understood in relation to the believer’s salvation?

No known problems were addressed by Paul. He had been desiring to visit them at Rome (15:22-28), but was hindered by other pressing matters. In place of an immediate visit, he writes this letter to remind them by the authority of his apostleship (15:15), concerning the gospel of God (all three tenses of salvation - 15:16).

Paul explains the blindness and setting aside of the nation of Israel was for the purpose of showing mercy on everybody (11:1-2, 11-12, 15, 25, 32). Until the fullness of the gentiles (11:25 and Acts 15:14) should come in, only a remnant of Israel would be saved (11:5).

In chapter 10, Paul contrasts Israel’s effort to establish their own righteousness before God, with the Roman brethren’s (10:1) imputed righteousness that came out of faith. The believer’s righteous behavior was an expected logical extension (12:2) from their righteous standing in Christ (5:1,2). Paul begins the chapter by expressing his heart’s good pleasure and supplication to God on behalf of Israel’s salvation. He ends the chapter by stating Israel’s continual unpersuaded and contradicting stance toward God’s gracious opportunities for righteousness by faith. Yet Paul knew that, even now, a remnant of Israel according to an election of grace “had come to be” (11:5).

Righteousness is a correct state of existence, which becomes the basis for correct activity. One of the eternal qualities of the Godhead is righteousness (Ps. 119:42, 145:17). Man has no intrinsic righteousness; therefore his most excellent meritorious efforts are seen as filthy rags. The believer’s personal efforts to produce righteous works are viewed by God as wood, hay, and stubble; all combustible materials (Rom.3:10, Isa. 64:6, I Cor.3:12,13). The epistle to the church at Rome detailed man’s need of God’s righteousness and God’s provision of His righteousness apart from any meritorious effort from man (Titus 3:5, Rom. 4:2-6, IICor. 5:17). This God imputed righteousness was set forth to be the basis from which a spiritual believer could allow Christ, his life, to perform acts of righteousness through him, here on earth (Rom.5: 1-5, Col. 1: 27). The following is a general outline of the first nine chapters of Romans from the viewpoint of righteousness.

Chapter 1- The revelation of God’s righteousness for man (1:16,17)

Chapter 2- The unrighteous condition of all (Jew and Gentile)

Chapter 3- Righteousness, righteously provided from God out from faith concerning Jesus (3:25-28).

Chapter 4- Illustrations of imputed righteousness

Chapter 5- Transition from imputed righteousness to practical righteousness (5:1-2, 17-18, 20-21).

Chapter 6- Instruction in practical righteousness (6:13-20).

Chapter 7- Legalism: the hindrance to practical righteousness

Chapter 8- The empowerment and encouragement for practical righteousness

Chapter 9- Why the gentiles laid hold of righteousness, while Israel did not

The usages in Romans 10:9and 10 appear to make vocal confession a requirement in order to receive salvation. But that perception would contradict the rest of the letter to the Roman believers (righteousness by faith, not by works). The confession mentioned in Romans 10 is a confession from those who are already righteous by means of faith in Christ (10:4). This confession is a result of their salvation. Their salvation is the cause of this confession.

This compound word means to direct communication toward, to address someone or be addressed by someone. The term is found 32 times in the New Testament. Eleven times it is used to express someone’s surname (Matt. 10:3, Lk.22:3, Acts 1:23, 4:36, 10:5, 18, 32, 11:13, 12:12, 25, 15:22). Six times it is used to address a government official (Acts 25:11, 12, 21, 25, 26:32, 28:19). Two times, God addresses His name upon believers (Acts 15:17, James 2:7). Thirteen times it is a form of address used by believers addressing God (Acts 2:21, 7:59, 9:14, 21, 22:16, Rom. 10:12, 13, 14, I Cor. 1:2, II Cor.1:23, II Tim.2:22, Heb. 11:16, I Pet. 1:17). Unbelievers never use this form of communication in the New Testament! The translation, “address” or “make address to” works well in all 32 occurrences.

B. Paul’s description of “out from faith” righteousness vs.6-10

Paul writes to the church at Rome for the purpose of explaining the whole realm of salvation which was their’s (past tense- 1:16, 11:14, present tense- 5:1-5, 10, future tense- 5:9, 10:9, 13, 13:11). He refers to the future tense of salvation but does not elaborate on it as he did in I Thessalonians 4 and I Corinthians 15. He builds a foundation with past tense salvation in order to emphasize the outworking of present tense salvation. In doing so, Paul explains God’s gracious provision of imputed righteousness by faith (4:11, 22-24) out of which, actions of righteousness should be the logical result (6:11-18). The vocal confession of 10:9 and the general communication (“call upon”, “address”) of 10:13 show two examples of how “out of faith” righteousness “speaks” (10:6). These two actions are not meritorious requirements added to faith in order to receive righteousness/salvation. They are the practical outworkings from any individual who has already entered into salvation by FAITH ALONE!

Table 1

Table 2

Step 1 - Know (in the mouth and in the heart)

Step 2 - Do (Don’t! Don’t! Don’t! Don’t!)

Step 3 - Receive righteousness out from law

Step 4 - Allowed to keep on living {1400 B.C. , 1399, 1398, 1397, 1396 . . . } (Deut. 30: 10-20).

Table 3

Step 1 - Know the gospel of Christ

Step 2 - Direct faith toward the gospel of Christ

Step 3 - God’s righteousness imparted

Step 4 - The Divine Nature, energized by Eternal Life, directed by faith from the Holy Spirit = good works (Eph. 2:10)

Table 4

Table 5

Vs.8 “What saith it (faith righteosuness)? [the utterance is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that is the utterance from faith which we proclaim]

Vs. 9 “If you should confess with your mouth, Jesus as Deity (an act of practical righteosness) and believe in your heart that God has raised Him out from among dead ones (an act of faith towards the gospel of Christ, which resulted in inputed righteousness) you will be saved (complete salvation, i.e. glorification - Romans 8:30).

Vs. 10 (Explains that a person is declared righteous because of his faith in the gospel of Christ, and that he proceeds to vocally confess the deity of Christ because he now possesses salvation. Paul’s preaching (vs.8) included both past tense and present tense salvation, which would be concluded with future tense salavtion, “you will be saved.”)