Does Romans 10:9-10 Say We Must Confess Christ to Be Born Again?

Summary

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Grace in Focus — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Does Romans 10:9-10 Say We Must Confess Christ to Be Born Again?

Air Date: March 2, 2026

Hosts: Bob Wilkin & Ken Yates

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Overview

In this concise yet theologically rich episode, Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates tackle a crucial doctrinal question: Does Romans 10:9-10 teach that confessing Christ is a requirement for being born again, or for justification? The hosts examine the passage in context, critique common misinterpretations, and clarify the distinction between justification by faith and salvation/deliverance from God's wrath, emphasizing a Free Grace perspective. They draw from the writings of theologian Zane Hodges and explore how this interpretation relates both to Israel in prophecy and to believers in the present age.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Should Romans 10 Be Used in Evangelism? (01:19–02:18)

• Ken and Bob discuss "The Roman Road" approach to evangelism, questioning its biblical accuracy.
• Ken: "Our initial answer was no, Romans 10 is not a good book to use for evangelism... for evangelism you should go to the Gospel of John." (01:41)

2. What Does Romans 10:9-10 Actually Say? (02:18–06:21)

• Main question asked: Does Romans 10:9-10 teach that confession is required to be saved from hell?
• Bob: "The answer is no, that is heresy because John 3:16 says nothing about needing to confess him as Lord in order to have eternal life." (02:18)
• Common interpretations involving "making Jesus Lord of your life" or requiring open confession are critiqued.
• Many pastors and teachers, even those who affirm faith alone, add confession or repentance as a "second step" to justification.
• Ken: "So justification according to this is not by faith alone." (05:37)
• Bob: "Right? You gotta do two steps... faith plus confession." (05:41)

3. The Actual Structure of Romans 10:9-10 (06:57–07:47)

• Both hosts break down the two elements in Romans 10:9-10: believing (internal) and confessing (external).
• Ken: "Nobody would say that Romans 10:9 is talking about one thing, right?" (05:28)

4. Righteousness and Salvation Defined (07:19–08:03)

• Believing (faith) results in righteousness (justification by faith alone).
• Confessing leads to salvation (explained as "deliverance" rather than justification).
• The Greek word for "righteousness" links to justification.
• Ken: "Isn't he saying that justification is by faith alone?" (07:35)
• Bob: "Right. I'm declared righteous by faith alone." (07:47)
• Confession and Salvation: Drawing from Zane Hodges, they argue "deliverance" (salvation) refers to deliverance from God's temporal wrath, not salvation from hell.
• Notable quote: "For deliverance from God's wrath, the Jewish convert must not suppress the truth he believes; he must confess with his mouth." — Ken, summarizing Hodges (08:03)

5. Salvation in Romans 10: Corporate and Temporal (09:06–10:43)

• Romans 10:13 ("whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved") references Joel 2:32, emphasizing Israel's deliverance at the end of the tribulation.
• Ken: "This is corporate, this is the believing community, and it's not a one-time confession, it's an ongoing confession." (09:22)
• The calling is not a magic prayer in crisis, but regular participation in the worshiping community that confesses Christ.

6. The Order of Events: Hearing, Believing, Calling (10:43–12:03)

• The passage outlines a logical order: a preacher is sent → people hear → people believe → then they call on the Lord.
• Ken: "So the believing precedes the calling." (11:01)
• The calling is an activity of those already believing.
• Paul describes believers as "those who call upon the name of the Lord" (Cf. 1 Corinthians 1).
• Bob: "How can I call upon somebody who I haven't believed?" (11:19)

7. Application: Deliverance for Believers, Not How to Be Born Again (12:00–12:35)

• Romans 10:9-10 teaches:
  • Justification by faith alone
  • Deliverance from God's wrath (temporal, not eternal) through public confession and participation in the worshiping community
• Ken: "Romans 10:9-10 is saying that justification is by faith alone, but that deliverance from God's wrath requires us to be part of the worshiping community." (12:00)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "The answer is no, that is heresy because John 3:16 says nothing about needing to confess him as Lord in order to have eternal life."
  – Bob Wilkin (02:18)

