Confession of Christ
Confession of Christ
INTRODUCTION
Notes taken from Moody Colportage booklet, "On Being a Real Christian," by G. C. Weiss. Matthew 10:32-33, "Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I conf6ss 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. " Romans 10:9, "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. " Is it possible to be a secret believer? (one that does not confess Christ openly) Yes, apparently for a short time. In John 19:38 ,Joseph of Arimathaea was a secret believer, but later openly confessed Christ in asking for the body of Jesus.
It is impossible to remain a secret believer for Matthew 10:32-33 and Romans 10:9 are essential. These are two parts to salvation:
Believing in the heart, which is receiving the Lord Jesus as Saviour.
Confessing with the mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The penitent thief on the cross confessed Jesus as Lord, Luke 23:42, "Lord, remember me when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." Paul OD the Damascus road, Acts 9:5, "Who art Thou, Lord?" 1 Corinthians 12:3, ".. . and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. "
I. THE NECESSITY OF CONFESSING CHRIST AUDIBLY
We must confess Christ audibly because Christ commanded it.
It is a source of help and strength in our own lives. In confessing Christ, very often the greatest blessing is the joy in our own heart.
It strengthens our faith and gives us greater courage to do exploits for Him. A witnessing Christian is not liable to backslide. Conversely, many backsliders can trace their downfall to their failure to confess Christ publicly.
Confession of Christ brings real joy to the convert. Joy comes from obedience to Him. My first testimony, on July 18, 1938, at Beaver Flats, though very short, brought great joy.
Confession of Christ solves many problems. Others know who you are and what you stand for and respect you for a clear-cut stand The world despises a weak, cowardly, secret Christian.
Temptations to wordly places of amusements are halted and invitations to Church activities are multiplied. It automatically puts you in a different group.
Because of what Christ has done for you. If someone did a great thing for you, you would tell everyone about it. Suppose you were rescued from death in some way.
We are saved by a great Saviour and we surely must tell the news to everyone.
METHODS OF CONFESSING CHRIST
Publicly in a Church assembly, prayer meeting, Young People’s Meeting, Testimony meeting.
Privately to your friends, relatives and neighbours, in daily conversation.
3.. Confess Christ publicly, in public baptism, in association with a good church.
Confess Christ by joining a true, spiritual, active Christian church.
Confess Christ by constant attendance at church services and the communion table.
Perhaps the most difficult, yet most essential, is the simple relating of our testimony to friends, relatives, and strangers.
FREQUENCY OF CONFESSING CHRIST
Is one public confession enough for life? No, it is something that we must do repeatedly. The Christian life that is not confessed will starve and die.
Jeremiah 20:9, "Then I said, I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His name. But His Word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." This is the experience of every true Christian that attempts to limit his testimony. A fire cannot be hid. It must reveal itself. A Christian must confess repeatedly
TO WHOM SHOULD WE WITNESS?
Acts 1:8, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." . The disciples were to witness to everyone. Jerusalem was their home town, Judaea the province, Samaria the neighbouring country, and then on to the heathen.
Acts 5:20, "Go, stand and speak in the Temple to the people all the words of this life." They were to witness and testify to all the people. Our chief responsibility is to witness to our relatives and friends. Then later our circle of influence will grow and we will reach more and more people.
WHAT OUGHT ONE TO SAY IN CONFESSING CHRIST
A confession of Christ is witnessing to the fact that one is a Christian. A witness is one that knows something. Witnessing is not necessarily preaching sermons, but telling the simple story of actual facts that we know. A witness’ knowledge must be positive, definite, personal, not hearsay or imagination. It must be something that has affected one of his five senses (heard, felt, tasted, saw, touched).
A witness for Christ must be saved himself. His testimony must be capable of enduring under cross-examination.
Tell the simple facts of your conversion and the change in your own life.
Tell about answers to prayer that you have received.. Psalms 50:15, "And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me."
Tell how Christ satisfied you completely. If you say, "I’m saved and really happy since Jesus took my sins away," people will listen to your sincerity.
Don’t say that you are happy and look as miserable as death.
Tell about personal victory over sin and temptations. This interests people and is glorifying to the Saviour that gives you the victory.
Of course, your personal life must be clean before you can say this.
Tell about your favorite verses in the Bible; about how God speaks to you this morning from a particular passage of Scripture.
Give your friends the Gospel of Christ. Speak of the Saviour’s perfect life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and second coming, and of future judgment.
HINDRANCES TO CONFESSING CHRIST
There ought not to be any, for we ought to obey the plain commands of Scripture.
Fear of man. Afraid of repercussions. Afraid of what people say. 2 Timothy 1:7, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love. . ." 1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love: but perfect love casteth out fear."
Php 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me," even witnessing for Christ.
Ashamed. 2 Timothy 1:8, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. . . but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel." 3. Impure life. Fear that the spoken testimony will not be in agreement with the actual life lived. Begin at the beginning. Confess your sins according to 1 John 1:9, and ask the Lord to give you a new, fresh beginning with Him.
A public confession of failure is a good starting point of a reconsecrated life.
VII DANGER OF NOT WITNESSING
Ezekiel 33:8, "When I say unto the wicked, 0 wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand." This is a solemn warning to the silent believer on the Lord Jesus Christ.
We are not necessarily responsible for the results. If they refuse to accept our witness and earnest pleading that is their responsibility.
CONCLUSION Have you ever confessed Christ as Saviour? as Lord? Revelation 2:10.
REVIEW QUESTIONS
What is the basic requirement for every believer according to Matthew 10:32-33 and Romans 10:9?
Is it possible to be a secret believer? Explain.
List 5 reasons for confessing Christ audibly.
Name 5 methods of confessing Christ.
Is one public confession of Christ sufficient for life? Why?
To whom should a believer witness?
Tell some things to mention in an acceptable testimony. (7 things)
Why do Christians not confess Christ?
What is the danger of not witnessing?
When did you last confess Christ? What did you say?