CONFESSING CHRIST AS ALL-SUFFICIENT
“Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 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” (Matthew 10:31-33).
For years I quoted this passage in my citywide crusades! I said it at the altar call to provoke people to come forward and confess Christ. But trusting God is so much more than making a public confession: “Jesus, forgive my sins. I believe in You!” Well-meaning millions have made that kind of “confession” and yet it did not stick.
The key to understanding what Jesus is saying is in Psalm 31:19. “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou has wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”
This “confession” is something the world must see and not just hear! “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).
We often talk about “witnessing for Jesus,” and we picture it as street preaching, passing out tracts, and telling friends and strangers that Jesus loves them. Beloved, that is only part of it!
The world is not looking for more doctrinal proof of the reality of God! It is not looking for greater proof of the resurrection or better arguments about creation. The world is looking for Christians who can stand up to every crisis, fear, trouble and difficulty and remain calm and at rest in the midst of it all. The world needs to see God’s children trusting wholly in their Lord.
The world must be able to point to a Christian and say, “There goes one who is not a complainer! He doesn’t fret or fear or run in times of trouble. He isn’t worried about tomorrow! His faith holds at all times!”
For years I quoted this passage in my citywide crusades! I said it at the altar call to provoke people to come forward and confess Christ. But trusting God is so much more than making a public confession: “Jesus, forgive my sins. I believe in You!” Well-meaning millions have made that kind of “confession” and yet it did not stick.
The key to understanding what Jesus is saying is in Psalm 31:19. “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou has wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”
This “confession” is something the world must see and not just hear! “And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).
We often talk about “witnessing for Jesus,” and we picture it as street preaching, passing out tracts, and telling friends and strangers that Jesus loves them. Beloved, that is only part of it!
The world is not looking for more doctrinal proof of the reality of God! It is not looking for greater proof of the resurrection or better arguments about creation. The world is looking for Christians who can stand up to every crisis, fear, trouble and difficulty and remain calm and at rest in the midst of it all. The world needs to see God’s children trusting wholly in their Lord.
The world must be able to point to a Christian and say, “There goes one who is not a complainer! He doesn’t fret or fear or run in times of trouble. He isn’t worried about tomorrow! His faith holds at all times!”