• "For deliverance from God's wrath, the Jewish convert must not suppress the truth he believes; he must confess with his mouth."
  – Ken Yates, summarizing Hodges (08:03)

• "It's not like they need to say some magic prayer as Jerusalem is being surrounded by armies. They're going to be delivered because they're part of the worshiping community."
  – Ken Yates (09:22)

• "So the believing precedes the calling."
  – Ken Yates (11:01)

• "Romans 10:9-10 is saying that justification is by faith alone, but that the deliverance from God's wrath requires us to be part of the worshiping community. And although that's going to be true in the tribulation, it's also true now."
  – Ken Yates (12:00)

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Important Timestamps

• 01:19 — The Roman Road in evangelism questioned
• 02:18 — Does Romans 10:9-10 require confession to be saved?
• 05:37 — The issue of "two steps" (faith + confession)
• 07:19 — Believing unto righteousness vs. confession unto salvation
• 08:03 — Hodges’ view: confession for deliverance from God's temporal wrath
• 09:06 — Romans 10:13, Joel 2:32, and the corporate aspect of salvation
• 10:43 — Sequence: hearing, believing, calling
• 12:00 — Application for believers today

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Takeaway

Romans 10:9-10 does not teach a two-step process to be born again. Justification is by faith alone. Confessing Jesus as Lord, according to the Free Grace interpretation here, refers to corporate and public worship and yields temporal deliverance from God's wrath, not eternal salvation from hell. This passage primarily addresses Jewish believers, with a prophetic orientation to the tribulation, but carries practical implications for today's church as an encouragement to faithful, public confession within the believing community.

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Transcript

[A]

The following is a listener supported ministry

[B]

from the Grace Evangelical Society.

[A]

Is confessing Christ a requirement to be born again? If so, why is it scarcely mentioned in the New Testament? Are there two steps to faith? Some people say three. Let's have a discussion about it today here on Grace in Focus. Thank you friend for joining us. This is the ministry of the Grace Evangelical Society. Our web site is faithalone.org find our bookstore at that address. Many titles of there, including Bob Wilkins latest book, the Gospel is Still under Siege. And get registered for our national annual conference. It's coming up in May 18th through the 21st. Family friendly, great fellowship, great sessions and even VBS for the kids. All the information you [e-mail] and now with today's question and answer discussion, here are Bob Wilkin and Ken Yates.

[B]

We're talking about the plenary sessions or the main sessions that we're hoping to have at our national conference coming up in May, May 18 through 21. Go [e-mail] and sign up. And if it's your first time, you don't even have to pay a registration fee, right?

[C]

Only if you want to lodge there and only if you want to eat food there.

[B]

Okay. Well, one of the themes we're going to talk about is the book of Romans, the Roman road, a legitimate way to evangelize people. In our previous session we talked about Roman Romans 3, Romans 6, and then we got into Romans 10. But we realized we bit off more than we could chew.

[C]

Right. So we've got to finish it now. But our initial answer was no, Romans 10. Romans is not a good book to use for evangelism. Yes, you can pick out a few verses that are helpful, but the truth is for evangelism you should go to the Gospel of John.

[B]

And when we get to Romans 10 specifically, we were looking at. This is where we stopped in our last session. Does Romans chapter 10. Here's the question. Does Romans chapter 10, 10, 9, 10 say that we or the unbeliever must confess Jesus as Lord in order to be saved from the lake of fire?

[C]

And the answer is no, that that is heresy because John 3:16 says nothing about needing to confess him as Lord in order to have eternal life?

[B]

Years ago I heard a leading evangelical I won't say his name, and I don't know if he still holds this, but he said that these verses are saying you must confess him as Lord means you must confess Jesus as God in order to be saved from the lake of fire. In other words, you must believe that he is. Now, he didn't go into detail God in the flesh or second person of the Trinity or whatever they were.

[C]

Okay, I heard, I read it.

[B]

Where.

[C]

Actually, this is one of the. My seminary professors who was struggling with what Romans 10, 9 and 10 means, because he knew that it was just by faith. And so what he said was that you need to believe that Jesus is God and you must in your heart confess to him. Even though it says with the mouth confession is made. He said, you don't have to do it verbally, but you've got to acknowledge in your heart that he's God.

