The Book of Romans: The Simplicity of Salvation

The Book of Romans

Introduction:

Good morning church. Boy am I ever excited to be here with you this morning. Good to have Chris back this morning. Brother you were missed. For those of you who are visiting this morning, my name is Stuart Davidson. Im the pastor here at Eastern Shore Baptist Church. If you are a first time guest or if you are watching online, welcome. 

We are back in Romans this morning. Do me a favor and flip in your Bibles to Romans 10, and put your finger on verses 9 and 10. 

Before we start, let me sort of give you the overview of what we have been discussing for the last several weeks. Paul has been laying out this great big story of salvation. In the opening chapters, Paul makes it clear that all of us, Jews and Gentile alike are sinners in desperate need of grace. 

In chapter 3, he tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Then Paul turns our attention to God’s solution, salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 

Chapter 5 reminds us that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” By the time we get to chapters 6 through 8, Paul is teaching us about the new life we have in Christ, how we are no longer slaves to sin but alive in Him, and that nothing can separate us from the love of God. In chapters 9 and 10, Paul begins to pour out his heart for Israel, reminding us of God’s sovereignty in salvation and His desire that His people would know Him. That brings us to our text this morning, where Paul speaks with beautiful simplicity about how a person is saved.

Way back in 2010, maybe you heard this story, but 33 Chilean miners were trapped underground for 69 days after a mine collapse. Do any of you remember that story? It was amazing. There was no way they could climb out, no ladder long enough, no strength within themselves to escape. Their only hope was for someone outside the mine to come down and rescue them. And that’s exactly what happened. 

Engineers designed a capsule, lowered it down, and one by one, those men were lifted to freedom. The moment that I saw that story, I realized that there is a sermon. That is a great picture of Jesus. I remember the joy on the miner’s faces when the light was dropped down to them. That light illuminating the darkness. Messages started to come from the top. Food and drink began to make its way down. Then finally, that tube made its way to them. One by one, saved. Church, that’s salvation. That’s an illustration of our rescue. 

We were all trapped in the pit of sin with no way out, no hope of saving ourselves. But God sent Jesus down into our darkness to rescue us. God sent a light into our dark world. 

And this morning, we’re going to talk about the simplicity of that rescue, the simplicity of salvation. In fact, that is the title of my message this morning. 

The Simplicity of Salvation

Today’s Message:

“The Simplicity of Salvation”

As a kid, I grew up in Montgomery, AL. One of the perks of growing up in that community is learning about all the legends of the Civil Rights Movement. You also get to learn about all the great black men and women who impacted Alabama…well…these folks even impacted the world. 

I have stood in the very pulpit where Martin Luther King preached at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. 

I have stood at the street corner where Rosa Parks boarded her bus and famously refused to sit the back. 

I learned about John Lewis, born in Troy, one of the leaders of the Freedom Rides and the Selma to Montgomery marches. Then there was Booker T. Washington, born into slavery in Virginia, but spent much of his life in Alabama, eventually becoming the founder of the Tuskegee Institute. 

I remember vividly sitting in my Alabama History class at Trinity Presbyterian School learning about George Washington Carver. Carver as you may know was a prolific scientist and inventor. He grew up extremely poor and barely had an education. His life was difficult. As a young man, Carver walked 10 miles to attend a small college in Iowa. When he finally arrived, he realized that he did not have enough money to cover his college tuition. He was broken hearted. He sat on a bench and cried. 

Walking by that day was the university President. He sat down next to Carver and listened intently to his story. He was amazed at the young man’s intellect and tenacity. Carver’s determination and character were evident. 

As the president heard Carver’s story, he was moved. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out enough money to cover George Washington Carver’s tuition for a year. He gave Carver a gift that he couldn’t earn. Carver received this gift not because he was a member of the President’s family. He was no relation, he was not a distant relative. There was no way, at least at that time that Carver could repay this unexpected gift. No. The gift was freely given out of the goodness of another man’s heart. It was a gift offered with no strings attached. No bait and switch. Just a gift. 

That gift opened the door for Carver to change agriculture and bless millions of lives. That’s what salvation is like, God pays the price we could never afford, opening the way for us to have eternal life.

Do me a favor this morning, fill in the blanks under “Today’s Thought”. Salvation is not earned. It is not inherited. It cannot be purchased. Salvation is freely given in Christ. 

Salvation is not a trophy you win by your own strength, it’s not a family heirloom passed down from grandma’s Bible, and it’s not a product you swipe a credit card to buy. 

No, salvation is the gift of God’s grace, wrapped in the blood of Jesus, and handed to you at the cross. The world tells you that you’ve got to earn it, work harder, climb higher, but the gospel tells you that Jesus already did the work. All that’s left is to receive it. That’s why Paul says in Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess and believe, you are saved. It really is that simple, that powerful, that life-changing!

Today’s Thought:

Salvation Is Not Earned, Not Inherited, and Not Purchased…It Is Freely Given In Christ! 

