"If Thou Shalt Confess..."

In my devotions this morning, I was reading in Romans Chapter 10. In my reading, I came across verses that are used individually in the Romans Road. In many Christian circles, the Romans Road is often the main used witnessing tool. Some may even go so far as to think that the Romans Road is the ONLY witnessing tool. However, there is something that doesn't seem to set right with me when someone uses just the Romans Road. And today, I think I have come to understand why. I used the phrase that these verses are "used individually" because the Romans Road plucks out a verse from one chapter and another from another chapter. It takes these verses out of their chapter and in reality out of their context and these individual verses make up the Romans Road. Romans 10:9 says, "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." This verse is one of the verses used in the Romans Road. This verse is also used as a rebuttal to the question "The Sinner's Prayer is not found in Scripture." Now bear with me, I am going somewhere with this. I believe that the Sinner's Prayer is very dangerous to use. I believe that often the Sinner's Prayer becomes in the minds of the lost and even in the minds of the saved... a Magic Prayer. Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm saved because I prayed the Sinner's Prayer." or "The Sinner's Prayer just confirms what is already in the persons heart."... ? These are things often said to justify why the Sinner's Prayer is a very good and needed thing. "Well, it says in the Bible, "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus"... I always like to tell people, God gives the words to say. I don't have to give them the words to repeat. "Well, where is that in the Bible?" Today, I found exactly where "That" is in the Bible. I didn't have to look far, it is right above the verse that is often used to confirm the Sinner's Prayer. "But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 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; That if though 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." ~ Romans 10:6-10. God gives the words. God puts the words in the heart and gives the words to say. How easy it would be, if we all could have thousands of people pray the prayer and get saved. Just repeat after me and 1-2-3 your a Christian. But I'm afraid that too often this method is used and "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." ~ Matthew 7:22-23. Salvation is not complicated. God does the saving. He is the one that gives faith and repentance. But too many people are concerned with "fruit" that they lead many who do not even understand into a prayer and they never truly received Christ. "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." ~ Matthew 7:13-14. Remember our responsibility is to go and tell... we are not given the command to save. God does the saving!