Explanation of Mat_10:32-33 :

1. Explanation of Matthew 10:32-33 :
However, there are two portions of Scripture that are primarily used in asking people to come forward in a church to receive Christ as Savior. They are, Matthew 10:32-33 and Romans 10:9-10. Let us examine these Verses in detail and see what they are talking about. Let us be as honest with these two portions of Scripture as we are with the rest of God's Word.

Any ardent student of the Bible recognizes that the proper interpretation of a Scripture comes from "rightly dividing the word of truth." This means that we do not take one Scripture by itself and make it mean what we want it to. We should read the whole chapter and then consider the context in which it was written. We should also consider to whom it is written and the dispensational aspects involved.

God told Noah to build an ark, does that mean we are to build an ark today? God instructed Israel to apply the blood upon the lintel and the two side posts so the Death Angel would not smite their firstborn. Are we to do the same today? God told Moses to lift up his rod and stretch his hand over the sea and it was divided. Are we to do the same today? Certainly, the answer is "No!."

Let us examine Matthew 10:32-33, and apply the same rules of interpretation here as we do in the rest of Scripture.

A. Examination of the Context
We shall be examining our text in the overall view of the entire Tenth Chapter of Matthew.

"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 in heaven." - Matthew 10:32-33

We find in Matthew 10:1-7 of this chapter that Christ is sending the Apostles out to preach, who were already saved. There was one impostor; but, that wasn't the Lord's fault! In Matthew 10:16, they would encounter men described as "wolves." Matthew 10:17 tells that they would be scourged! They would be brought before governors and kings because of their preaching (Matthew 10:18). In Matthew 10:22, Christ promised them that they would be saved from being killed, as long as they remained faithful until their ministry was finished. Then in Matthew 10:32-33, quoted above, Christ will confess their faithfulness to the Father for rewards, or their unfaithfulness for loss of rewards in Heaven. These verses have nothing to do with salvation or the coming to the front of a church.

This is service, not salvation! This says nothing about coming to the front of the church for salvation; but, is speaking of our service after we are saved.

B. To Whom Is This Speaking?
By going to the beginning of the Chapter, this question is answered,

"Now when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples...Now the names of the twelve Apostles are...These twelve Jesus sent forth..." - Matthew 10:1-5 In the remaining contexts of these verses, Christ names the Twelve specifically by name. There can be no question as to whom Christ is speaking.

C. Where Were They To Go?
This is answered clearly in Matthew 10:5-6,

"These twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them saying, go not into the way of the Gentiles and into the city of the Samaritans enter ye not: (5) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (6)

They were sent only to Israel and the reason is forthcoming.

D. What Were They To Say?
The answer is plainly given in Matthew 10:7, "And as ye preach, saying, the kingdom of Heaven is at hand."

Remember, Matthew emphasizes the Kingship of our Savior. This is why the Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned 38 times and only in the Book of Matthew. In other words, they were to preach only to the house of Israel that Christ, their Messiah, was here. The Kingdom of the Heavens (the earthly reign of Christ for 1,000 years) was at hand. If Israel, nationally, would have accepted Christ as their Messiah it would have been instituted.

E. How They Proved Their Message Was of God.
Proof that their message was that of God and not of men was evidenced by the miracles they performed. Matthew 10:8 explains, "Heal the sick, cleanse the leper, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give." When they preached that Christ was the Messiah and then raised the dead, it was surely proof that their message was true.

F. The Warning of Christ.
In Matthew 10:16-22, the twelve Apostles are told that their preaching will cause them to be hated by men. They would be brought before councils, governors, kings, and even scourged in the synagogues for His name's sake. He forewarned the Apostles of the results their task would bring. Keep in mind He is still speaking to the Apostles here.

G.How Were They To React?
Matthew 10:16 explains, "Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." In other words, preach by the wisdom of God, strong in the faith, boldly, but harm no one who resists your message.

H.God's Protection Is Seen.
God's protection is promised in Matthew 10:22, "But he that endureth (remains faithful) to the end (of his ministry) shall be saved (delivered alive)."

Notice in Matthew 10:23, "but when they persecute you in the city, flee ye into another..." When they were rejected from a city, God would deliver, or protect, their life until they could flee to another city. Remember, none of the eleven were killed until after their ministry was finished. When Israel's rejection of their Messiah was final, God permitted the Apostles to obtain their martyr's crown. All were martyred, with the exception of John. They were as sealed by God's protection as the 144,000 in Revelation 7:3; Revelation 9:4; Revelation 14:1.

"But the very hairs of your head are numbered" ( 30)

How true it is, "If God be for us...who then can be against us?"

I. Their Representative Was Christ.
Christ gave the Apostles their commission, their protection, and He would also reward them by confessing their faithfulness before the Father. Read again Matthew 10:32-33.

