Romans 10:9-10 - confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart

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.

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

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

Romans 10:9-10

Commentary

confess .. the Lord Jesus. Not a simple acknowledgment that He is God and the Lord of the universe, since even demons acknowledge that to be true (James 2:19). This is the deep personal conviction, without reservation, that Jesus is that person's own master or sovereign. This phrase includes repenting from sin, trusting in Jesus for salvation, and submitting to Him as Lord. This is the volitional element of faith.
God has raised Him from the dead. Christ's resurrection was the supreme validation of His ministry (cf. John 2:18-21). Belief in it is necessary for salvation because it proved that Christ is who He claimed to be and that the Father had accepted His sacrifice in the place of sinners (4:24; cf. Acts 13:32, 33; 1 Pet. 1:3, 4). Without the resurrection, there is no salvation (1 Cor. 15:14-17).

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Ro 10:9). Nashville: Word Pub.

"Confess"

"Confess" is the Greek word homologeōg, meaning "to declare the same thing." Therefore, the confession that leads to salvation is that which agrees with God in His judgment concerning man and His remedy for man in Christ. Confession of Jesus as Lord is one of the earliest Christian confessions of faith. To acknowledge Jesus as Lord certainly involves: (1) a recognition of His deity: Lord (kurios, Gk.) is often used to translate the name of God in the O.T. (Yahweh); (2) a recognition of His ability to save; and (3) an acknowledgement of His sovereign right as God-Savior to demand obedience to Himself in all things. The idea of personally trusting Him is involved.

Believer's Study Bible. 1997, c1995. C1991 Criswell Center for Biblical Studies. (electronic ed.) (Ro 10:2). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

1 Corinthians 15:14, 20 - And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless

14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

14and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:14, 20

Commentary

Paul gives 6 disastrous consequences if there were no resurrection:
1) preaching Christ would be senseless (v. 14);
2) faith in Christ would be useless (v. 14);
3) all the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars (v. 15);
4) no one would be redeemed from sin (v. 17);
5) all former believers would have perished (v. 18); and
6) Christians would be the most pitiable people on earth (v. 19).

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (1 Co 15:13). Nashville: Word Pub.

"Firstfruits"

The firstfruits are the first ripened part of the harvest, furnishing actual evidence that the entire harvest is on the way. According to Lev. 23:4-14, the firstfruits in connection with the Passover were used to consecrate the coming harvest. Jesus died on the Passover, and His resurrection is a promise of our own resurrection.

Spirit filled life study Bible. 1997, c1991 (electronic ed.). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.