Emphasis Preaching Journal

Passages such as this, in which Paul focuses upon what we believe in our hearts and say with our mouths, have become authoritative texts for quite different responses to the gospel. Initial confusion over language plus the subsequent interpretations within church history have produced conflicting messages regarding salvation. For example, in our inheritance of Greek culture, we think of the "heart" as the center of emotions. Hence, we may imagine that salvation is evidenced by joy or serenity or some other important feeling within us.