Words are spirit and they are life, especially when we express them with faith. Generally, new believers refuse to confess their faith publicly; and some claim that confessing with their mouth is not as important as showing their faith by their works. And in a certain way it is reasonable, because words turn out hollow and empty if there is no testimony to back them up. Nevertheless, a new life without the corresponding declaration is nothing more than an apparent change, doubtful and lacking in conviction and faith.
Confessing Christ is not simply declaring a name, but believing in Him. Therefore, it is an action that springs from a repentant heart, which expresses with its lips, openly and freely, the conviction that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of its life. Confessing Christ, therefore, is an act of faith, since there are those who are ashamed to do it, because they love the opinion of men more than the glory of God, not realizing that their lives depend on that confession. To name His name is not simply to utter it, but to receive life, to announce salvation. There is a promise in that name, not only for the one who calls on it, but also for all who are His.
It is interesting that the Hebrew word yadah (to confess) is also translated as “to praise,” since one of its meanings coincides with the Hebrew word halal, from which the word hallelujah comes. Apparently these two things would seem to have no connection, but when we focus it on God, it makes sense and we see that they are indeed related, if we think of the worship of God. In that sense, which refers directly to the name of Jehovah, when upon experiencing His forgiveness a spontaneous expression wells up from within us in which we confess our sinfulness and our gratitude for the mercy received in His salvation. Praise then comes as a result of that worship that we feel in our heart for our Lord Jesus.
In the New Testament the word confess is homologeo, which is translated as “declare,” “profess,” “agree,” “speak the same thing” (homo, same; lego, to speak). It is as if we publicly affirmed our worship of God. In fact, to confess the name of our Lord Jesus is to confirm, to admit our faith in Him. In a world that denies God and despises worship of His name, the confession of faith takes on enormous significance for us as believers and witnesses of what we have seen, heard, and lived concerning the Word of Life, Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When we confess His name we are confirming the triumph of His death and His glorious resurrection. To be a Christian, therefore, is to be a witness of what God has said and done in the Son; it is to be an ambassador of the good news of salvation. That is why it is necessary for us to speak, to preach, to say the same thing, and to confess His name before men.
Luke 12:8-9
“I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God; but he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.
Acts 4:11-12
“This Jesus is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved”
Acts 8:36-37
“And as they went along the road, they came to a certain water, and the eunuch said: Here is water; what prevents me from being baptized? Philip said: If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts 16:30-31
“… and bringing them out, he said: Sirs, what must I do to be saved? They said: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.
Romans 10:12-13
“For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, rich to all who call upon Him; for whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”.
Romans 10:9-10
“… that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”
Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.
