Devotion #3: Public Confession

Published October 8, 2025
Lesson Five • The Heart of Paul  
Devotion #3: Public Confession  
Joanna Montgomery 

Have you ever played a board game, and the person you were going to play with decided, rather than reading you the instructions, that they would just explain the game to you? I have found that, so often, when that happens, the directions are confusing and it takes way more time than it would have to just read the directions from the box.  

Sometimes, it feels like our Christian walk can be like that. We do not actually read what the Bible says; instead, we listen to someone speak about the Bible and we try to understand their interpretation, which might even be based on someone else’s opinion that they heard. It is so important to know what the Bible actually says. 

Have you ever heard someone say that to be saved, you have to make a public confession? I have heard many people claim that this is what the Bible says. This idea comes from our passage today. Romans 10:9-10 states, “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 is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” 

Many people believe this passage is saying that to be saved, a person has to make a public confession of faith. However, is that really what Paul is saying? Some people believe that if you do not raise your hand in a service or walk forward to the front of the sanctuary, you are not really sincere about wanting salvation. Is that true, though? What about someone who cannot speak? How could they ever be saved? In Luke 23:42-43, the thief on the cross did not make a public confession of faith, and yet Christ told him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” So, how is it that one person has to make a public confession, and others do not? That is why it is so important to read the Bible for ourselves.  

In this passage, Paul is not really saying you have to make a public confession in order to be saved. Paul states that for salvation, an individual needs to agree with the words of their mouth and the love in their heart. The mouth and the heart should be in complete harmony; they should demonstrate the same thing. As followers of Christ, we believe in Him with our heart, our total personality, and everything that we are. This is faith. It is what God asks that we have: faith in Him. God is not asking us for a public confession. He is telling us that our confession, or what we speak, should be in complete agreement with our hearts. People who publicly pray a prayer may not really mean the words they say, even if the prayer is amazing and it is given with great impact. They might give lip service to God while their heart does not really care about Christ at all. If we make a public confession, we need to be completely certain that we are not just saying idle words that mean nothing to us personally.  

So, why would anyone bother confessing publicly if they do not want to be saved, and do not have any faith in God? Confession without faith could be done because someone is self-deceived or because of hypocrisy, or maybe cowardice, but confession with faith is what reveals true salvation.  

Look again, “For with the heart one believes and is justified.” Our heart is what God looks at for salvation. What does our heart want? God sees our true intent, not our attempt to be impressive. With the mouth, one confesses that salvation. A spoken confession of that faith is what happens when our heart is aligned with God. When our heart believes, loves, and trusts God, we will confess the salvation we have received and tell others of what Christ has done for us. We confess, even publicly, our salvation.  

Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Polygon
Trunk or Treat
Trunk or Treat is almost here—October 25! Bring your friends and family for a fun day of candy, games, and dressing up. It’s FREE but ticketed, so register today!
Read more