Confess

Confession….A Resolution
Carlos M. Aguilar

Much is spoken of and said about resolutions this time of the year. Most do some self-examination and whether it is introspection or an examination of our outer self we must make certain plans to accomplish our new goals or we will never achieve them.

As a Christian our resolutions were set in place when we confessed Jesus as Christ, King of kings, and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15). Let us not forget the importance of that confession. In Rom 10:9-10 we read, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Note that in our text confession of faith is made just as important as the faith itself. Here confession and faith are tied together with the coordinating conjunction "and"---“If you confess with your mouth and believe in you heart.”---this makes the confession just as important as the faith itself. There are too many brethren who once the good confession was made and their baptism completed, they cease to confess the name of Jesus Christ in their lives. As we know in our study of the scriptures that what God thinks on a subject is different from what man thinks. The scriptures clearly teach that salvation is based on what God says. No one else has any say on this matter.

I remember the day I became a citizen of the United States. It was quite a large gathering of people ready to start a new life as citizens. At the appropriate time we publicly professed our allegiance to the United States of America. Even so, it has pleased the Almighty God to ask the sinner, when he desires to become a citizen of the heavenly Kingdom, to stand publicly, and, renouncing allegiance to all others, profess his allegiance to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. In our every day life we are not ashamed of what we believe nor of that to which we belong. Where is the loyal American citizen who is ashamed of his citizenship? We are proud to rise to our feet at the playing of the national anthem and to cover our hearts as the stars and stripes wave in the sky. Yet when we have opportunity to stand up for Christ and let others know what we believe about Him, there are some who immediately begin to be at a loss for words and remember they had made a confession of allegiance. Those people remind me of those rulers in John 12:42-43. “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” The good confession is a confession, which is made with the mouth, but may we never forget that it must be backed by the life.

The Good Confession Acknowledges Jesus As Lord

Paul says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.” The Greek word for "Lord" literally means "master, ruler, supreme one." When you confesses Jesus as your Lord, you are acknowledging that He is the Supreme One in you life---that He is your Master, and you are His obedient servant---when He speaks you are willing to say, "Here am I, send me.”

The Good Confession is Rooted In A Believing Heart

If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in you heart (believe what is in your heart?) that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Now why is that so important? It is important enough to have our salvation based on it. Of all of these marvelous events in the life of our Master, why select the resurrection as being most vital? Why is it that we must believe in His resurrection if we are to be saved? Don't you see? This is the keystone---if this is knocked out, the arch comes down around our ears with a crash. It is the resurrection of the man we know as Jesus, which is foundation to all else!

If you don't believe that God raised Jesus from that cold stone tomb, you don't believe anything about the Son of God! Paul declares that if Christ has not been raised our preaching is vain, your faith is vain, and you are yet in your sins (1 Cor 15:13-17). Faith in the resurrection is essential! If you do not believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, you do not believe that Jesus lives and saves (Heb 7:25). If you do not believe that God raised Jesus from the dead, you do not believe that he is coming again in judgment (Acts 17:31). The proofs are abundant.

The Good Confession Acknowledges Jesus As The Christ, The Son of God

It was in the parts of Caesarea Philippi that inspired Peter made his good confession: Matt 16:16. And Jesus pronouncing a blessing on Simon Peter, declared that this truth was revealed to Peter by the heavenly Father, and promised that on this great foundational truth He would build His church. Matt 16:16-Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” We must acknowledge Him as the Christ, the Anointed One. Remember that in the Bible times there were three classes of people who were anointed with the holy anointing oil; the prophets, the priests, and the kings. When we confess Jesus as our Christ, we acknowledge before the world the acceptance of Him as our Prophet, our Priest, and our King. The good confession pays tribute to the divine Jesus---"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

There a lot of things that we might not understand about Jesus and why He wanted us to do certain things. But He never said, "Explain me" He said, "Follow me" He never asked for perfect understanding. He never asked for perfect service. He asked for love and obedience.

May He have it? If you believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and are willing to acknowledge Him as Lord, will you take the first opportunity to make your confession before witnesses?

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