CHAPTER 13

Confessing My Lord

In Chapter 3 we learned about CONFESSING OUR SINS. In this chapter we want to learn about CONFESSING OUR LORD. When we confess our sins we TALK TO GOD and we TELL HIM about our sins (1 John 1:9). When we confess our Lord we TALK TO OTHERS and we TELL THEM about our Lord (Romans 10:9-10).
 

I Agree With What God Says About His Son

The word "confess" means "to say the same thing, to agree with someone about something." When we CONFESS THE LORD, we are saying the same thing about Jesus that God says. We are AGREEING with what God says about His Son:

1. God says that Jesus is the ONLY SAVIOUR (Acts 4:l2). DO YOU AGREE? _____
2. God says that eternal life is a gift, it is found in His Son, and everyone who has the Son has eternal life (1 John 5:11-12). DO YOU AGREE? ________
3. God says that Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead to save us (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). DO YOU AGREE? _______

You might disagree with a friend about something. You might even disagree with your parents about something (although they are usually right). However, it is very dangerous to disagree with God because He is always right and never wrong! Those who disagree with God are always wrong!

Peter’s Great Sin

What word means the opposite of "CONFESS" (see John 1:20; 1 John 2:22-23)? _____________ To confess is to say "YES"; to deny is to say "NO." In Luke 22:57 Peter should have said, "Y______ I KNOW HIM!" In Luke 22:58 Peter should have said, "Y______, I am one of them!" In Luke 22:59 Peter should have said, "Y______, I was with Him!" But Peter did not say these things. Peter did not confess the Lord, he D____________ Him (Luke 22:57). Was Peter sorry that he had denied His Lord (Luke 22:62)? ________

Peter failed and denied His Lord and pretended that he did not even know Jesus. But later Peter stood up before thousands of people and bravely confessed that Jesus was the Lord. You can read about this in Acts chapter 2 beginning in verse 14. Did Peter confess that Jesus had risen from the dead (Acts 2:32)? ______ Did Peter confess that Jesus was in heaven, at the right hand of God (Acts 2:33)? ______ Did Peter confess that Jesus is the Lord and that Jesus is the Christ (Acts 2:36)? _____ Peter wanted to tell these people about his Lord and many of those who listened believed and were saved (see Acts 2:41)!
 

I Am Not Ashamed!

In Chapter 3 of these notes, we learned that the word confess also means "to bring something out into the open, to make something known, to refuse to hide it or cover it up or keep it secret." In Luke 22:55-61, Peter did not want others to know that he knew Jesus. He wanted to keep it a big secret! But later in Acts chapter 2, Peter said, "be this K___________ unto you" (verse 14) and "let all the house of Israel K__________ assuredly" (verse 36). Peter wanted to make known who Jesus Christ really was. He did not want to keep it a secret anymore!

The Apostle Paul once said, "I am not _________________ of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto __________________ to every one that B____________________" (Romans 1:16). What about you? Are you ashamed of the gospel or are you proud of the gospel? Do you love to tell others about God’s good news of salvation? Do others know that you are a Christian or is it a big secret? Do you try to share your faith with others or do you try to hide your faith from others? The Bible says, "Whosoever __________________ on Him shall not be ___________________" (Romans 10:11).
 

The Cost of Confession

It is not always easy to confess the Lord. Sometimes it is easier not to confess the Lord. According to John 9:22 what did the Jews do to anyone who confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (Christ)? __________________________________________________ Were some people afraid to confess Him (John 12:42)? _____

During the second and third centuries, the Roman rulers persecuted the Christians and many believers were put to death. Some were burned at the stake, some were fed to the lions and some died other cruel deaths. Those believers who would not deny their Lord even at the cost of their lives were known as CONFESSORS. They were willing to tell others that Jesus was their Saviour, even if it meant their death. They refused to hide their faith. They refused to deny their Lord and to pretend that they were not Christians.

There was a man named Polycarp who was put to death by the Romans in 155 A.D. His name was Polycarp. He was an old man, and in his earlier days he had known the Apostle John.  In a great arena where a large crown was present the Romans threatened him and told him that they would throw him to the wild beasts or burn him at the stake. They did everything they could to try to get him to deny his Lord.  In those days instead of watching a football game, people would gather together in the arena to watch Christians be put to death or to watch other people fight to the death (gladiatorial contests).