If they became weak in their faith and would not confess Him, then He would confess their unfaithfulness to the Father. Remember, this confession by Christ to the Father is for the Apostle's rewards or loss of rewards and not for their salvation. Their faithfulness, no doubt, will be rewarded when they rule and reign with Christ in His earthly Kingdom. This is similar to the way God deals with Christians today concerning their rewards and loss of rewards as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 3:14-15,

"If any man's (Christian's only) work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. (14) If any man's (Christian's) work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (15)

Both Matthew and Corinthians are speaking of fellowship, service, and rewards; not son-ship and salvation. If we keep Matthew 10:32-33 in context, several things may be noticed:

1. The "whosoever" in Matthew 10:32-33 is referring to the twelve Apostles that Christ was addressing in Matthew 10:1-5. It is true that we, today, will be rewarded for our testimony of Christ as other Scriptures point out; but, these Scriptures are referring to the Twelve only.

2. These verses are not speaking about salvation, for confessing Christ is a work of the flesh and we are not saved by works, NOT EVEN ONE! (Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5)

3. These verses were given to those, the Apostles, who had already identified themselves as being believers, and not as a condition for salvation.

4. The whole chapter is dealing with one group of men, the twelve Apostles; one nation, Israel; and one message, "the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." If we are going to apply just two verses, we would have to pull them completely out of context which would be mutilating God's Word.

One would have as much right to claim Matthew 10:8 as the permission to raise the dead today. Others would have the right to claim the promises of physical protection in Matthew 10:22. Here He promised the Apostles, if they would remain faithful to the end of their commission, nothing could happen to their lives. How erroneous it would be to apply this to the Church Age. Many a missionary has been faithful to the Gospel, yet their life was not spared, but taken. Read "Through Gates of Splendor" by Elisabeth Elliot, for example; and you will learn how five missionaries in the prime of life were murdered by the Auca Indians in the Ecuadorian jungle.

5. Since these verses are speaking only about service and not salvation, we should not confuse the listener by mixing grace and works. Many times it is said that salvation is by grace and not of works; and people are then, immediately, invited to "Step out and come to the front of the church" to receive Christ. If this is not a work—then I do not know what is!

We are preaching one thing and doing the opposite when we require a person to do a work before receiving Christ. People are led to believe they cannot be saved unless they come forward to do it. If I can be saved in my seat, then why ask me to come to the front of a church to receive Christ? This is a question many ask. Many have left a church service still lost because a pastor said one thing about salvation and then required the person to do something else (Romans 11:6).

6. Nowhere do these verses mention anything about walking to the front of a church. Where does it say anything about getting out of your seat? Where does it say anything about confessing Christ before a congregation? The "confessing" in Matthew 10:32-33 is referring to the twelve Apostles preaching the "Kingdom of heaven is at hand" and not just standing in front of a congregation saying "I believe in Christ."

7. Keeping these verses in context, one would only be required to confess in the presence of Jews. Does not Matthew 10:6 say, "Go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

8. These verses would only have confession made to the lost, not the saved. When we apply this today and have a person confess Christ in front of a congregation; then, it is mostly before the saved and not the lost. Remember, this "confession" is referring to preaching the Kingdom message.

J. Conclusions Drawn From The Facts:
I have talked to many people who refused to go back to church again because they have felt compelled to walk to the front of a church to be saved. Truthfully, how many times have you seen the same people, time after time, in the front of the church in response to this type of invitation. A lady asked me not long ago why I do not have people come forward to be saved. Here are a few of the many reasons I gave her:

1. No scripture even hints that you must come to the front of a church to be saved or even after you are saved.

2. We always teach people the importance of confessing Christ after they are saved by faith alone. Let us confess Him where it will be of most benefit. Let us tell our mothers, fathers, brothers, sister, our children, our relatives and our neighbors who are not saved. Let us confess Christ, in reality, where it counts!

3. Coming forward causes confusion, for many people are led to believe this has something to do with salvation. Nothing could be further from the truth.

4. Let us not be guilty of isolating a verse of Scripture, taking it completely out of context, to support a tradition inherited from the past. In summary, salvation is only one way and that is by trusting Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 6:47). It is the same for all individuals no matter where you are or who you are. When I am on radio or television, I invite people to trust Christ right where they are: in their home, their car, walking down the street—wherever. Why, then is the invitation changed when we are in church?

Perhaps you are one who is really bitter toward churches because someone has tried to force you down an aisle. Please do not be bitter at the Lord. He never made this a condition for salvation. God does not ask us to do anything to be saved. He only asks that we accept what He has done. God loved you so much that He paid for your sins completely before you were ever born. He only asks you to completely trust in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and then rest in God's promise that you will never perish but have everlasting life.

"And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life" - 1 John 5:11-12