What Does a Person have to Do to be Saved?
Romans 10:8-13
March 3, 2024
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig
www.biblebc.com
I. Introduction and Review (Romans 10:13)
A. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
B. What a powerful, and simple explanation of how anyone can get saved!
C. Romans has been such a great Book in the Bible so far!
1. So far, the Apostle Paul has written a lot about sin, and God’s righteous wrath against people who break His laws
2. But Paul has also explained more about absolute and complete forgiveness and pardoning, and obtaining perfect righteousness from God
3. It is called, being saved!
D. But, It is no good just talking about God's forgiveness and justification…
E. If no one knows how to get it
F. So, Paul Now Explains How ANYBODY Can Get Saved!
II. Message
A. The Preliminaries
1. Romans 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
3. What is “Saved”?
a. It means to rescue someone from ruin, or disaster; or in the Bible, from hell!
b. Jesus used this word a lot! Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. … who had no hope
4. Saved from What?
a. Matthew 1:21 And she [MARY] shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: [WHY] for he shall save his people from their sins.
b. That is what the name Jesus means… Jehovah, SAVES!
c. Saved FROM sin’s power over us in THIS life!
d. And saved FROM sin’s punishment in the next life - the eternal judgment of God
1) Romans 6:17,18 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin [SAVED], ye became the servants of righteousness.
2) Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
3) You need to know that this life is not all there is! You are going to live forever
4) You just need to decide where!
5. Hell is real
a. Jesus said in Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
b. Never forget that!
c. Hell was not made up by some church to control the masses
d. It is a place of final justice
e. It was created by Almighty God for the punishment of the devil and his angels
f. And unfortunately, everyone who does not WANT God, and dies in their sin, goes there too!
g. Matthew 25:41 Then shall he [JESUS] say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
h. Don’t tell me you don’t believe in hell when deep down you know you wish God would judge al, the wrongs in this life!
i. Well, one day He will!
6. We are all in trouble with God because of our sin!
a. All of us have sinned against God – rebelled, gone our own ways!
b. Luke 3:7 Then said he [JOHN THE BAPTIST] to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
c. You wouldn’t respect a God who didn’t deal with and judge sin!
d. Wake up! He is going to one day catch up with you and deal with YOUR sins!
B. What Sends a Person to Hell?
1. Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2. You probably missed it, but the answer is plain as day why the majority of people go to hell when they die
3. It is NOT because they sin a particular sin like adultery or murder or stealing or lying
a. Did you know that Moses killed the man? And yet he's in heaven
b. Did you know that David committed adultery and covered it up with a murder? And yet he's in heaven
c. Did you know Peter cursed the very name of Jesus the night before Jesus was crucified? And yet he's in heaven
d. All of those sinners are saved and in heaven today!
e. So, a specific sin does NOT send a person to hell!
4. Listen to Romans 10:13 again…
a. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
b. Anything you do besides believe what Jesus did FOR you, will send you to hell
1) Give loads of money to the poor? Sends you to hell as fast a bullet
2) Pray 1,000 Hail Mary’s a day? Damns you as fast as adultery!
3) Walk around the Cobh Cathedral three times every Saturday evening, on your knees? Will drag you straight down to the devil’s hell like a wife-beating drunkard!
4) Get baptized, catechized, homogenised, pasteurized, and you will still be lost in your sins!
c. That may be rough and hard to take in, but anything that you do besides believe what Jesus did FOR you, will send you to hell forever!
d. You have never heard that before? Well, you are hearing it today!
e. THAT is the Gospel truth!
5. In other words, Self-righteousness damns every soul – Wait, What? Yep!
a. Another word for self-righteousness is PRIDE! Arrogant, self-centred, egotistical PRIDE is what damns people!
b. A man or woman goes to hell because they have stood up to God and said all their life, “I am okay. I am good enough. I don’t need the Bible. I don’t need a Saviour. I am as good as I need to be, and that better be enough, or else, I don't want you, God!”
c. “Good”, self-righteous people don’t need a Saviour – they only need a little help every once in a while, right?
d. Well, that's why they end up in hell
C. The Smug Attitude of a Happy Sinner
1. People refuse to believe the Gospel because they can't imagine God sending a person like themselves to hell because THEY wouldn't do that!
a. Damned people think they are more moral than God! Are better and kinder than God.
b. They are not!
c. They are just more TOLERANT of sin than God is, and they think heaven will be just fine with people like them in it when this life has proven that we all are a nightmare unless we are changed from the inside out!
d. So self-righteous people are saying, "God, since ‘I’ wouldn't send anyone to hell, and You would, then obviously ‘I’ am better than you."
1) That is what atheist Christopher Hitchens has always said – I’m more righteous
2) That’s what atheist Richard Dawkins has always said – I am more moral than God
3) No, you are just more tolerant of sin than the Lord is.
4) That is proof that you love your sin, and don’t want God.
5) And you will die in your sin!
e. Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness
f. Romans 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
g. Romans 2:2,3 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
h. Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
i. Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death...