Oh friends, I love the grand ole preacher and teacher Charles Spurgeon. Often referred to as the “Prince of Preachers”. Not to long ago, Mrs. Aline Stapleton gifted me a set of Spurgeon’s sermons and commentaries. They belonged to her beloved husband Tom who himself was a pastor for many decades. In one of those books I read this great passage from Charles Spurgeon concerning salvation. I thought that I would share it with you this morning.  

Today’s Quote:

“Salvation is not by works, but by faith; not by tears, but by trust; not by penance, but by reliance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The way of salvation is plain: ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’ Rest your soul upon Him; lean your whole weight upon Him; commit your eternal interests to His hands, and you are saved. Nothing more is needed, for Christ has done it all. Salvation is not what you do, but what He has done.” 

-Charles Spurgeon’s “All of Grace”

Statement of Faith:

So, let’s get to God’s Word this morning. I do want to remind you that…

we are opening the living and powerful Word of God…truth without error, breathed out by Him, and fully sufficient for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It is our authority, our guide, and our hope. In honor of the God who gave us His perfect Word, I invite you to stand with me as we read it together.”

Today’s Scripture:

Romans 10:9-10 NLT

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. [10] For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

Pastor: This is the Word of the Lord. 

Congregation: Praise His name. Praise His holy name. 

The Roman Road To Salvation

I. Confess vs. 9

So, let’s travel this Roman road to salvation. For the record, this is a good road to travel as you can trust it. You can put stock in this road. This is not Stuart’s road. This is not Chris’ road, or Josh’s road. This is not some famous theologian’s road. Nope. This is the road paved in the blood of Jesus Christ, laid down by the Apostle Paul. So, if you have ever wondered, “what must I do to be saved”…here’s your answer. This is going to be straight from God’s Word. A step by step analysis of how someone is saved. 

So, our first point this morning is confess. Go back to the first part of verse 9 this morning. 

“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord”

Some translations of Scripture may say it like this…

ESV: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord…”

NIV84: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’…”

NKJV: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus…”

What is Paul trying to communicate here? 

“Confession is acknowledging His rightful authority over your life, we are no longer in charge; He is. Confession is outward evidence of inward faith.”

But let’s be honest this morning, it’s not easy to confess. Why? Because when we confess that Jesus is Lord, we are admitting that we are not. That runs against the grain of everything inside of us. Our flesh wants to sit on the throne of our own lives. We like to call the shots, write our own rules, and live by our own truth. Confessing Jesus as Lord means surrendering the steering wheel. It’s admitting that He has rightful authority over my life, my decisions, my money, my relationships, my future. And church, that’s hard, because it cuts directly against our pride.

It’s also hard to confess our sin. Romans 3:23 (ERV) says: “All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness.” Every one of us falls short. And yet, confession means dragging those hidden failures into the light. That’s uncomfortable. That’s humbling. We’d rather wear masks and pretend we’re better than we really are. Confession admits: “I was wrong, I am guilty, I need help.” And for many of us, that feels like weakness. But in God’s Kingdom, confession is the gateway to strength.

Now the word Paul uses here for “confess” or “declare” is the Greek word homologeō. It literally means “to say the same thing.” To confess Jesus as Lord is to agree with God’s declaration about who Jesus really is. It’s not just whispering His name, it’s publicly aligning your mouth and your life with God’s truth. It’s not private lip service, it’s open allegiance. Think of it this way: when Paul says “confess,” he’s not describing a quiet, timid mumble. He’s describing a bold declaration that matches your heart and your actions. To confess is to stand up and say, “I’m with Jesus. He is Lord over all, and He is Lord over me.”

As I was preparing for this message, I immediately was taken back to one of my favorite all time illustrations. Way back in the 1920s and 30s, Al Capone ruled Chicago with crime, gambling, and violence. At his side was a slick lawyer named “Easy Eddie” O’Hare. Eddie kept Capone out of jail for years. He lived in luxury, but he also had a son he dearly loved. Deep down, Eddie knew the life he was living wasn’t right. He faced a choice, keep covering up corruption or finally confess the truth. Eventually, Eddie cooperated with federal authorities, confessing Capone’s secrets. It cost him his life. He was gunned down in 1939. But his confession opened the door for his son, Butch O’Hare, to grow up with a different legacy. Butch became the U.S. Navy’s first flying ace and a Medal of Honor recipient in World War II. Chicago’s O’Hare Airport is named after him.

Here’s the point, it doesn’t matter if it is your or Easy Eddie O’Hare, confession is hard. There will always be a cost to your confession in Christ. Confession will cost you your pride, because you cannot be full of yourself and full of Jesus at the same time. Confession will cost you your reputation, because not everyone will celebrate when you declare that Christ is Lord. Confession will cost you your comfort, because living for Jesus means stepping out of the shadows and into the light. Confession may even cost you relationships, because some people will walk away when you refuse to bow to the world and instead bow to Christ. But hear me, church, whatever confession costs you, it cannot compare to what it gains you. When you lose your pride, you gain His presence. When you lose your comfort, you gain His comforter. When you lose the world, you gain eternity.

