Confessing Unto Salvation
We often refer to the confession that Jesus Christ is the Son of God as being a "good" confession. This seems to be a fine definition because if there is any confession which can be called good, it would certainly be this one. The sweetest word that can fall from the lips of mortal man is that he believes that Christ is God's only begotten Son.
To confess is to acknowledge; to make a certain thing or things known; to declare a certain truth, or truths, etc. This is exactly what takes place when making the good confession. The Bible teaches that before one can be saved he must publicly state his faith in Christ.
The Lord says: "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." (Matt. 10:32,33.) Thus, the Lord has promised that if we will confess him before men, he will confess us before the Father. On the other hand if we deny him before men, he will deny us before the Father. Please note that the Lord assures us that WHOSOEVER shall confess him or deny him shall be confessed or denied before the Father in heaven. The decision is left up to man in either case, with the assurance that Christ's action will be based on the same.
Now listen to the words of the apostle Paul as he speaks on this same subject: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Rom. 10:10.) From this verse of scripture we learn that one must confess with the mouth, and in the next place, the confession is unto salvation. The last part is especially interesting since many claim that all a person must do to be saved is to confess faith in Christ. But Paul says here that the confession is unto salvation, in the direction thereof.
On turning to the book of Acts we have an example of one confessing Christ. The record says that Philip joined himself to the Ethiopian eunuch's chariot and after having conversed over certain religious matters: "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 believeth 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." (Acts 8:35-39.) Please observe that upon learning the truth, the eunuch desired to obey it, but before his baptism he had to confess Christ as being the Son of God. This was not an exception: it was the rule, and if this man had to confess Christ then all others who desire to obey the Lord must do likewise.
The confession is a condition of salvation. It must be preceded by scriptural faith and repentance but followed by baptism for the remission of sins. (Heb. 11:6; Acts 2:38.) If one left off the confession it would be impossible to obey the gospel of Christ, but upon making the good confession one is in a position to complete his obedience to the truth through the act of baptism. Every condition, or every step in relation to the gospel, is important.
Now to the big question: Have you made the good confession? Won't you confess your faith in Christ in order that you might continue your obedience and be saved? If you have made that confession may the Lord help you to live faithful to it all the days of your life; but on the other hand, if you have not as yet confessed Christ before men then may you soon realize your duty before God and determine within your heart to do that which he has commanded. Yes, confess the Lord and if you will, one day he will confess you. Dear one, you'll never regret it and I beseech you to own the Christ before it is too late.