Daily Devotional for Sunday, October 8

A Personal Confession

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation,” Romans 10:9, 10.

The author of the poem, “With Glowing Heart I’ll Praise Thee,” 
was on death row in Texas from 1982 until 1998 when he was executed. He says of his conversion: “I spent eight years on death row for murder before Jesus became my Lord and Savior. The consequences of my sins have not been removed. I will still reap that which I have sown. Though I still face the death penalty, I have nothing to fear for Jesus is my Savior and Lord.”

It is difficult for the human mind to fathom how God can save a 
murderer. Yet much of the New Testament was penned by a man who was born again after conspiring to kill Christians. Salvation from God is not based on man’s merit, or we could never be saved. God’s Word declares that faith in Christ alone and confessing so is how we are granted this eternal gift.

God in His great mercy made a way of salvation so simple that a young child can receive it. Yet, the salvation He offers is so vast that even the worst criminal can be granted it. The greatest message ever told is how a Holy God, Creator of the universe, sent His Son to make 
provision for sinful mankind to be redeemed. We cannot earn it. We only need to believe in Him and confess Him as Lord.

FINAL THOUGHT: The glorious gospel of Jesus Christ is offered to all mankind. Thanks be to God for His extravagant gift of salvation.

Steven Ridings