Jesus declared, “Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven (Matthew 10:32). In the biblical sense, to confess Christ means to profess faith in Him and acknowledge His authority.
Jesus once asked the disciples who men said He was. They explained that some thought Him to be John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or another prophet risen from the dead. Jesus said, “But who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (Matthew 16:15–16). By his response, Peter confessed Christ.
Paul wrote, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9–10). “Confession is made unto salvation”; so it should not be minimized. Paul connected heartfelt belief with open confession by the mouth.
Confession of Christ is not, however, merely repeating a formula. It is the out ward expression of faith felt in the heart. By confession, we express our acceptance of His authority in every area of our lives, and we give our personal pledge of allegiance to Him and His cause.
The Ethiopian treasurer of Queen Candace did not understand Isaiah’s prophetic portrait of Christ, so Philip, “beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him” (Acts 8:35). As they went on their way, they came to “some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he answered and said, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’” (8:36–37). Based on that confession, Philip baptized him into Christ (8:38).
Because of His sacrifice for us, the Father has exalted Christ “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10–11). It is said, “The confession is the birthplace of the unselfish element in religion.” Have you unreservedly, unselfishly confessed Christ?
