“because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and thus has righteousness and with the mouth one confesses and thus has salvation. For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who richly blesses all who call on him. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:9-13)
To this I say amen! And Praise God! “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) That Salvation is in Jesus and available to all who confess Jesus as Lord is the message of the cross.
Then Paul, after stating these powerful truths about and salvation in Jesus, turns his conversation towards us, the church. Those of us who are saved In Christ, who have confessed Jesus as Lord, who have “tasted and seen that the Lord is Good” (Psalm 34:8). He looks at us, and he looks at those in our community who do not know Jesus. Then Paul has us in the church to look at those who are lostPaul asks us, and he asks us,
“How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How timely is the arrival of those who proclaim the good news.” (Romans 10:14-15)
Paul asks the church, he turns and looks you and I in the eye and asks us, How our the lost to call on and confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord, unless you have a conversation with them about Jesus? How are they to believe in their heart that Jesus is raised from the dead if they have not heard that spoken in love to them by you? How are they to accept the Gospel, the “Good News” of salvation unless you take the time and in a timely manner without delay share the Gospel with them?
Paul is directing his words to you and I and he tells us to look at our family, friends, co-workers, classmates, neighbors and those in our community we will cross paths with today who do not know Christ and need someone to share the good news about Jesus with them. And he asks us who have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, “If not you, then who? If not today, then when?”
My family, I pray this morning after reading Paul’s words you will hear the Holy Spirit say to you, “If not you then who, if not today, then when?” And you will be the person who arrives in timely manner and shares the good news of Jesus today with someone who will perish without you taking time to speak to them about Jesus in love and let them hear it from you. We are starting a new week. You may have to confess that is has been weeks, or regretfully months or years since you stepped out and had a conversation with someone who does not know Jesus about Jesus It may have been weeks, regretfully months or years since your church had a baptism. Please do not let this week be added to that time of regret. You have your car, your feet, your phone, your email, the internet; so you are without excuse, In Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers with us on this blog in the comment box below.
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