How is public confession related to salvation (Romans 10:9–10)?

TL;DR:

Grace alone, through faith in Christ alone, not any behavior on our part, leads to salvation. A public confession that Christ is Lord is the fruit of our salvation.

Public alignment with the Lord is a sign that someone has saving faith (Romans 10:9–10). Similar passages on this topic are seen in both the Old and New Testaments. More than once in Genesis—for instance, in reference to Seth’s descendants and to Abram, later known as Abraham—people are said to have called on the name of the Lord (Genesis 4:26; 12:8), which indicates their public faith in God. The New Testament indicates that confessing Jesus is an outward sign of salvation, not an act that itself saves. Paul’s letters show that salvation comes through God’s grace alone (Romans 3:24–28; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:4–7). Romans 10:10 says, "with the heart one believes and is justified." In other words, faith leads to salvation, not the action of saying something. Even so, Scripture affirms that confessing Christ is the fruit of a true believer. Jesus places importance on public confession of Him (Luke 9:26). Additionally, for believers to make disciples of others (Matthew 28:19–20), we must publicly confess Christ. We’re called to profess our trust in Christ as Lord, knowing that the sufferings of this world do not compare to the glories that await us in the next life (Philippians 3:12–16).

from the old testament

Genesis 4:26 records Seth’s lineage and their trust in God: “To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.” Cain’s murder of Abel and Cain’s subsequent punishment are recorded earlier in that chapter. Toward the end of the chapter, Eve gives birth to Seth, immediately followed by the passage about calling on “the name of the LORD.” The context implies that Seth’s line followed God, in contrast to Cain’s sinful descendants. As in Romans 10:9–10, calling on the Lord is linked to faithfulness to Him.
Joel 2:32 is referenced more than once in the New Testament: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls.” Joel prophesied of the day when God’s spirit would be “poured out” on believers (v. 28), and people would identify themselves as the Lord’s. Paul cites this promise in Romans 10:13.

from the new testament

Romans 10:9–10 states, "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved." We cannot do anything to merit salvation. But public confession is an important part of the Christian faith because through it, believers attest to their salvation.
Luke 9:26 presents Jesus’s view of public confession: “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.” Failure to publicly proclaim the Lord may indicate a lack of faith. In most circumstances, it reveals a troubling heart condition. But this doesn’t mean that the public confession saves, as shown by the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) and Peter’s eventual faithfulness despite his denials of Christ (Matthew 26:69–75; Acts 4:29–31). Rather, public proclamation of Christ is the action of the Spirit-filled believer.
Ephesians 2:8–9 shows that no action but faith leads to salvation: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” We’re saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ apart from any works, whether confession, baptism, or other good deeds.

implications for today

Have you told anyone about Jesus today? In the U.S., believers have the freedom to tell others about the hope we have in Christ. Despite this freedom, some believers hesitate. The secular, relativistic society we live in increasingly stigmatizes Christians. But that shouldn’t stop us. We should think about those in the early church; public confession of Christ as Lord was not an easy decision during the time Romans was written. Those who did so often faced persecution. Jewish Christians were frequently excluded from the synagogue. The apostle Paul was beaten, arrested, and eventually put to death for his faith. The first Christian martyr, Stephen, lost his life because he publicly confessed Jesus to the Jewish leaders (Acts 7:52–60). Still today, in some parts of the world, professing faith in Christ as Lord can lead to severe persecution. If overt persecution didn’t stop early church martyrs, nor those in repressive regimes today, slight discomfort shouldn’t stop us. We’re called to profess our trust in Christ as Lord, knowing that the sufferings of this world do not compare to the glories that await us in the next life (Philippians 3:12–16).

understand

Public confession does not save us, but it reveals our faith.
Public proclamation of our faith is important to attest to our faith.
Salvation comes by faith in Christ, and public confession confirms this.

reflect

How does your daily life reflect a public confession of Christ as Lord?
What fears or challenges make it difficult for you to openly proclaim your faith in certain situations?
How can you grow in courage to share your faith with others?

engage

How can we support each other in boldly proclaiming our faith, even when it feels uncomfortable or risky?
Why is public confession of faith such a significant fruit of genuine salvation?
How can we encourage other believers to live in ways that demonstrate both our inward belief and outward confession of Christ?