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

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.

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)

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)

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

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.