Confessing Christ
The sermon emphasizes the importance of confessing Christ and living according to His commandments in order to show that we truly know God.
Clement of Rome emphasizes the importance of confessing and honoring God through Jesus Christ, the means by which true knowledge of the Father is attained. He highlights the need to not offer sacrifices to false gods but to acknowledge the one true God. Confessing Jesus before others is a sign of true faith, as Jesus promises to acknowledge those who confess Him before the Father. Clement stresses the significance of not just speaking about God but honoring Him with genuine devotion from the heart and mind, aligning with His commandments.
Text
Since, then, He has displayed so great mercy towards us, and especially in this respect, that we who are living should not offer sacrifices to gods that are dead, or pay them worship, but should attain through Him to the knowledge of the true Father, whereby shall we show that we do indeed know Him, but by not denying Him through whom this knowledge has been attained? For He himself declares,Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father.
This, then, is our reward if we shall confessHim by whom we have been saved. But in what way shall we confess Him? By doing what He says, and not transgressing Hiscommandments, and by honouring Him not with our lips only, but with all our heart and all our mind.
For He says in Isaiah,This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Sermon Outline
- The Mercy of God
- God's mercy towards us
- Not offering sacrifices to dead gods
- Attaining knowledge of the true Father
Key Quotes
“Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father.” — Clement of Rome
“This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” — Clement of Rome
Application Points
- We should strive to live according to God's will and not just pay lip service to Him.
- Confessing Christ means acknowledging Him as our Lord and Savior and living according to His commandments.
- We should honor God with our hearts and minds, not just with our lips.