The Seat of Righteousness

“…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9

When Paul wrote Romans 10:9–10, he wasn’t offering a complicated formula—he was revealing the simplicity and power of salvation: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (NKJV). The heart is the starting point. It’s not the mouth that leads the heart, but the heart that stirs the mouth to confess. Paul was echoing Moses’ words from Deuteronomy 30, showing that salvation has always been about faith, not works. Righteousness is not earned by climbing to heaven or diving into the depths—it’s received by believing in the deepest part of who you are. The heart is the throne of the inner person, the seat of thought, conviction, and will. That’s where true belief begins.

Righteousness and salvation are two sides of the same coin. Righteousness is what we receive—God’s holiness imputed to us. Salvation is what we’re rescued from—sin and eternal separation from God. Abraham believed, and “it was accounted to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:22, NKJV). That same righteousness is given to all who believe in Jesus. When we are buried with Him in baptism, we rise to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). Isaiah said, “He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” (Isaiah 61:10, NKJV). This isn’t surface-level change—it’s a transformation that begins in the heart and flows outward. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45, NKJV). The heart is not just emotional—it’s the command center of the soul.

So how do you know if you’re truly saved? Look to the heart. Do you believe, deep within, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? (John 20:31). Has the Holy Spirit borne witness with your spirit that you belong to Him? Salvation isn’t about checking boxes—it’s about a heart that has been changed by grace. Proverbs says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV). Today, examine your heart. Is your belief rooted there? If so, let your mouth confess it boldly. And if not, ask the Lord to awaken faith within you. The seat of righteousness is not in rituals or religion—it’s in the heart. That’s where salvation begins, and that’s where assurance is found.

“Faith is not complete without confession, and confession is not valid without faith. The two are inseparable in the expression of true Christian belief.” — John Murray