[B]

You can see where someone who is a lordship salvation person would say, well, this means you got to make him Lord of your life. You have to confess him that he's Lord of your life. And obviously they're going to word that differently. You got to be willing to make him Lord, or you got to make him Lord, or you've got to turn from your sins. There's a lot that's read into these verses.

[C]

There really is. But let's read 10, 9 and 10, and then we'll also look at the verses which follow, especially 13 and 14. Pretty much every commentator acknowledges that, that Romans 10:13 is saying the same thing as Romans 10:9, 10 concerning the confession. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. They say calling on the Lord is the same as confessing. That's another issue is how do we translate this? Do we translate this? Whoever confesses Jesus as Lord. Whoever confesses the Lord Jesus. There's even another view that just says, whoever cries out Lord Jesus. In other words, that's what they're saying. But let's take a look. Would you read 9 and 10 that

[B]

if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. And then verses 13 and 14, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not?

[C]

Okay, so would it not be fair to say, Ken, that pretty much every commentator recognizes in verse nine that there are two elements?

[B]

Yes.

[C]

And what are the two elements?

[B]

The two elements are we need to believe and we need to confess.

[C]

And wouldn't every commentator recognize and say that the believing is internal, that's what the heart means, and the confessing is external. That's what the mouth means.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Nobody would say that. Romans 10, 9 is talking about One thing, right?

[B]

And again, I was just in a Sunday school class and they said there's a two step process.

[C]

Okay? So justification according to this is not by faith alone.

[B]

Right? You got to do two steps.

[C]

It's by faith plus confession.

[B]

Yeah. And they're going to word it differently. They're going to say, well, if you really believe, you're going to do this.

[C]

Right. But there are lots of people who will say, I believe in justification by faith alone. And now let's go to Romans 10, 9, 10. And when they get there, they say, see, there's two steps. I've heard lots of Southern Baptist pastors say something like this. Justification is by faith alone. So if you repent and believe in Christ, you will be justified forever.

[B]

And they will say it within 20 seconds. Literally. They'll say it's by faith alone. So you must believe and confess with

[C]

your mouth or believe and repent. They'll do different things.

[B]

Right?

[A]

It's coming. It'll be here before you know it. What am I talking about? The Grace Evangelical Society's National Conference 2026, May 18th through the 21st at Camp Koppass, an absolutely beautiful campground in North Texas, right on the lake with lots of recreation, great food, a great place to stay, wonderful fellowship and wonderful free Grace Bible teaching. Information and online registration [e-mail] events. First timers waive registration fees. Faithalone.org

[C]

would not all commentators agree that verse 10 also has two elements.

[B]

Sure.

[C]

So what are the two elements in verse 10?

[B]

We believe unto righteousness, and with the mouth we confess unto salvation.

[C]

So aren't there the same two elements in 9 and 10?

[B]

Sure.

[C]

9 and 10 have believing and confessing. Believing and confessing.

[B]

Right.

[C]

So According to verse 10, what does the believing result in?

[B]

The believing results in righteousness.

[C]

Now, in Romans, the word for justification is the Greek verb dikaio, and the noun form of that is dikaiosune. Righteousness.

[B]

Right.

[C]

This is dikaiosune. Right?

[B]

Right.

[C]

So when he says in verse 10a, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, Romans 1:4, isn't he saying that justification is by faith alone?

[B]

Right. I'm declared righteous by faith alone.

[C]

And isn't he saying that in order to be delivered or saved, however you understand this word, it takes more than believing.

[B]

You must confess with your mouth two things.

[C]

Believing and confessing.

[B]

Right.

[C]

What Hodges argues, and I think he's absolutely right here, is that this deliverance is deliverance from God's wrath. Here's what he says. Although the Jewish Believer may be assured that God has granted him righteousness on the basis of faith in his heart. God will not grant him deliverance on the basis of that faith alone. For deliverance from God's wrath. The Jewish convert must not suppress the truth he believes he must confess with his mouth. And the reason he talks about the Jewish convert is Romans 9, 10, 11 are about Jewish people and the nation of Israel. And then he goes on to say, to be justified by faith in the heart, but to refuse to confess Lord Jesus. That's the way Hodges translates it, Lord Jesus, exclamation point. You're crying out lord Jesus with the mouth will leave the believer tragically still opposed to God's temporal anger.

