John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
SO WE MUST CLOSELY EXAMINE WHAT MOSES DID, AND WHY, AND WHAT IT MEANT.
The Israelites were sinning and complaining against God and Moses. God sent fiery serpents to bite the people which killed them because of their sin.The people went to Moses so he would pray to God to end it. Moses did and that's where we pick up the CURE:
Numbers 21:9
And Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on the standard; and it came about, that if a serpent bit any man, when he looked to the bronze serpent, he lived.
ALL the people had to do was BELIEVE what Moses told them and RECEIVE life by merely looking at the CURE.
Romans 10:9 Is saying the exact same thing!
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.
Why do you want to try and add to what JESUS said you had to do to attain eternal life?
Paul is quoting the sentiment of Deuteronomy chapter 30 in Romans 10:9...
Deu 30:10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
Deu 30:11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
Deu 30:12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
Deu 30:14 But t
he word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Deu 30:15 See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;
Rom 10:8 But what saith it?
The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Rom 10:9 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.
Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
Rom 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
When Paul is speaking about confession and belief it is related to the heart as opposed to a mere mental assertion or outward act. This is why Paul makes statements like this...
Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Authentic confession and belief in Paul's mind involves the turning from rebellion to obedience. Hence deeds actually prove repentance (Act 26:20).
Preachers like Charles Stanley teach the repentance/conversion/new birth within the context of a "mental assertion being made" and an "abstract judicial reprieve" being granted and thus those whom are born again need not have "deeds that prove repentance" because in his mind the deeds is something that takes place later on over a period of time and are therefore not actually necessary (as it relates directly to redemption).
The deception here is how salvation eliminates the change of heart described in the Bible where the service of evil ceases. A pure heart is equivalent to loving God with all one's heart soul and mind and loving one's neighbour as oneself. Thus a redeemed individual does not do the right thing due to rules and regulations but rather due to the manifestation of the Spirit of God within (which is no longer being subdued by a rebellious will).