THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
Sign in the veterinarian's office.
"Yes. The doctor is in.
Sit. Stay."
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________SCRIPTURE_____________________________________________________
Luke 12:8-9
8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:
9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
KJV
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_______THOUGHT_________________________________________________________
"Confess"/"Deny." Two opposites.
One thing I believe is important here is the tense of the verbs.
"Shall confess" is in the perfect present tense (English). That means CONSTANTLY! He who confesses Christ is owned by Christ. He who is constantly confessing Christ is constantly being owned by Christ!
"Shall deny" is also in the perfect present tense (English). He who lives a life denying Christ as Lord of his life, is NOT owned by Christ! And it does not matter if that person has once made a public confession of faith, been dunked and put on a church roll!
It is impossible to genuinely surrender to Christ as Lord without constantly confessing the same!
Life with Christ is not meant to be lived privately. That's why it is important to make a public confession of our faith in Him. This confession actually "signs" a contract with Him.
Then, once we have made a public confession of faith in Christ, we will have a public profession of faith in Him.
It is not just a one-time act, it is a continued work. The REASON it is a continued work, is because at the point of genuine contract, Christ SEALS the believer in faith by His Holy Spirit (see Ephesians=20 1:13). At the point of genuine confession of Christ, the Holy Spirit begins a work of constant profession of Christ in the believer's life.
Jesus puts the two (confession and profession) together here as one continual act.
Paul reiterates the same thought (See Romans=20 10:9-10).
Is your confession of Christ a profession?
Love ya,
Bruce