Never Stop Confessing Christ

A true child of God cannot keep his faith a secret.  Regardless of the scenario, the Christian must be willing to acknowledge openly his confidence in Christ.  This is explicitly taught in different verses in the Bible.  First of all, consider what Jesus said.  “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).  With such plain speech, Jesus taught the absolute necessity of acknowledging Him.  Keep in mind, this would be a serious decision to make for the first century Jew.  If one were willing to say such, then he put himself in a position to be isolated from his fellow peers.  Consider the parents of a man who was healed of his blindness.  When questioned as to how their son could now see, the parents were cautious in their response.  They said, “…We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:  But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not:  he is of age; ask him:  he shall speak for himself” (John 9:20-21).  The reason for their reluctance is revealed in the following verse.  “These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews:  for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue” (John 9:22).  Fear did not allow the parents to give credit to Jesus for such a wonderful blessing.  Their son, on the other hand, was ready and willing to acknowledge that Jesus was responsible for the healing.  He said, “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.  If this man were not of God, he could do nothing” (John 9:32-33).  After plainly being asked of Jesus, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God”, the man later stated, “Lord, I believe” (John 9:35, 38).  May we ever be willing to confess Jesus so confidently.

            Now let us examine another occasion where acknowledging Jesus was a matter of discussion.  This time,one of the most outspoken and devoted believers in Christ is the subject.  John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Christ, had not shied from affirming his faith in Jesus.  It is recorded, “John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This is he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me:  for he was before me” (John 1:15).  Also, when Jesus approached him, John publicly stated, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.  This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me:  for he was before me” (John 1:29-30).  You might think that a man so bold and confident in his faith would never have an issue with confessing Christ.  However, the Bible records that John may have begun to doubt near the end of his life.  After having been imprisoned for faithfully teaching the truth of God’s Word, there was a time that John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus some questions (Luke 7:19).  Those questions seem strange from someone who had before stated such confidence in Jesus.  He asked, “Art thou he that should come?  or look we for another” (Luke 7:19).  The reaction and response that Jesus gave are quite telling.  At first, Jesus went about continuing the good works that He had been doing.  It is written, “And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight” (Luke 7:21).  These works were evidence that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.  This should have put to rest any doubt that one might have had.  As such, Jesus then told the two men, “Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached” (Luke 7:22).  In other words, there was no reason to stop confessing that Jesus is the Christ.  In fact, the Lord stated, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Luke 7:23).  John needed to hold his confidence in Christ to the very end.

            In a world where stating one’s faith in Christ can cause us to be isolated, ridiculed, and even persecuted, beaten, or killed, Christians must never allow themselves to denounce their Lord.  While it is not the only thing that God has commanded man to do to be saved, we must remember, “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” (Rom. 10:9-11).  May we never stop confessing Christ!
~ Corey Barnette