2. Here is what will happen when most people stand before God at the moment of death... (Hebrews 9:27) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment
a. God is going to ask you: "Did you know about my Son?"
b. And the Sinner will respond: "Yes."
c. God: "Did you know that He was righteous?"
d. Sinner: "Oh, Yes."
e. God: “Did you hear that you had to ask HIM to forgive your sins, and not some priest?”
f. Sinner: "Well, yes."
g. God: "Then why didn't you ask Him?"
h. Sinner: "I figured I had to try and be good."
i. God: "Were you good?"
j. Sinner: "Well, now that you mention it, No."
k. God: "Then why didn't you believe on my Son?"
l. Sinner: "But God, I didn't want to be like those hypocrites in churches."
m. God: "Was my Son a hypocrite?"
n. Sinner: "Well, no."
o. God: "Then why didn't' you receive Him?"
p. Silence!
q. That is what it will be like, ladies and gentlemen at the moment of your death if you don’t believe the Gospel yourself.
r. Just before being sent away into outer darkness, forever and forever!
3. I read the testimony of a soul-winner who witnessed to a man who claimed to have been “saved” at one time.
a. The man was sitting on the front porch of his house in his t-shirt, smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer, and watching a baseball game on his TV.
b. The soul-winner got to talking to him for about half an hour.
c. And was able to finally ask him if he was born again.
d. That man responded, "Well, I used to be. I got the gift of tongues, and got real religious and all that, but I ain't saved no longer. And I guess I'm going to Hell."
e. The soul-winner replied, “Only unsaved people go to hell. Did you get saved?"
f. The man replied, "I believe a fellow ought to live it. He shouldn’t sin if he wants to go to heaven."
g. The soul-winner said, "I didn’t ask you if you sin, I asked, Did you get saved?"
h. That man replied, “I thought I did. But I just can’t live it! I can’t keep from sinning.”
i. The soul-winner pushed, "Do you realise that If you don’t get saved, you will be lost forever, without hope, burning in hell. Is that what you want?"
j. "Well," he said, "when I get so I CAN live it, I'm gonna get saved for sure."
k. The soul-winner was shocked, and asked, "Are you living it right now?"
l. "No," he said.
m. "Did you live it before?"
n. "No," he replied.
o. "Well, what makes you think you're going to be able to do it one day?"
p. "I just think that someday I’ll be able to live it and be good," he said. “But not today.”
q. And he turned away from that soul-winner and went right back to drinking his beer and watching his baseball game!
r. And that man probably lived the rest of his life miserable, and probably went to hell.
s. Why?
t. Because he thought he had to be living good and holy and NOT sin to get into heaven.
D. So, What Does a Person Have to Do to be Saved? (Romans 10:8-13)
1. Romans 10:8-13 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2. The words that can save you right now, are right on the tip of your tongue … Right in your lap – you are hearing them this very moment
3. And may be even in your heart!
a. Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
b. Some people even have the very words in their hearts
c. But they have just never believed them and trusted them
d. The people who were holding and reading and hearing this letter to the Romans had the words that would save their souls!
4. Confess, Believe, and Call – all three together
5. Confess (Romans 10:9-11)
a. Romans 10:9-11 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
b. Not to some fake priest
c. But to Almighty God in desperate prayer – just you to Him!
d. I’ve known people who dropped to their knees, right in the middle of church, while the pastor was preaching, and they cried out to God to have mercy on them!
e. Confess that you are guilty as charged! Guilty as hell!
1) It is the right attitude to have when you hear the charges against in this Bible
2) In a court of law when a person confesses, they are agreeing with the verdict that they are guilty
3) The same is true at conversion
4) God does not want you to confess every sin that you have ever committed - that is impossible, and that is Catholicism.
5) Paul is simply compelling people to confess that they are guilty of breaking God's laws over and over and over again
6) This is repentance! (Acts 20:20,21) And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
7) Sorrow for your sinfulness – a decision to surrender to God’sauthority
f. Confess not just “Jesus” but “THE LORD Jesus” – there is a BIG difference
1) Fear and Respect the One who has the power to cast you into hell
2) Jesus knows how to save your life and make it worth living!
3) So, Stop fighting Him, and let Him be in charge of your life - Lord
g. Confess publicly - It needs to be public! No hiding!
1) Say out loud with your mouth that God is right and you are wrong
2) Be able to say out loud to somebody that I am a sinful man or woman deserving God's condemnation – I am NOT good, I am a sinner (Patrick’s confession)
3) Say that Jesus Christ is the son of God, who died in place of me - He was innocent, dying for the guilty
4) Can’t say it? Whatever is holding you back is sending you to hell!
5) Cut it off! Throw it away! Hate it! That’s what Jesus said! No one, and nothing is worth going to hell for!
a) Not your parents
b) Not your girlfriend of boyfriend
c) Not you schoolmates
d) Not your instagram and tiktok followers
e) Not your career, your kids, your husband or your wife!
f) Stand and confess Jesus Christ, even if you are the only one!
