In Rom10:9–10, the centrality of heart-belief in the chiastic structure (the reason we see the reverse order) preserves the logical sequence believe -> confess, while highlighting the functional equivalence of belief and confession. The idiom of heart and mouth reflects full comprehension able to express and actually expressed outwardly, echoing Moses’ instruction in Deut30:14 to internalize and verbalize God’s word. Confession is not a work, because it is an integral facet of genuine faith. In Rom10:8-16, Paul presents at minimum: believing the Gospel of the resurrected Jesus Christ, faith in Jesus Christ, confession of Jesus Christ, and obedience to God’s Gospel concerning Jesus Christ as essential parts of genuine faith.
Only Believe
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In Rom10:9–10, the centrality of heart-belief in the chiastic structure (the reason we see the reverse order) preserves the logical sequence believe -> confess, while highlighting the functional equivalence of belief and confession. The idiom of heart and mouth reflects full comprehension able to express and actually expressed outwardly, echoing Moses’ instruction in Deut30:14 to internalize and verbalize God’s word. Confession is not a work, because it is an integral facet of genuine faith. In Rom10:8-16, Paul presents at minimum: believing the Gospel of the resurrected Jesus Christ, faith in Jesus Christ, confession of Jesus Christ, and obedience to God’s Gospel concerning Jesus Christ as essential parts of genuine faith.
“But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid, only believe.””
Mark 5:36 NASB2020
Sometimes we can complicate what God is looking for. The simplicity of faith is far more powerful than the biggest mountain.
Amen.. context here is daughter is dead. Then Christ He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. Then got to the place He said “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” . In everything this world tosses at us know how He sees (truth) and how He talks.
SB you don't have any problems all you need is faith in GOD. All things are possible to them that? Yes believe with God all things are possible.
No, I’m sorry, but it’s not me that puts repentance, confession and baptism AFTER faith—it’s the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 puts repentance and baptism AFTER FAITH. Repent and be baptized. If repentance comes before faith then so does baptism! You would have us believe that the Hews there do not yet believe. Because Peter is telling them to repent and be baptized and according to you that must come before faith. The Jews there asked, “what shall we do?” Evidence of faith; The same question Saul of Tarsus asked Jesus when he talked to Him on the road to Damascus AFTER HE BELIEVED. That’s why Peter did not tell those Jews in Acts 2 to believe, he knew they believed or they would not be asking what they needed to do. Same reason Jesus on the road to Damascus did not tell Saul to “believe”; He knew what you seem to NOT KNOW—Saul already believed when he asked what he should do? It’s impossible to repent and be sorry for something you do not believe in. And why would you CHANGE YOUR LIFE ( repentance) if you do not even believe in Jesus?
In Acts 2, it is not feasible that those Jews wanted to know what to do to be saved when they did not even believe Jesus was the Messiah. That was the whole point of the sermon Peter just preached to them—to convince them that Jesus was the Son of God. So you would have us believe that they did not believe What Peter said, they don’t believe in Christ but they just want to know what to do to be saved anyway??? There’s no way. If they don’t believe Peter’s sermon why do they even CARE what you must do to be saved? It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe.
Acts 20:21 is not proof of your premise. Luke is talking about 2 different groups of people and he is talking about Two different personalities in the Godhead—God the Father and Jesus the Christ. They needed to repent toward God and believe in the Christ. This is not proving repentance comes first. The Jews already believed in God. Why do you think John’s baptism was a baptism of “REPENTANCE” for the Jews? The scriptures say John was preparing the way for them to believe in Christ. The Greeks had no faith at all. They were basically heathens, idolaters. They needed faith FIRST. You are totally misusing that scripture to try to support “faith only” doctrine.
Jesus put baptism AFTER faith AND BEFORE salvation in Mark 16:16. “Believe and is baptized.” You make order important when it comes to “repent”, but deny it when it comes to “baptism.”
The Holy Spirit puts confession and baptism AFTER faith in Acts 8,; the eunuch was required to “believe” before he could be baptized. and again in Acts 16. In all of the examples of conversion in Acts, Faith was necessary first, it was the first step, not repentance. When the eunuch wanted to be baptized, Phillip said, “If you BELIEVE you may”; he did not say, “if you repent you may.” Faith is necessary first, and is the reason you repent. A reverse of that is neither logical nor scriptural.
In Romans 10, Confession is listed before belief. Are you going to say that means you must confess before you believe, like you say ‘you must repent before you believe? Does that mean confession comes before faith? I guess it does by your logic. But actually, again, in order to SAVE your “faith only” doctrine, you must try to make confession and faith be the SAME THING! That’s impossible! You don’t have to be smart to know that “confession” and “belief” are NOT THE SAME THING anymore than “repentance” and belief” are the same thing. You may teach they are “a two sided coin” but the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and God do not teach that. That is a perfect example of “man-made” doctrine. God says belief is in the heart, confession is with the mouth. Not only are they 2 different acts, they use two different parts of the body to accomplish. They are no more the “same thing” than the mouth and the heart are the same part of the body. In Romans 10 the word “together” is not in that verse but is something you ADDED to try to make it say something it does not say. What is the “SAME “ in that verse is THE WORD OF FAITH. .The word of faith is in the mouth and in the heart. The “SAME” word is in both. One word in TWO parts of the body. If Acts 20:21 proves repentance comes before faith, then Romans 10:9 proves that confession comes before faith. So, now, you’ve got to repent of your sins and change your life, and confess Your faith in Christ BEFORE YOU BELIEVE IN CHRIST!! This just gets more and more ridiculous.
