TRUE SONS OF GOD ARE NOT SECRET BELIEVERS - 40

Romans 10:9-10 says, "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."

An important part of our confession that Jesus Christ is Lord that is often overlooked is that these Scriptures are written in the present continuous tense. It is wrong to believe that a onetime confession is all that is required to be saved. It is a continual confession that Jesus Christ is Lord. It is an ongoing confession from the beginning of our Christian life to the end.

This deception has greatly weakened the proclamation of the Lordship of Christ and has caused many to think they can live as they please and yet still be saved. Jesus said, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).

There can be many times when we are tempted to shrink back from an open and on-going confession because of fear of persecution. We see an example of this in John 12:42: "Among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, let they should be put out of the synagogue." They were secret believers because of the fear of man.

What is the point of calling Jesus Lord in our prayers, but failing to confess Him as Lord before all men? This makes us a secret believer. If we don't actively confess Him, Jesus says we actually deny Him. Matthew 10:32-33 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."

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell

P.S. Read examples of the disciples speaking BOLDLY: Acts 4:13; 9:27, 29; 13:46; 14:3; 18:26 and 19:8.