Why is this such a big deal to me? I ponder that.

As I've read Scripture over and over I haven't found anywhere Jesus said we had to believe in our hearts and confess with our lips that Jesus is Lord to get salvation.  From everything I've read, with Jesus it was 100% a heart issue.  There was no magic incantation.  That seems to have come from Paul as far as I can find.  Here is the first such example.

Romans 10:9-10(NKJV)

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. 

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 

Now I've made this clear repeatedly but I'll say it again just to make sure everyone understands.  I'm not against confessing with your mouth.  I think it is a good thing.  Not bad at all.  My only point is that when you compare what Jesus said was needed for salvation and what Paul says, there is a difference.

The thing that concerns me here is man has a habit throughout history of adding to what God gave us in the Bible.  That's generally not a good thing because from there it is a short hop to "listen to us, not to God".  That was the choice that Joan of Ark faced and failed at.  She had always listened to God instead of man.  One time it became too much and she gave in and listened to man.  That was her downfall.

Now an argument could be made that Scripture very clearly says Paul was chosen by God for His role and therefore Paul has authority to speak.  That is certainly a compelling argument.  But does Paul have authority to add requirements to what is required for salvation? 

Why is this such a big deal to me?  I really don't know although I have a guess.  A bunch of us had an assessment done through church where it identified our spiritual motivators.  One of mine was accuracy in Scripture and Biblical understanding.  It's just part of my makeup, part of who I am. 

There have been many times I have suppressed writing about this but God keeps bringing me back to it.  Even after I wrote this today I tried to move on and write something else to post.  I was just going to keep this one for myself.  God wouldn't let me.  Weird. 

Anyway I long ago learned to trust God and I am going to trust Him now by sharing this.  And just to be clear this should not challenge anyone's salvation in any way.  The only way to God is through Jesus, irregardless whether it is heart only or heart and mouth!