[B]

Not hell, his temporal anger.

[C]

Right, right. Look at verse 13. So what does that say?

[B]

Verse 13 says, for whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

[C]

Now that's a quote from the Old Testament, isn't it?

[B]

Right.

[C]

Joel 2, 32, at the end of the tribulation, there will be Jewish believers.

[B]

This is talking to the Jews here in Romans 9, 10, 11.

[C]

Now a lot of people say what it's saying is as the armies surround Jerusalem, if a Jewish believer cries out Lord Jesus, then they're going to be saved from all of the armies that surround Jerusalem. But what Hodges argues, and I think he's right, is A, this is corporate, this is the believing community, and B, it's not a one time confession, it's an ongoing confession of Lord Jesus. In other words, if at the end of the tribulation, Jews are part of the believing worshiping community that cries out to the Lord on a regular basis, then they will be delivered. It's not like they need to say some magic prayer as Jerusalem is being surrounded by armies. They're going to be delivered because they're part of the worshiping community. And by the way, Based on Matthew 24:13, the only ones who are going to be alive at the end of the tribulation among Jewish people are going to be believers. All adult Jews, unbelieving will have died. And so you'll be left with believers. And those who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Now how do we know that the salvation is not salvation from hell? I think verse 14 brings this out, doesn't it?

[B]

I mean, we could say that those who call upon the Lord will be saved. If I'm a believer who I've believed in Jesus, I already have eternal salvation.

[C]

So this has got to be something else.

[B]

This is something in the future.

[C]

So read verse 14 how shall they

[B]

call upon him and whom they have not believe? They've already believed.

[C]

So the believing precedes the calling.

[B]

Right.

[C]

So the people calling on the name of the lord in verse 13 and in 10, 9 and 10 have to be believers.

[B]

It is believers who call upon the Lord. In 1 Corinthians 1, Paul refers to the church as those who call upon the name of the Lord.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

You know, so as believers, how can I call upon it somebody who I haven't believed?

[C]

That's right. And then he goes on to say, what?

[B]

And how shall they believe in him in whom they have not heard?

[C]

So you hear before you believe, and

[B]

then you believe before you call upon him.

[C]

And then what's the next sins?

[B]

And how shall they hear without a preacher?

[C]

So first there's the preacher, then you hear the preacher, then you believe the words of the preacher, then you can call on the name of the Lord

[B]

and then the verse. And how shall they preach unless they are sent? So they're sent. They preach. The people hear those who believe, and then they call upon the name of the Lord. Obviously there's going to be people who say, well, if you really believe, you're going to do this. But that's not Paul's point at all.

[C]

Not at all. Romans 10, 9, 10 is saying that justification is by faith alone, but that the deliverance from God's wrath requires us to be part of the worshiping community. And although that's going to be true in the tribulation, it's also true now.

[B]

Certainly we can apply it to us.

[C]

We need to be people who are confessing Lord Jesus as part of the believing local assembly. Regularly, each week we're calling on the Lord Jesus.

[B]

Believers have the privilege of calling out to the Lord Jesus to deliver them.

[C]

And he does.

[B]

Right. Well, this will be part of our discussion at our national conference. We hope you're interested in this and we hope to see you there. And in the meantime, keep grace in focus.

[A]

Be sure to check out our daily [e-mail] they are short and full of great teaching, just like what you've heard today. Find [e-mail] resources blog. We would love to hear from you. Maybe you've got a question, comment or some feedback. If you do, please don't hesitate to send us a message. Here's our email address. It's radioaithalone.org that's radioaithalone.org and when you do, very important. Please let us know your radio station call letters and the city of your location on our next episode. Do the birds in parables of Matthew 13 and Mark 4 represent Satan? Come back and join us. And in the meantime, let's keep Grace in focus.

[B]

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