Is Confessing that “Jesus is Lord, the Son of God” Enough?

Mark 3:11
Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”

When developing Bible teachings, there are rules to follow to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the interpretation we make of scriptures. Without rules of interpretation, any Bible verse would mean anything. One of the basic rules of interpretation includes the fact that we cannot build a doctrine on only one Bible verse.

If only one verse tells us to use little wine for stomach ailments, that one verse cannot be the basis of using alcohol. If only one verse tells us about one being taken and one being left, it cannot be the basis of developing a doctrine on how Jesus will return and calling it secret rapture. If only one text talks about the second tithe and the givers eating that tithe, it cannot be the basis of demanding that we who give the tithe should again eat it.

Romans 10:9
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

If this was the only Bible text on salvation, then it would be right to state that if you confess that Jesus is LORD and God and you believe it, this would be all you need to get saved eternally. To only use this text to decide the salvation process and ignore other Bible texts on salvation, is a fallacy and dishonesty that is best dubbed as eisegesis.

Our Bible text today tells us that When demon-possessed people were brought close to Jesus, the demons left them but they first spoke to Jesus before leaving. The demons confessed the divinity and power of Jesus. The demons confessed to Jesus with their mouths and left!

Confessing Jesus with your own tongue is no guarantee of salvation. If you are calling on God to answer your prayers, that is ok. But as a means of a one-stop salvation process, it is not! While confession of Jesus must be done, it must be followed by a changed lifestyle (actions, works, plans, etc.,)

James 2:19-20
(19) You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that —and shudder.
(20) You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?

To believe and confess Jesus is of no value if you don’t live a life consistent with that confession. To believe and confess that Jesus is LORD and God doesn’t make you any different from demons. Demons know and believe to the extent of shuddering when they hear the name of Jesus. They know, they believe, and they confess while trembling that Jesus is LORD!

We must improve our faith so that we are not in the same category as demons. The only way to improve our faith is to practice what we believe and preach. Just putting in practice what you read and proclaim. Without the practice of faith, our daily proclamation loses value!

Confessing that Jesus is LORD, the Son of God, is the first step of the salvation process. It is not the only step sufficient of itself. When I confess Jesus I also confess my sins. God instantly forgives and I am justified and saved from sin. If I die at that very moment, I will inherit eternal life.

After confessing Jesus and my sins, my life must now change. Satan and selfish desires used to be my LORD, but now Jesus is my king, life under the two can’t be the same. A change of lifestyle becomes a consequence of salvation. We may not instantly change our entire lifestyle but bit by bit it changes through a process of sanctification. The Holy Spirit enables me to live according to God’s will.

If you are saved, your lifestyle must change. Change of lifestyle is not a requirement for salvation but a consequence of salvation. If the consequence is missing then it means salvation did not take place. Confessing Jesus must be followed by a consequence of that confession, therefore the confession itself isn’t enough!

Confessing Jesus is not enough, our lifestyle must be consistent with that confession. May our lifestyle be consistent with the messages we preach and teach. Cast out demons that trouble us daily, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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