Finally the ruler said to Polycarp: "Revile Christ (deny Him, speak against Him) and I will let you go." Here is Polycarp’s famous answer: "I have served Him eighty-six years and in no way has He done me wrong; how can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" He could not deny the One who saved Him! Again the ruler tried to get him to deny his faith, but he said openly, "I AM A CHRISTIAN." After this they threatened to burn him at the stake, but Polycarp had this to say, "Your fire burns for a while and goes out, but there is another fire you don’t know about." What fire was he talking about (Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10,14-15)? ____________________________________________________

As they were about to nail him into place Polycarp said, "Let me alone. He that gives me strength to endure the fire will also make it possible for me to stay in the flames without moving." So they did not nail him, but simply bound him, with his hands strapped behind him. His dying prayer was this: "I give You thanks that You have counted me worthy of this day and hour...I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You through Jesus Christ...Amen." God gave this believer amazing courage. What else do you think God gave Polycarp (Revelation 2:10)? ______________________________

Suppose our country were to be taken over by people who hate Christ. Suppose that they were to go up to every person and ask this question: "IS JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR? ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN BELIEVER?" A "YES" answer would mean death and a "NO" answer would mean that they would let you live. Would it be easy to confess the Lord then? ______

Today in our country we have religious freedom and believers are not usually persecuted for their faith. Suppose that when you go to school tomorrow one of your classmates should ask you this question: "IS JESUS CHRIST YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR? ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN BELIEVER?" If you were to answer "YES" would your classmates carry you off and burn you at the stake? Would they stone you (see Acts 7:59)? Would they punch you in the face? Would they spit on you? Would they laugh at you?   If this were the case, what would your answer be, "YES" or "NO"? If you tell others that you are a Christian today in our country, do you think  you will you lose your life?
 

The Reward of Confessing Christ

Sometimes there is a great cost for confessing Christ. It cost Polycarp his life. Stephen, James (the brother of John), Peter and Paul were all put to death because they confessed that Christ was their Saviour and Lord. But the Bible tells us that there is a reward that is far greater than the cost !

What promise did the Lord give to those who would confess Him before men in Matthew 10:32? He said, "If you confess Me before men, I will confess you before My _____________ which is in heaven."

Today you can tell people that Jesus is your Saviour: "I want you to know that Jesus is mine and I belong to Him." Someday in heaven Jesus will tell the Father something very special if you are a true believer. He will point to you and say, "Father, I want you to know that (write your own name) ______________________ is MINE! He (or she) belongs to Me!"

In Luke 12:8 we learn something else. If I confess Christ before men, then Christ will confess me before the _____________   of    ______.   Today you can confess Christ before others: "I want you to know that Jesus is mine! He is my personal Saviour!" Someday in heaven all of the angels will be present. How many angels of God are there (Revelation 5:11)? _________________________________________________ Jesus will then say to them, "I want all of you to know that (write your own name) _______________________ is mine. He (or she) belongs to me forever and ever!"

Will these things be true if we deny the Lord before men? If we deny Christ today, will He confess us in heaven (Matthew 10:33 and Luke 12:9)? ______

Suppose people were to ask you, "Are you a Christian?" and you were to give this answer: "No, I am not. I do not know Christ as my personal Saviour." What might Jesus say to you someday (Matthew 7:23)? "I NEVER ___________ YOU." What wonderful promise does God give to every saved person (Revelation 3:5)?
_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Putting The Right Label On The Can

Suppose you were to go into the grocery store and see the following can on the shelf:

The label confesses the contents of the can. If the can did not have any label on it, would you know what was in it? _____

The label says, "Inside of me there are peas!" Who is in the believer (2 Corinthians 13:5)? _________________________ Who lives in the believer (Galatians 2:20)? _______________ Do you want people to know who lives in your heart? If you do, then you must put a correct label on the can!

Is it possible for a can to have a wrong label on it? Suppose you were to open up a can of peas and discover that it was really filled with black olives:

Is it possible for a person to say, "I AM A CHRISTIAN" and not really be a Christian at all? Is it possible for a person to say, "I know Christ as my personal Saviour" and not be telling the truth (1 John 2:4)? _______

The confession of our mouth (what we say with our lips, the label we put on the can) must agree with the conduct of our life (how we live). Titus 1:16 describes a group of people who have put a wrong label on the can. They confess something with their lips, but what they confess is not really true. Read Titus 1:16 and then do this MATCHING problem:

Their walk was different from their talk! The world needs to see that the Christ we name with our lips is the same Christ we serve with our lives!

When Can I Confess Him?

A person can confess Christ as soon as he is saved (Romans 10:9-10). Being saved is not something that you want to hide and keep secret. It is something that others need to know. When a person is first saved, he can immediately tell his family members, his friends and his relatives. Also a person can give a "PUBLIC CONFESSION" in church. At the end of the service or during the testimony time he could share with all the believers something like this: "I want you all to know that I have trusted Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour. He is my Lord and my God and I thank Him for saving a sinner like me. Pray for me that I will grow in the Lord."

Water baptism is another way that a believer can confess the Lord (see Acts 8:36-38). Are you saved? Have you confessed the Lord before the believers in your church? Have you been baptized in water? Are you looking for opportunities every day to tell others that Jesus Christ is your Saviour and Lord? Christ was not ashamed to die for us! May we not be ashamed to live for Him!

Ashamed of Jesus! sooner far
Let evening blush to own a star!
Ashamed of Jesus! that dear Friend
On whom my hopes of heaven depend!
No; when I blush, be this my shame,
That I no more revere His Name!

-- Joseph Grigg

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