Barnes New Testament Notes

Verse 9. That if thou shalt confess. The word here rendered confess -- (omologhshv) -- is often rendered profess. Mt 7:23, "Then will I profess to them I never knew you." Tit 1:16; Tit 3:14; Ro 1:22; 1 Ti 2:10; 6:12,13,21; Heb 3:1, etc. It properly means, to speak that which agrees with something which others speak or maintain. Thus confession or profession expresses our agreement or concord with what God holds to be true, and what he declares to be true. It denotes a public declaration or assent to that, here expressed by the words "with thy mouth." A profession of religion then denotes a public declaration of our agreement with what God has declared, and extends to all his declarations about our lost estate, our sin, and need of a Saviour; to his doctrines about his own nature, holiness, and law; about the Saviour and the Holy Spirit; about the necessity of a change of heart and holiness of life; and about the grave and the judgment; about heaven and hell. As the doctrine respecting a Redeemer is the main and leading doctrine, it is put here by way of eminence, as in fact involving all others; and publicly to express our assent to this, is to declare our agreement with God on all kindred truths.

With thy mouth. To profess a thing with the mouth is to speak of it; to declare it; to do it openly and publicly.

The Lord Jesus. Shalt openly acknowledge attachment to Jesus Christ. The meaning of it may be expressed by regarding the phrase, "the Lord," as the predicate; or the thing to be confessed is, that he is Lord. Comp. Ac 2:36; Php 2:11, "And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord." Here it means to acknowledge him as Lord, i.e., as having a right to rule over the soul.

Shalt believe in thy heart. Shalt sincerely and truly believe this, so that the external profession shall correspond with the real, internal feelings. Where this is not the case, it would be hypocrisy; where this is the case, there would be the highest sincerity, and this religion requires.

That God hath raised him. This fact, or article of Christian belief, is mentioned here because of its great importance, and its bearing on the Christian system. If this be true, then all is true. Then it is true that he came forth from God; that he died for sin; and that God approved and accepted his work. Then it is true that he ascended to heaven, and is exalted to dominion over the universe, and that he will return to judge the quick and the dead. For all this was professed and taught; and all this was regarded as depending on the truth of his having been raised from the dead. See Php 2:8-11; Eph 1:21; Ac 2:24,32,33; 17:31; 2 Co 4:14; 1 Co 15:13-20.

To profess this doctrine was, therefore, virtually to profess all the truths of the Christian religion. No man could believe this who did not also believe all the truths dependent on it. Hence the apostles regarded this doctrine as so important, and made it so prominent in their preaching. See Barnes "Ac 1:3".

Thou shalt be saved. From sin and hell. This is the doctrine of the gospel throughout; and all this shows that salvation by the gospel was easy.

{a} "thou shalt confess" 1 Jo 4:2.