Confession in scripture is a statement which we make to God that we are sorry for our conduct; and thereupon ask for God’s forgiveness and with a promise not to repeat our past lives directly or indirectly. With sincerity of heart, God forgives us through Christ Jesus and restores us to himself.
Confession is also a statement of fact, which attests to God’s nature, character or authority which is the hidden truths. It motivates us in faith towards Christ Jesus in righteousness to remain steadfast for God. We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will lead us to discuss this second aspect of confession.
(2) Confession as a statement of fact
Confession of a statement of truth means we verbally admit to a fact which cannot be disputed. It is an acknowledgement of an existing fact to all who want the truth. The bible has countless examples of them and we will refer to some of these confessions.
Confessing of Jesus’ authority
Philippians 2:10-11 say that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We glorify God when we call Jesus as Lord. This fact of Jesus Christ as Lord will be the eventual confession of both believers and none believers at the judgment seat of God. It is by this confession that we shall be judged in eternity. It is a statement of acknowledgment of the eternal judge, Jesus Christ. This fact cannot be changed however we deny it because it is divine truth. We must confess Jesus as Lord now to be saved or else it may be too late. We do not know when God will call us home.
Confessing Jesus’ Lordship
In Romans 10:9 Paul says if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him form the dead, you will be saved. Paul also draws a nexus between words of the lips with the state of the heart on a fact of truth to all who possess an open mind. In Matthew 16:16; Mark 8:29; John 11: 27 Martha said I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God. She remained committed to her confession. What is our belief in word and thought and deed? Do we live as Jesus wants?
In Acts 10:36 Peter also confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. We cannot confess Jesus or live in him if we do not have the truth of God in us. What is our confession of Jesus to the world? 1 Corinthians 12: 3 says therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says Jesus be accursed! and no one can say Jesus is Lord except the Holy Spirit. Any one who fails to confess Jesus as Lord has no truth in him and such confession must come from the heart.
Confessing our hope of glory
In Colossians 1: 27 Paul said, Christ in you, the hope of glory. We will surely taste of the glory of God only when we are interwoven with Jesus Christ because his spirit will transform us into his marvelous light and glorious image for eternity. If we continue to live independent lives from Christ Jesus after our confession, we cannot be one with him and his spirit will not dwell with us. We must have the attitude of confessing Christ Jesus as Lord on our lips; and to believe in our hearts by works. Our deeds must not be contrary to our utterances after confession. We have no other hope of glory but in Christ Jesus.
Who we are before God
Paul says in Romans 8: 9, but you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. Paul further said in 1 Corinthians 12: 27 you are the body of Christ. These statements of fact mean that once we are born again, we become part of the body of Christ Jesus. Paul confessed these statements based on fact of knowledge, his experience, his encounter with Christ Jesus, and revelation by the Holy Spirit. Who are we before Christ Jesus? Are we part of the body of Christ by righteousness?
John the Baptist confessed in John 1: 19-22, I am not the Christ. John the Baptist boldly confessed to the undisputed fact of Jesus’ deity as savior although John could have claimed otherwise. John did not exaggerate his status as a forerunner of Jesus Christ. Today, we are not bold enough to confess who truly we are. We must be truthful with godly pride about who we are and the mission or assignment which God has given to us to perform. John was not envious of Jesus because he belonged to the same one body of Christ Jesus and for a common mission though his was lower than Jesus’.
Romans 12: 4-5 say for as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12: 11 says never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. We must play our individual and collective roles as God has assigned to us and leave the rest to God who knows our strength. We must remember that the choices we make have eternal consequences.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. Paul confessed the role of God in the salvation of the soul. Today, we have arrogated to ourselves ownership of God’s glory in the salvation business. Whatever we do or say is a form of confession as to our relationship with Christ Jesus. We assume God’s glory because we do not know him. What is our confession of the role Christ Jesus is playing in the affairs of men and in our perilous societies?
Our points for meditation
Who is Christ Jesus to us? Do we have a worthy relationship with him? Christ Jesus will soon come again, are we ready to meet him as our judge? We must do our part of the work and leave the rest to God. We honour God with our true confession of sin or our attestation of who Christ Jesus is. We pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will eclipse our hearts with his truth to confess Him as Lord and to acknowledge him for who he is. We confess Christ Jesus as the savior and redeemer of our souls, what about you?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, you are the only ordained High Priest from heaven to intercede for us before God the Father. We humbly plead for pardon and ask that by your precious blood please wash us. Come into our hearts and save our wretched souls today from perishing. We pray in your holy name, Amen!!
