The rest of the story… of Romans 10

Some say that water and Spirit baptism is not a necessary part of salvation. They pull verses out of context, not giving the full story. They say, All you need to do to be saved is to confess and believe in Jesus. According to the gospel, baptism is necessary to be saved. Here are the verses they use, and then the verses that they leave out, so you can see the rest of the story.

"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. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 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. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." - Romans 10:9-13

The problem is, these people leave off the REST of the story. The rest of the story tells us in order to be saved we need to hear the gospel from a preacher that is sent by God AND we need to OBEY the gospel.

Here is the REST of the story, continuing with verse 14:

"How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?" - Romans 10:14

According to this verse, in order to call on the name of Jesus, in order to believe on Jesus, in order to hear the gospel of Jesus, we need a preacher. And not just any preacher, we need a preacher that is sent by God. The next verse…

"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" - Romans 10:15

What will they be preaching?

They will be preaching “the gospel of peace.”

What is the gospel of peace?

The gospel of peace is that our heavenly Father put on the flesh of a human body to die for our sins, He was buried, and He rose from the dead on the third day. By His death, burial, and resurrection He made PEACE between mankind and Himself. He paid the death penalty for our sins that separated us from Him since Adam. When we apply the blood He shed for us by being baptized in Jesus name for the remission of our sins, we personally have claimed this peace. (1Corinthians 15:1-4)

"And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: if ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;" - Colossians 1:20-23

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." - Acts 20:28

After we have heard the gospel, the next verse, Romans 10:16, lets us know that to be saved we need to not only believe, but also to OBEY the gospel.

"But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?" - Romans 10:16

How do we OBEY the gospel - the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus?

We crucify our sinful nature by repentance becoming dead to sin, we are buried with Jesus by baptism in a watery grave in Jesus name for the remission of our sins, and we are resurrected by receiving His Holy Ghost to live a new, holy life. (Romans 6:1-13)

Peter preached the gospel – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ - on the Day of Pentecost. Peter then preached how to obey the gospel – repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." - Acts 2:38-39 KJV

And now you know the rest of the story.