Useful Bible Studies > Romans Commentary > chapter 10
In the Bible, the ‘heart’ means the part of us from which our inner thoughts come (Mark 7:21-23). Today, we might refer to it as our ‘mind’. Other people cannot know the thoughts of our heart, but God knows them perfectly (1 Samuel 16:7; Psalm 139:1-6). Even we ourselves cannot pretend to have perfect knowledge of our own hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10). However, God can change our heart (Ezekiel 11:19).
A person’s words are the result of what is in his heart (Luke 6:45). A sincere person or a true witness speaks what he believes in his heart.
The first Christians truly were witnesses. They spoke about the actual events that they themselves had seen (Acts 4:20; 1 John 1:1-2). However, later Christians are also witnesses. They speak about the things that God has done in their own lives. They have not yet seen Christ; but they declare the truth about what they believe (John 20:29). It is as if they themselves saw Christ’s death (Galatians 3:1); they have accepted Christ’s death as part of their own experience (6:2-6). In other words, they truly believe that Christ died for them (5:8).
So, their belief, and the declaration of that belief, gives them a right relationship with God. Perhaps a person can believe secretly - but the natural result of such a belief is to speak about it. God has done such a wonderful thing when he saves (rescues) a person (2 Corinthians 5:17). That person may not be able to tell everyone about what God has done in his life. However, he certainly should pray for an opportunity to speak to other people about God’s goodness to him.
Next part: Nobody who trusts in Christ will be ashamed (Romans 10:11)
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© 2022, Keith Simons.