Introduction:
I.
AT THIS TIME, LET US CONSIDER FOUR CONFESSIONS THAT
EVERYONE SHOULD MAKE.
A.
One of these confessions will be made by everyone.
B.
The word "confession" means to declare, make a
thing known, to express faith in, and to
acknowledge.
Discussion:
I.
THE GOOD AND NOBLE CONFESSION.
A.
The acknowledging that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
the living God can rightly be called: "The good and noble
confession."
1.
Simon Peter made this confession unto the Lord.
Matt.
16:13-18, "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea
Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I
the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John
the Baptist: some, Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the
prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And
Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed
art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed
it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also
unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build
my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
B. This confession is to be made as a condition of
salvation.
1.
In making this confession, we are pronouncing our faith
that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.
2.
We must confess Christ before our fellowman in order for
Him to confess us before the Heavenly Father.
Matt.
10:32-33, "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."
3.
We are to confess Him by mouth unto salvation.
Rom.
10-9-10, "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."
4.
This confession is to be made prior to being baptized for
the remission of sins.
Acts
8:35-39, "Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the
same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went
on their way, they came unto a certain water and the eunuch
said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou
mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ
is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand
still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and
the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out
of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that
the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing."
II.
THE CHRISTIAN'S CONFESSING.
A.
After obeying the gospel of Christ, we are to acknowledge
Him as being the Son of God by both our conduct and manner of
speaking each day of our life.
1.
We acknowledge Jesus Christ in the five acts of public
worship.
a.
In some of our songs we sing about Jesus.
There are even songs that are actually addressed unto our Lord.
The words and principles of Christ are to be the basics of the
songs that we sing.
Col. 3:16,
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom;
teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."
b.
When we partake of the Lord's Supper on the
first day of each week, we commemorate His death upon the
cross.
Acts 20:7,
"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came
together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to
depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight."
Matt.
26:26-27, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and
blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and
said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave
thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For
this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many
for the remission of sins."
c.
Our prayers are addressed unto the Heavenly
Father in the name of Jesus Christ.
John
14:13, "And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will
I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
1 Tim.
2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus."
d.
The Son of God is to be the center of our teaching
and preaching.
Acts 5:42,
"And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not
to teach and preach Jesus Christ."
e.
We financially support the cause of Christ, in our
giving upon the first day of the week.
II Cor.
9:7, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart,
so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God
loveth a cheerful giver."
2.
Jesus should be seen in us by the life that we live.
Matt.
5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may
see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Acts 4:13,
"Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and
perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they
marveled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been
with Jesus."
B.
Such things as the following are not necessary in our
acknowledging of Jesus as the Christ in our daily life.
1.
That we are to go around continually orally confessing
Christ. However, if some one inquiries about our faith in
Jesus, then we should not hesitate to do so.
2.
Nor do we need to wear a badge saying, "I am a
Christian!"
3.
Neither is it necessary to wear special attire
distinguishing us as Christians. We are certainly to wear
"modest apparel" (1 Tim. 2:9).
C.
But it is necessary that our life to be conformed to that
of the Son of God.
Phil.
1:21, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain."
Gal. 2:20,
"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,
but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the
flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me."
1 Pet.
2:21, "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ
also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should
follow his steps:"
III.
THE CONFESSION OF FAULTS.
A.
Since it is possible for a child of God to fall from
grace, one who does needs to seek forgiveness of their sins.
1.
An erring child of God must repent, confess their sins,
and pray to the Heavenly Father for forgiveness.
1 John
1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to
forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
2.
Every Christian is a priest under the new covenant (1
Pet. 2:5, 9). Therefore, it is not necessary for a
child of God to seek forgiveness thru a special ordained
ecclesiastical order. Jesus Christ, Himself, intercedes in our
behalf when we pray unto our Heavenly Father.
1 Tim.
2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus."
3.
However, sins should be confessed as publicly as they
were committed. When a brother or sister in Christ sins
privately, then it is not necessary for them to acknowledge that
sin to anyone else. Instead, that individual should go directly
to God in prayer confessing their sins and asking for
forgiveness. If we have sinned against someone personally, then
we should go to them seeking forgiveness (Matt. 5:23-24).
On the other hand, if it is a public sin then it should be
confessed before the church.
James
5:16, "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one
for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
4.
We have the example of the Simon of Samaria, who
believed and was baptized, was told by the Apostle Peter to
repent and to pray to God for forgiveness (Acts 8:5-24).
5.
There is also the example of the prodigal son who, after
living a sinful life, repented and in confessing his sins sought
forgiveness of his father (Luke 15:11-24).
IV. THE CONFESSION THAT EVERYONE SHALL MAKE.
A.
Some may refuse to make the good and noble confession in
this life.
B.
Others may become Christians, but refuse to confess
Christ in their life.
C.
Still others, as erring children of God may refuse to
confess their faults.
D.
But all will confess to God in the last day.
Rom.
14:11-12, "For it is writte, AS I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD,
EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL CONFESS TO
GOD. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to
God."
E.
There will not be any unbelievers in hell. Souls will be
eternally lost because of their unbelief in this life, but they
will no longer be unbelievers in hell.
Conclusion:
Have
you made the good and noble confession that Jesus Christ is the
Son of God prior to being baptized for the remission of your
sins?
Do you, as a
child of God, need to confess your sins and seek forgiveness of
your Heavenly Father?
Are you as a
Christian striving to acknowledge our Lord in your daily life?
We urge you
to make whatever confession that you need to make and then one
day the Lord will confess you before the Father in Heaven.
--Dub Mowery