"The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart -- that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved."
Romans 10:9
Sounds easy enough if I am a Christian. But the verb "confess" is much stronger than "say" and brings a caution that reminds me of the following Scripture:
"Therefore I make known to you, that... no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord' except by (or in) the Holy Spirit."
1 Corinthians 12:3
Timothy speaks of the "good confession."
"...Christ Jesus, who testified the good confession before Pilate..."
1 Timothy 6:13
"Pilate said to Him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to be a witness to the truth.'"
John 18:37
Weighty words on this subject:
"In the Book of the Revelation, God shows us an aspect of His Son, not shown to us in the Gospels. In the Gospels we see Him as Savior, in Revelation as King; in John's Gospel as the Beginning, in Revelation as the Ending. The one displays love, the other His majesty.
In the upper room Jesus girds Himself about the waist for service; at Patmos He is discovered girt about the breast for war. In the Gospels His mild eyes melted Peter; in Revelation they are a flame of fire. Then His voice was gentle, calling His own sheep by name, and gracious words proceeded out of His mouth; here His voice is terrible as the sound of many waters, and from His mouth there proceeds a sharp two-edged sword, striking death to His foes.
It is not enough that we know Jesus as the Lamb of God and Savior of the world; we must know Him also as God's Christ, God's King, God's Judge. When we see Him as Savior, we say, 'How lovable!' When we see Him as Monarch, we say, 'How terrible!' and fall prostrate at Him feet. The one issues in thanksgiving, the other worship. To see Him now as King is, one might almost say, to see 'another' Christ."
Watchman Nee
Pray:
"...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the true knowledge of Him... that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened."
Ephesians 1:17, 18