It is obvious to disciples what is meant by confessing Christ Himself. However, it may not be as obvious to those to whom we are witnessing. This daily devotional looks at how we confess our belief in Jesus, how we gain salvation, and how salvation gains us access to the Father.
Nuggets
- We have to confess our belief in Jesus through our words and actions.
- We only gain salvation through Jesus.
- We must confess Jesus as the only way we gain access to the Father.
Devotions in the Confessing Christ series
In the last devotion, we started looking at Van Doren’s sermon on Confessing Christ. We need to look at aspects of witnessing because, many times, that is out of our comfort zone.
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We’re looking at the verses associated with this sermon to try to get a handle on what is really meant by the term confessing Christ.
Let’s keep going. What are we confessing? We are confessing Christ Himself.
Let's Put It into Context #1
Here is a running list of nuggets for the series.
Let's Put It into Context #2
Confessing Christ is when we agree with the promise that Jesus is the Son of God, come to earth, to be the Savior of the world – just as He stated.
Confessing Jesus as the Way
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (Jn. 14: 6 CSB)
We have to confess our belief in Jesus through our words and actions.
We just looked at John 14: 6 in the Sunday Morning Bible Study series. We looked at what the way, truth, and life meant.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
Here is what we came up with for nuggets doing that devotion:
- Being brought into God’s presence can only happen if Jesus introduces us.
- The gospel is all about Who Jesus is and what He did for us.
- Jesus not only leads us to a richer life in this world, but He also provides us with eternal life.
- The goal is to get into the presence of the Father.
We learned what it is we are confessing. Now we just have to do it.
We confess Jesus is Lord by our mouths. We can’t keep it silent to ourselves.
I used this verse in a devotion when I first started writing devotions 40 years ago. But thinking about it from this angle throws it on its ear.
“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops” (Mt. 10: 27 ESV).
Being in sin is equated with being in the dark. “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart” (Eph. 4: 18 ESV).
When we believe in Jesus, we come into the light.
- “Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (Jn. 8: 12 ESV).
- “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light — for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth — testing what is pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5: 8-10 ESV).
When we experience conversion, we can’t help but shout about our Lord. Conversion is the product of repentance, when we turn away from our sins and return to God, that secures salvation.
We have to confess Who Jesus is. He is mediator, advocate, intercessor, physician, elder brother, forerunner, king, master, head, high priest, captain, and bridegroom.
To read a related devotion, click the appropriate button below.
We confess Jesus is Lord by our lives. Kempis quoted St. Augustine by saying, “… I am He, to whom you go; I am He, by whom you go …”
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Our commitment to imitate Jesus dictates our steps. We choose to walk with God. Walking with God means we are humble, reverent, teachable servants of God.
We confess Jesus for Who He is. We don’t compromise with the worldview to sugarcoat what Jesus’ message is. We confess it with our mouths and live it daily in exactly the way God wants us to do.
Confessing Jesus as the Only Way
“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (Jn. 10: 9 ESV)
We only gain salvation through Jesus.
Sheep are said to be dumb animals. It is difficult to herd them, but they follow only the voice of their shepherd.
I’ve heard that said for years.
Then I look at social media, and there are all of these videos of the border collies really working the flock. The dog works one side, then he works the other. He lays down and observes the flock to see where he needs to get them into line next.
Isn’t that how Satan works us? He chips off from this angle, then that angle. He watches us to see where we are vulnerable.
Jesus is the only way we are saved. He is the only way that we grow in faith and knowledge.
The part of the verse that concerns me is the “… he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (Jn. 10: 9 ESV) part. What does that really mean?
Corder reminded us that sheep go in and out of the fold. It is the shelter — but it doesn’t provide all of their needs. If they want to eat, they need to go to the pasture restaurant.
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What Jesus is saying here is He is not only the Shepherd, but He is also the door. We can navigate between protection and abundance as needed.
When we go in the door, we have access to the Father. Jesus is a good doorman.
Only those whom Jesus knows can get through the door — only His sheep. That means those who are imitating Him through faith.
We can go in and out because salvation provides freedom for us. God is not a dictator Who forcibly keeps us in check.
No, we do not have the license to continue to sin. We do, however, have freedom from sin.
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5: 13 ESV).
So, what does all this have to do with confessing?
We have to confess that Jesus is the only way we can gain access to God. We have to imitate Him through faith.
Confessing for Access
“For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father” (Eph. 2: 18 ESV)
We must confess Jesus as the only way we gain access to the Father.
That is the end goal of salvation — to be allowed to communicate with God the Father. It is the abolishment of the separation from God that mankind has experienced from the Garden of Eden.
Where Adam’s sin caused the separation for mankind as a whole, salvation individually restores us to a relationship with God. We can’t experience salvation because someone else has a relationship with God.
We have to consciously decide for ourselves to submit to God by believing in Jesus as our Savior.
What we have to remember is that we have access to God to worship Him. That is our main duty in our job description — to be a living sacrifice for Him
The Disciple’s Job Description
Complete Job Description
Individual Description
Job Duty #1
Be a Living Sacrifice (Romans 12: 1-2)
Rogers reminded us the meaning of this access. We only gain access to God when we have reconciliation and peace. Our sins have been forgiven, so we can come into His presence once again.
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That is the most wonderful gift we can ever receive!
Making the Connections
How do we access the Father? We do that through prayer. Prayer is a two-way communication with God in which we pour out our soul to Him.
What does this access mean? “So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household” (Eph. 2: 19 CSB).
We are children of God.
Glossary
How Do We Apply This?
• Live our lives as children of God
• Anticipate persecution because we are different than the world.
• Watch for Jesus’ return
Resource
Father God. We worship You. Thank You for forgiving us of our sins so that we may come to You in prayer. We know this access is only gained through belief in Jesus as our Savior. We confess Him as our Savior and Redeemer. Amen.
What do you think?
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