6. Believe (Romans 10:9-11)
a. This is not one after another – it is all at the same time!
b. Confess, Believe, and Call – all three together
c. Romans 10:9-11 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
d. Belief is something you do with your heart – trust!
1) Anyone can say they “believe in Christ” – the devils say that
2) Knowing is something you do with your head
3) Belief is something that happens in your heart!
4) You can think something is true, but until your heart believes it is true, it will never change you
e. It is not religious belief, or make believe
f. Saving belief is TOTALLY depending on the God who wrote the Bible, for His mercy
1) Not blind faith, but evidence-based faith
2) Believing the undeniable fact that a man named Jesus lived in Israel, and taught, and died 2,000 years ago on a Roman cross
3) Believing the undeniable fact of an empty tomb that no longer holds Him
4) Believing the undeniable fact of All the prophecies of the Messiah suffering and dying for the sins of the world
5) And, admitting that All the lives that Jesus has changed can’t be faked - religion ruins people's lives, but Jesus frees them!
g. Saving Belief is Childlike faith
1) It is not the amount of faith that you need to have
2) It's just believing with all your heart.
3) You don't have to have all faith, perfect faith.
4) Just child-like faith
h. What are we supposed to believe? (1Corinthians 15:1-4)
1) 1Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
2) #1 If you want to be saved, you have to believe that Jesus is alive!
a) Believe that ONE MAN, a perfect man, died for your sins
b) And was dead and buried for three days
c) And that three days later, God resurrected a very dead man (Jesus) back to life and will never die again
(i) Death proved that Jesus was human - flesh and bones and blood
(ii) His resurrection proves that He is God - He will never die again
d) That is what changed the world in the 1st century
(i) Acts 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
(ii) Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
(iii) Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
(iv) Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
(v) Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
e) 1Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
f) Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no salvation, no future but a grave, no victory over sin, and death still wins
3) #2 And believe that He alone can save your soul Believe that Jesus alone can make you righteous
a) Paul is telling you to believe UNTO righteousness – believe… to get righteous
b) Romans 9:33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
c) Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
d) Example of the Lottery
(i) Most people put their money down at the shop BELIEVING it will win – believing in luck enough to get them a lot of money
(ii) Strange that they call US weird for believing in Jesus to GET righteousness
7. Call (Romans 10:12,13)
a. This is not one after another – Confess, Believe, and Call – all three together at the same time!
b. Lastly, Call out to Jesus and ASK Him to save you!
c. Romans 10:12,13 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
d. To call upon the Lord Jesus is to PRAY and ASK to be saved
e. Some people actually don’t believe you should have to ask… REALLY?
1) Luke 18:10-14 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying [ASKING], God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
2) That tax-collector got saved SIMPLY because he believed and humbled himself and ASKED God to have mercy on him! And he received righteousness!
3) Luke 23:39-43 And one of the malefactors [CRIMINALS] which were hanged railed on him [JESUS], saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus [ASKING], Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
4) That dying thief went straight to paradise with Jesus SIMPLY because he believed enough in Jesus, and humbled himself and ASKED Jesus to take him with Him!
f. Calling is Asking to be saved
1) Psalm 18:3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
2) Psalm 55:16 As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
3) Psalm 116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.
g. Who can call?
1) Is it limited to good people, religious people, holy people?
2) NO! Whosoever means you! It means ME!
3) There is NO ONE alive, hearing this Gospel who cannot be saved!
4) If they… if you would just confess, believe and ask, all at once!
5) I wonder what would happen?
E. The Result… “Thou shalt be saved” (Romans 1013)
1. There is no greater achievement, no greater success than the salvation of YOUR soul
2. This church exists so sinful people can hear about Jesus Christ, so they can be saved from the wrath to come, and can be transformed into soul-winners so others can get saved too!
3. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
4. The result of childlike faith is imputed righteousness – salvation!
a. Israel struggled with understanding this throughout their history
b. They tried keeping the law and found they couldn't and then turned to other gods
c. When what God wanted them to do was to turn to Him and receive justification and conversion and forgiveness by faith in an innocent lamb
5. Simple childlike faith obtains both Gods approval and even His absolute forgiveness because that's how He wants it
6. 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
7. Believe what? That the cross was enough to save a wretched sinner like me!
III. Conclusion
A. You say, It can’t be that easy?
B. Are you kidding me? Thank God it is that simple, so that Romans 10:13 could be true!
C. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
D. The question for each of you is, “What are YOU relying on to keep you out of hell?”
1. Yourself? Your religion? Your wit? Your popularity? Your millions?
2. Or Jesus Christ!
E. Do you know what gets a sinful man or woman straight into heaven?
1. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ! Trusting Him!
2. Believing that HE is enough to declare you righteous if you would just ask Him to
3. Salvation is by God’s grace through our child-like FAITH; not of our good works, but because of Christ’s perfect works FOR us!
4. THAT’S ALL!
F. Will you take it? Will you believe it is true and will work for you?
1. Now is the time to believe it! Not tomorrow!
2. Talk to God in heaven, and ask right now! Don’t be ashamed!
3. Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
4. Fill Romans 10:13 with YOUR name!