Confessing Jesus
—Not being a secret disciple
Jesus Christ doesn't have any secret admirers, for people who pretend not to believe in him are among those who deny him.
1Need for Confession
Jesus said that he will acknowledge us before God on the condition that we acknowledge him among the people we deal with day by day. "Whoever confesses me before men" Jesus promised, "I will also confess him (or her) before my Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:32-33)
In the Bible this acknowledgement is called "the good confession before many witnesses" (1Timothy 6:12) and the Bible says this "confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:8-10).
2 Evidence of Confession
There is no set formula of words for making confession of Jesus Christ, however it should agree with the testimony of Jesus. Certain evident truths ought to be implied in what we say...
- Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 8:37, 1John 4:15).
- Jesus is the Christ/Messiah (Matthew 16:16).
- Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).
- Jesus is God who became flesh (John 1:1,14, 1John 4:2-3).
Note that any of the above statements is taken as marks of belief in all the truth about Jesus, for example that he lived righteously, died for our sins, arose from the dead, and ascended into heaven to intercede for us (ITm 3:16, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:24-26).
3 Sincerity in Confession
To talk one thing and live another is hypocrisy. Confessing Christ is useless if we don't obey him "Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Why do you call me Lord. Lord and do not obey what I say?" (Matthew 7:21 and Luke 6:46).
Conclusion
There are four things that stand out regarding this confession of Jesus...
- Firstly, it is one of the things necessary to salvation from God's wrath.
- Secondly, this confession should acknowledge the truth about Jesus.
- Thirdly, this confession should not be made just once at baptism, but all through your Christian life.
- Fourthly, this confession should be seen in your life just as truly as it is heard from your mouth.
We hope that you will think about these things, and that what we have said will help you to believe in Jesus, confess him as Lord, and live out his teachings in your life. If you will. Jesus is able to grant you eternal life.