Ron Graham was called home on March 14, 2013. He began writing this commentary before his death and had asked me, Nathele Graham, to continue his service to our Lord by finishing what he began.
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).
Do you confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Do you confess that He is God come in the flesh to dwell among us and purchase our salvation? The name “Jesus” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew name “Joshua” and both mean “Jehovah is salvation.”
Strong’s Concordance defines His name as “Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of mankind, God incarnate.” The Greek title “Christ” is the equivalent of the Hebrew Mashiyach and both mean “anointed” the Messiah.
If you don’t confess the truth about Jesus Christ then maybe you should take a closer look at your faith. If you don’t confess your faith in Him, then you deny Him. We deny Christ by keeping silent, but we also deny Him if the world can’t tell the difference between us (believers) and them (non-believers). Does your life reflect Christ or does it reflect the world?
“Whoever therefore shall confesses me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32-33).
Presumably, these two verses are quite familiar, and their meaning is easily understood. Confess Christ and you’re in; deny Christ and you’re out. Let’s take a look at the word deny. The Greek word arneomai is translated “deny.”
According to Vines Expository Dictionary of the New Testament Words, “deny” as used in Matthew 10:33 means “to deny by way of disowning a person, e.g. the Lord Jesus as Master, or denying that a person is His follower.”
As Christians we know the truth about Jesus – He is God incarnate – and what He did on the cross at Calvary. If we refuse to confess Christ as Lord when we’re given the opportunity we commit a sin; by doing so we deny Him. By keeping silent before the world you disown Christ. If you do not share Christ and His Gospel with the lost of this world then you are denying that you are a Christian.
According to the Scriptures we not only confess Jesus Christ with our lips, but also with our actions, with our lifestyles, and with our attitudes. Even our bodies, being the temple of God, can be a confession or a denial of Jesus Christ as our Savior and LORD.
“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19).
The Holy Spirit lives within each Christian and we each must surrender our life to God. When we participate in sin or deny Christ, we take the Holy Spirit with us down that path of corruption. Confessing with our mouth but not with our life is a denial of Christ.
In everything you do, choose to conform to what Jesus taught. Our witness won’t be as strong or as well accepted if look and act like we are conformed to the world.
If a Christian lives as the secular humanists of this world, what does that say about our testimony? We are admonished to not be like those who are worldly.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2).
The Greek word syschēmatizō is translated “conformed” and according to Strong’s Concordance it simply means “to conform one’s self (i.e. one’s mind and character) to another’s pattern, to fashion one’s self according to, in this case the world.”
The question is when you are out in the world are you professing or denying Christ? Does your manner of dress show a worldly way of thinking or a godly way?
I’m not just asking if you wear a t-shirt that says “I love Jesus.” No, the question is how tight is that t-shirt? How short do you ladies wear you skirts and how low cut is your blouse? Guys, do your pants sag down to your knees? The way we present ourselves to the world is a way of confessing or denying Christ.
What is your language like? Do your words reflect that you are a Christian or are they harsh and filled with filthy words and off-color jokes? I’ve noticed that men and women both use language that is appalling. If these words come from a Christian then they are not representing Christ properly to the world.
When a person comes to know Jesus as their personal Savior a change should begin to take place.
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in the newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin” (Romans 6:4-6).
We have to live in the world and to occupy until He comes, but we’re not to be conformed to the world. Our “old man is crucified” which means we become new. Our language and actions should now begin to reflect Christ’s ways. By following Him in all we do, our actions will confess Him before the world. We should not serve sin.
What stops you from confessing Christ to your co-workers, family, and friends? Are you ashamed of Him?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every- one that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16).
When Paul wrote these words the ways of the world were very similar to today’s world. The Jews were looking for their Messiah, but didn’t recognize Him when He lived among them, and the Greeks filled their lives with idolatry and sin. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel and lived his life for Christ.
Because of Paul’s choice to serve Christ and confess Him to everyone we have many letters to guide us in our walk with Christ. He confessed Christ to both Jews and Greeks in spite of any danger to himself, and his words are still confessing Christ today. Our witness needs to be bold and we must not be ashamed to confess Christ.
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist” (2 John 1:7).
Take a good look at what John says in this verse. If you don’t confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh you are a deceiver! If you do not confess Jesus before the world then you are deceiving those who need to know Him. Not only are you a deceiver, but you’re an antichrist. That should cause you to stop and pay close attention.
Think of what Jesus did for you. He left heaven to live in this fallen world. He took on human form so He could be our Kinsman Redeemer. He was mocked, beaten, spit upon, abused, and murdered after an illegal trial in order to purchase our salvation. His blood paid the price for our sin. That is perfect love. Why would you deny Him with your silence, with your words or with your life?
There will come a day when everyone will bow before Him.
“For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:11-12).
Paul wrote that in his letter to the Romans but it is a quote from Isaiah 45:23. Paul also included it in his letter to the Philippians:
“And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11).
We need to understand that one day every knee will bow before the Lord and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Believers and non-believers alike will one day confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of lords and King of kings.
Believers will bow with reverence and confess with praise. Non-believers will have realized too late that, indeed Jesus Christ is Lord and their bowing and confessing will be more of an, “Oops, how could I have been so blind.”
Brethren, it is so important that you confess Jesus Christ before those who are lost today. Confess with your mouth and confess by the way you conduct your life. Don’t deny Him.
Let’s take another look at that first quoted verse:
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God” (1 John 4:15).
I confess…how about you?
God bless you all,
Ron Graham