Romans 10:8,9
But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the Word of Faith we are proclaiming: 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.
*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 2784
Proclaim: to herald publicly with conviction
From the Greek word 'kérussó' (pronounced kay-roos'-so): refers to preaching the Gospel as the authoritative (binding) word of God, bringing eternal accountability to all who hear it.
Did you get that? ALL who hear the Word of God preached are ACCOUNTABLE for the Word they have heard. Convicting power right there. When I hear the Word of Faith preached, I am accountable for what I am hearing. When I preach the Word of Faith, anyone hearing me, even if you are reading the Word I bring, is accountable for what they are hearing. (If you're like me, you tend to speak the words as you read them, even if it's just a whisper or your hear the Word in your thoughts).
We need to listen to the Spirit of God when He brings convicting power into our hearing. When the Word of God says to do a certain thing and we don't do it, that's sin. When the Word of God says not to do a certain thing and we do it, that's sin, too.
In this verse we read and understand that believing on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ is the key to salvation through the atoning work of Christ on the cross.
ETERNAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Having believed that Christ died on the cross to save us from the eternal damnation (hell) that was our destiny as the result of sin in our lives, now, if we have believed that Jesus is Lord, then our eternal destination has changed and we are on the road to eternal life (heaven). Forgiven [Crowder].
For now, in this life, we walk in the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4), for death no longer threatens us. We live our lives within the bold love of God, telling everyone we can that Jesus is Lord, testifying of how He changes our lives and how He can change their lives. Look What The Lord Has Done (Lindell Cooley [Revival In Brownsville].
THE ONE GOSPEL
John 3:16-18
16) "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17) "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
17) "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18) “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
I believe. In 1996 I gave my heart to Jesus: I became a born again believer. I was attending a wonderful little Methodist church near our home out in the county. Our children and I walked the quarter-mile every Sunday to attend church, with me pushing the twins in their stroller.
One Sunday, almost 28 years ago, I made the public announcement that I had chosen to listen to God above all else. My heart changed and then my attitudes changed. And then, my whole life was turned upside down. The husband I had at that time didn't want to be married to me any more, so the size of my family changed. We were broken. But I was Alive in Christ and my brokenness was just the beginning. My heart had to broken so that God could fill me up with Himself and mend my broken places.
And I came here to this sprawling city. Living in the city is completely different from living in the country. But God is everywhere and I had decided to follow His leading. Here is where He led me and here I stand, testifying of God's faithfulness in my life.
That decision led me to a wonderful little church where I was discipled with love to become a Sunday School teacher, a Youth Leader and a faith-based songwriter. I attended that church for five years, 1997-2002.
From there I was launched by the Spirit into the church I currently attend. Here I became the Singles Leader for a brief time (2 years) and then began to study for the ministry to become a preacher. One heart/life/soul changing decision led to many open doors for me.
When we choose to take a stand, and not back down, for the life-changing, heart-cleansing, gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, then we need to be prepared for the outcome of our stance. We need to be prepared to be come against from all directions. We need the Word of Faith that has been planted in us by our hearing of it and believing it to Grow in us, that Christ would be visible to others by our words and our actions. We need to Speak Jesus.
Do you believe? Let me hear you testify.
