Present Tense
“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. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Today’s Text: Romans 10:9-10 (Living Life Daily Devotional)
Here is one of the famous “Roman Road” passages that teach us essential aspects of our salvation in Christ Jesus. In those days of the Roman Empire, people were required to declare that Caesar is lord. And so to publicly declare “Jesus is Lord” might be considered an act of rebellion and could lead to one’s execution. The Jewish people had a special agreement with the Roman Empire so that they could worship Yahweh, whom they called the LORD. But the Jewish establishment denied that the Christians should be allowed that same freedom.
So when I say, “Jesus is Lord,” am I really willing to lay my life on the line to acknowledge that truth? Thank God that we live in a society that allows freedom of religion. That freedom comes from the First Amendment to the US Constitution, and it reads:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
It is a pretty amazing statement, especially considering that many of the constitutional fathers were not “Christian” in a biblical sense. Many, including Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, were deists. That is, they believed that some god created the universe and set it in motion, but Jesus Christ is not necessarily the embodiment of that god.
Even if I do not have to literally lay down my life to practice my Christian faith, am I willing to surrender my life to Jesus Christ? Because, when we come to understand the Scriptures, we come to recognize that practicing the Christian faith means surrendering my life to Jesus Christ.
Every martyr, every monk and nun, every vocational missionary and minister demonstrates that they have surrendered their lives to Jesus. But no one has to become a martyr, monk, nun, missionary, or minister to demonstrate that they have surrendered their lives to Jesus.
Surrendering my life to Jesus means to live a life of faithfulness and obedience to Christ. Surrendering my life to Jesus means to trust that the word of God is true, especially when the word of God challenges my own worldview. Surrendering my life to Jesus means to surrender my values, my attitudes, my priorities, my perspective to the word of God.
Whoever said being a Christian was “easy?” Well, it is never easy if we cling to the values, attitudes, priorities, and perspectives of this world. Being a Christian starts to become easier as we let go of those things of the world.
The cross before me. The world behind me.
But letting go of the things of the world can feel like literally giving up our lives. Maybe that’s why the apostle Paul said that we “will” be saved (future tense), not that we “are” saved.
But as we we start to let go of the things of the world, we start to know and experience what Jesus meant when He said -
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
— Matthew 11:28-30
Father, You offer rest for my weary soul. This world wears me down sometimes. Whenever church life and ministry wear me down, I know that it is because I am clinging to something in this world. Help me to let go and surrender my life fully to Christ. I long for the rest He promises. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