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Blue155
Guest
Good statements. Both this and your explanation of the context of "believe" in Mark5:36.
I'd add that what Jesus said in Mark5:36 is written by Mark as a command. Luke also stated it as a command Luke8:50. It could have been stated otherwise by either or both writers.
You’re misrepresenting what was actually said. No one here is denying repentance or obedience — the disagreement is over what saves, not what follows.
Salvation is not caused by repentance and baptism; it’s received through faith, and those who truly believe will repent and obey. That’s exactly what Scripture says:
“To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” — Romans 4:5 (KJV)
You keep rearranging the order God gives. In Acts 2, repentance and baptism follow Peter’s command to “believe” (Acts 2:38 fits perfectly with Acts 10:43–47 KJV). Those who “gladly received his word” were baptized — belief produced obedience, not the other way around.
Faith and repentance are inseparable — but they’re not identical. Repentance is the change of heart that faith produces, not a work added to faith.
“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works.” — Ephesians 2:8–9 KJV
As for confession, it’s simply the expression of faith already present in the heart (Romans 10:9–10 KJV). You’re turning evidences of faith into instruments of salvation.
If repentance, baptism, and confession cause salvation, then grace ceases to be grace (Romans 11:6 KJV). But if they follow salvation, they confirm that grace has truly taken root.
Faith alone saves — but the faith that saves is never alone.
Grace and peace.
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Blue155
Guest
It’s easy to copy and paste one’s comments and let AI give you a response without actually engaging in it yourself. You have been corrected by many people in your misunderstanding of verses.
If multiple people quote the same Scriptures, that’s not “AI” — that’s consistency with the Word of God.
It’s easier to dismiss a person’s post than to deal with what’s written in Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8–9, and Romans 11:6. Those verses make the order of salvation unmistakable:
“To him that worketh not, but believeth…” (Rom. 4:5 KJV)
“By grace are ye saved through faith…” (Eph. 2:8 KJV)
“If by grace, then is it no more of works…” (Rom. 11:6 KJV)
The issue isn’t who typed the words — it’s whether the words align with Scripture.
If something I post doesn’t, show it from the Bible and I’ll gladly stand corrected.
Otherwise, let’s stay focused on the text, not the typing.
Grace and peace.
The chiastic structure of Romans 10:9–10 doesn’t make confession a co-cause of justification — it emphasizes the same faith expressed inwardly and outwardly. Paul isn’t adding a second requirement; he’s showing that genuine belief naturally speaks.
Notice the sequence:
“With the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” — Romans 10:10 KJV
The heart believes unto righteousness — that’s justification.The mouth confesses unto salvation — that’s the public acknowledgment flowing from it.
Paul already defined the basis of justification earlier:
“To him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” — Romans 4:5 KJV
Confession, repentance, and obedience are the fruit of faith — never the foundation of it.
If they were co-causes, grace would no longer be grace (Romans 11:6 KJV).
Grace and peace.
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Blue155
Guest
When someone runs out of Scripture, “AI” becomes the new Greek word for I’ve got nothing left.
If you think the verses I cited are wrong, show it from the Bible. Otherwise, attacking how they’re typed doesn’t change what they say.
“To him that worketh not, but believeth…” — Romans 4:5 KJV
“By grace are ye saved through faith…” — Ephesians 2:8 KJV
Still waiting for a verse that says “By calling something AI ye shall be justified.”
Grace and peace.
You guys need to remember that before you meet a person, you can't talk with them or walk with them.
But when you meet them, they interact with you as they know you.
How many people do you make do an arbitrary list of things before you deem their acquaintanceship with you valid?
But when you meet them, they interact with you as they know you.
How many people do you make do an arbitrary list of things before you deem their acquaintanceship with you valid?
That’s a thoughtful analogy, Ceph — but salvation isn’t about meeting God on our own terms or through vague acquaintance. Scripture defines how we know Him and when that relationship begins.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” — John 17:3 KJV
We don’t make arbitrary lists; we follow what He already gave.Faith comes by hearing His Word (Romans 10:17 KJV), not by human impressions or mystical “meetings.”
True acquaintance with God begins the moment we believe His Son and trust His finished work — not when we create our own path to Him.
Of course, poor Blue155 can’t engage the verses — everything looks like AI when Scripture short-circuits your argument.
Grace and peace.
There is a city mentioned in the OT called Ai. God destroyed it.
“But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, *said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid, only believe.””
Mark 5:36 NASB2020
Sometimes we can complicate what God is looking for. The simplicity of faith is far more powerful than the biggest mountain.
Jesus' words in Matthew 17:20-21
Faith the size of a mustard seed moved the mountain of my unbelief. .
Yes, God did destroy Ai — and He still topples anything that exalts itself against His truth (2 Cor 10:5 KJV).
That’s the difference: His Word stands; the rest falls.
Grace and Peace
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Blue155
Guest
No AI is needed to defeat poor reasoning.
Sound doctrine and Scripture are enough. Let’s keep the focus on truth, not on personal attacks.
Grace and Peace
Your reasoning isn’t grounded in Scripture, and it shows. I call you on it, and you lash out in hatred!
When theology becomes a patchwork of random thoughts, it stops being truth and turns into confusion.
The Word of God deserves better handling than that.
Grace and peace.