Of course I agree with Romans 10:9, but that verse refers to the Jesus Christ of Scripture. Rome has another Jesus and another gospel. It matters what you believe about Jesus. Rome’s Jesus is not the Jesus of Scripture.
The Lord Jesus of Scripture saves by grace alone and He is mighty to save. The Jesus of the Bible finished His work on the cross. The Christ Jesus of Scripture beckons sinners to come to Him and He will give them rest. Rome utterly rejects that Jesus. Rome’s Jesus needs your help and there’s no rest in Him because you are too busy working and striving for an uncertain salvation. The pope’s Jesus didn’t accomplish enough, so your good works need to be added to the work of Jesus. And in the event you don’t do quite enough you can finish working off your sin debt in a place called Purgatory. If you can afford it you might write a few checks and buy your way out of a few years. My Jesus, the Jesus of the Bible, is the sole mediator between God and man. Rome has all kinds of mediators, any old dead saint will do. My Jesus sent the Holy Spirit. Rome has vicar standing in the Holy Spirit’s place. I could go on and on and on. Yes, Rome has a Jesus, but He is not the Jesus of the Bible.
As for works righteousness, Rome may not use that term (you might prefer I call it a sacramental system), but that’s what the Roman system is. Regardless of the label, it’s certainly not a grace alone system. And according to Scripture, if you attempt to add any works to grace, then grace is no more. Based on the Bible you have no works that aren’t tainted by sin. Isaiah likened our best, our righteousness, to “filthy rags.” Don’t forget that works require a wage. And we know that the wages of sin is death.
“And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.” (Romans 11:6)
In the end Rome is little different from Israel of old.
Romans 10:2-3 “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
I’m about to go on vacation, so I can’t fight all the battles of the Reformation tonight, but I urge you to listen to the presentation of the gospel I linked in my last comment. I know you don’t like what I’m telling you, but it’s far better to hear this now than after it’s too late. Instead of trying to convince me I’m wrong about Rome, presuming that I don’t understand, I urge you to spend your time understanding the biblical gospel.
From a polemical point of view, it is not productive to lecture another person on "what they believe", when it only reveals your mistaken *idea* of what they believe. It's like laboring to argue your friend out of voting for Paula Deen for Senator, when your friend is just into the cinnamon buns.
It's not a persuasive discussion, because you are not engaging what the other person actually believes, but only your own distorted view of it. In the end, you are talking to yourself.
This is not worth my time, and hardly seems worth yours.
It's Saturday. I'll go out and plant my fava beans.