Romans 10:8-10 ESV
But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 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.
The word is near in the sense of being within our grasp. Salvation is possible because God has made it so. We only need to reach out to Him and He will take our hand. This happens inside a man.
Taking God's hand is done in the heart. It is the state of a heart given to God. It cannot be faked because all hearts are before Him and are judged in truth. In the heart is the reality of belief and it serves as the vessel of faith. This is where the Holy Spirit makes His home.
Equally required is confession. This implies the outward reflection of the inward reality of a changed heart. A changed heart will manifest through our words and actions. This is the fruit of the Spirit God expects. Fruitless branches will be pruned and cut off from the vine.
The word is defined for us. Jesus is The Lord and He has overcome the curse of death. In Him we have life. Good news indeed!
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