Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
“I believe Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah, the Son of the Living God.”
We make that confession or something similar before we are immersed for remission of sins, and we come out of the water to live a new life, filled with the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:38 and Romans 6:4.
In confessing Jesus as the Christ, we are yielding our lives to His control where He is the ultimate Power and Authority in our lives. We have turned our lives over to Jesus, knowing He is walking with us as we face the ups and downs of life.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (ESV) Paul wrote, “…your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”
When we choose to confess Jesus, it means we reevaluate what success means. It means we have a different way of thinking about life. We no longer make decisions based on our wants. Our decisions reflect our Savior. We speak and act differently from the world.
Paul tells us in Colossians 3:1-5: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.”
Think about that…Christ is our life, and we will appear with Him in glory!
Because of this confession, people leave the life of sin dominated by Satan. Thieves no longer steal; the immoral change the way they view others and pursue a life of purity; the liar seeks to speak truth, and all who confess will see the Almighty as HOLY, HOLY, HOLY… all because they have turned their life over to Jesus the Christ. We remember John’s words, “He that is in you is greater than he that is in the world,” (1 John 4:4 ESV) as we face the ups and downs of life.
Life happens, and even though WE are changed, circumstances around us may not be changed, and that sometimes creates problems as we try to walk with Jesus. Satan continues to roam the earth, looking for our weaknesses, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8.)
This confession is something we renew daily… we continue to confess Jesus is the Christ by the life we live… in little things that are part of everyday life… as well as bigger things that have long-term consequences.
When I’m struggling, it helps to think back to when I made that confession. Do you remember what was whirling through your mind? For me, I was a few months past my 12th birthday, and I remember a mixture of fear and joy. I realized I was making a lifetime decision, but I didn’t know what the future would hold for that decision or what kind of struggles I might face. The joy came from realizing I was a child of God, adopted by Him, and Jesus was my Brother (Heb. 2:11.)
This confession does not prevent sin from entering our lives, but the apostle John wrote, “But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1).
Jesus tells us in John 14:6 that He is the Way, Truth, Life… and no one comes to the Father but by Him, and later in 1 John 4:15 we read, “Everyone who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him and he in God.”
The culture around us may change and see evil (sin) as good. Long ago Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (5:20.) This is part of our struggle.
This confession leads to baptism for remission of sins which puts us into God’s family… we are children of the Creator… we have a Brother, our Advocate, to stand beside us.
The day is coming when “so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).
At that time, we will rejoice, because we have lived our lives confessing Jesus as the Christ!
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