Am I correct in saying that the rulers in Israel who believed—but who would not confess Christ—were not really saved because confession was necessary for salvation under the Prophecy Program as opposed to the fact that we do not have to confess with our mouths today in order to be saved?
Is Paul addressing Jews saved by the Gospel of the Kingdom in Rom. 10:9, and therefore the Body of Christ should not be taking this verse as doctrine for us today?
Romans 10: 9
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.
I think that I have answered this question before and it is here on the blog: Confess, pray, call upon…, but I will still write some of my thoughts out again as well.
As far as your question about Romans 10:9, I agree with you that using those passages in Romans chapters 10 are not to be used to share the gospel of Grace today!
Our Apostle Paul already explained what a person must do to be saved, and that is to believe on the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Romans 3:22-26; 4:5; 5:1
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
So our Apostle makes it crystal clear in the book of Romans, waaay before we get to chapter 10, what it takes to be saved, and no works are involved!
So the question comes up, then why did he write what he wrote?
Romans 10:9-10
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.
The purpose of Romans chapters 9, 10, and 11 is to deal with what happened to Israel! Romans 9 deal with Israel's past as God's people. Romans 10 deal with Israel's present state of being in a fallen position in the eyes of God. And Romans chapter of 11 deals with the future day when God will deal with them as his people again!
So in chapter 10, Paul, as he explains why Israel has fallen, and also how individual Jewish people have a chance to be saved, will deal with objections of the Jews who won't accept their fallen position. Therefore our Apostle uses Jewish terminology and a lot of Old Testament scripture to explain how the Lord Jesus Christ is the end of and the fulfillment of that Jewish Program!
In Romans 10:9-10, the "thou" has to do with a Jew. The Jews of Paul's day had a custom of speaking what they believed!
2 Corinthians 4:13
We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
This is a quote from their Old Testament…
Psalm 116:10
I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:
Paul did it also in Acts 9 when he himself was saved on the road to Damascus.
Acts 9:5-6
And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
He did what many of the other religious leaders of Israel, although they believed on him, would not do, that is confess him!
John 12:42-43
Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
So the Jewish people of Paul's day, if they believed on Jesus, they would confess His name, and God would save them!
That is not necessary for us gentiles today, especially because that was a Jewish custom!
So there is no need to go to those passages to share the gospel, when there are many other plain passages from our Apostle of how to share Christ; and also because those passages in Romans 10 pertain to the Jews!
Hopefully this helps...Maranatha!
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