The Roman Road To Salvation

I. Confess vs. 9

II. Commit vs. 9

Now, let move to our second step in the Roman Road to salvation. Our first step is to confess. Confess Jesus as Lord and confess our sin and our need for a Savior. Next, commit. We must fully commit our lives to Jesus Christ. We must recognize Him as the only way, the only path, the only road to heaven. He is the singular ticket. He is the seminal gift. There is no other way to eternity with the Father outside of belief and faith in Jesus Christ. Again, go back to verse 9 this morning.  

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 

So, practically speaking, what does it mean to believe?

“Believing is to commit your life fully to the risen Christ, trusting that His death and resurrection paid the wage for your sins. It’s not head knowledge but rather a heart commitment.”

Friends, we commit to all kinds of things, don’t we? We commit to our jobs. We commit to our hobbies. We commit to gym memberships. We commit to sports teams, to vacation plans, even to Netflix shows we binge-watch. We commit to lesser things without hesitation. But when it comes to committing to Jesus Christ, suddenly we hold back. Suddenly we hesitate. We treat the eternal Savior like He’s optional, while we treat temporary things like they’re ultimate.

Every day we put our faith in people without blinking an eye. 

We trust our doctors to diagnose and prescribe correctly. 

We trust pilots we have never met to get us safely through the skies. 

We trust Uber drivers to navigate us through traffic. 

We trust dentists with sharp instruments in our mouths. 

We trust cooks in restaurants not to poison us. 

We trust pharmacists to hand us the right medicine in the right dosage. 

We place blind faith in imperfect people. 

Yet when it comes to putting our faith in the perfect Son of God, the One who loved us enough to die for us, we hesitate. That makes no sense. Friends, God has already demonstrated His love for us. He has already proven His affections. Romans 5:8 (CEV) says, “But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful.” If God has already proven His love for you at the cross, why would you hold anything back from Him?

Go back to that word “believe”. Let’s look at the Greek again. The word is pisteuō (Piss-two-oh). It doesn’t just mean mental agreement. It means to trust in, to rely upon, to lean your full weight on something. It’s the difference between saying, “I believe that chair can hold me up” and actually sitting down in it. Pisteuō (Piss-two-oh) is not just thinking something is true, it is entrusting yourself to it. Believing in Jesus is staking your life, your soul, your eternity on Him and Him alone.

How do we strengthen that kind of belief in Christ? We do it the same way we strengthen any relationship. Spend time with Him in prayer. Soak in His Word until His promises are louder than your doubts. Surround yourself with His people who remind you of His faithfulness. Step out in obedience even when you don’t have all the answers, and watch how He proves Himself faithful again and again. Faith grows when it is exercised.

How many of you have heard of the great Charles Blondin? Charles Blondin was a world renowned French tight-rope walker. In the 1850s and 60s, Blondin became famous for walking across Niagara Falls on a rope over 1,000 feet long and only a few inches thick. Crowds gathered on both sides of the Falls to watch him perform death-defying feats. He didn’t just walk across once. He walked backward, blindfolded, even on stilts. At one point he pushed a wheelbarrow across loaded with sacks of potatoes. The crowd cheered wildly every time.

Then Blondin turned to the spectators and asked, “Do you believe I can carry a man across in this wheelbarrow?” The crowd roared back, “Yes, we believe!” Blondin smiled and said, “Alright then, who will get in?” And suddenly, the cheers grew quiet. Everyone believed in their heads, but no one was willing to commit with their lives.

Church, that is the difference between mental agreement and saving faith. Many people say they believe in Jesus. They cheer Him on from the sidelines. But true belief is climbing into the wheelbarrow. True belief is entrusting your life, your soul, your eternity into the hands of the One who carried the cross for you. Saving faith says, “Lord, carry me. My life is in Your hands.”

The Roman Road To Salvation

I. Confess vs. 9

II. Commit vs. 9

III. Converted vs. 10

We have arrived at our last point this morning. Confess, commit and now, verse 10 tells us…we are converted. 

For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved.

You are saved!

What does that mean? Saved…converted?

“Conversion is the miracle of grace: God takes a sinner and makes him a saint through the power of the cross.”

Romans 6:23 (AMP) puts it like this: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Salvation is not just a change of mind, it is a change of heart. It is not a mere decision, it is a divine transformation. When you are converted, the Holy Spirit of God comes to live within you. And when He comes in, He does not leave you the same.

The Spirit brings life into what was dead. Your soul that was separated from God comes alive. You are literally a new creation, a brand-new creature in Christ. The old you is gone, the new you has come. Your destiny changes. Your destination changes. You are no longer bound for hell, you are heaven-bound. Your name is written in the Lamb’s Book