Shall confess Me before men.
I. The nature of that confession which Christianity requires. An open avowal of the Person and Messiahship of Jesus. A conscious adherence to the fundamental doctrines of Christianity. A declaration of the benefits received. Zealously promoting the cause of Christian truth.
II. The honourable distinction with which a steady course of Christian fortitude will be crowned. By an act of reparation. By an approving plaudit. By making them the partakers of His glory. Learn: That the human heart is, by nature, decidedly hostile to the spirit of the gospel. That entire change is essential to a scriptural confession of Christ. That the Christian cannot ultimately be a loser by suffering for righteousness’ sake. (Omricicon.)
Confession of Christ
I. What does our text require? Our confession of Christ before men. The subject of this confession. The persons before whom this confession is to be made. The manner in which this confession is to be made-verbally, practically, passively. Why? Because it falls in with the nature and design of Christianity, to prove your sincerity, in order to be useful, and because He deserves it.
II. What it ensures? His confession of us. More than recognition. The confessor before whom this confession is to be made; the season when this confession shall be made. (W. Jay.)
Confessing Christ
I. A great duty recommended to us.
1. What is meant by our confession of Christ.
2. What by confessing Him before men.
II. A suitable reward and encouragement annexed to it. What is implied in Christ’s confessing us before His Father. To confess Christ aright is
(1) To acknowledge and adore the Divinity of His Person;
(2) To believe the Divinity of His doctrine;
(3) To acknowledge and rely upon the all-sufficiency of His merits and mediation for us;
(4) To show the efficacy of our belief upon our lives. We must confess Christ both before good men and bad men. (Matthew Hole.)
Mutual confession of Jesus Christ and His disciples
I. This confession of Christ by men.
1. Before we can speak openly of Christ according to His true character, we must know and appreciate Him. Knowledge is ability to confess; appreciation is disposition to confess; both are power.
2. This confession is variously made.
(1) In season it is a verbal acknowledgment of Christ;
(2) By the observance of His ordinances;
(3) By the reception of His disciples and servants, especially of such as most represent Him;
(4) By the worship of His holy name;
(5) By the endurance of shame and persecution for His sake;
(6) By living to Him and living for Him.
II. The confession of men by Jesus Christ.
1. It is connected here with the confessing of Christ by men.
2. It is both present and future.
3. It is full and complete. Lessons: secret discipleship can never fulfil our duties, or exhaust our obligations. (S. Martin.)
The duty of confessing Christ before men
I. The duty specified (Romans 10:10).
1. To confess Christ before men is to show that we are uniformly influenced by a supreme regard to His will (Titus 1:16; Luke 6:46; John 15:14; Nehemiah 5:1).
2. To publicly attest the reality of those hopes and joys which Christianity professes to inspire, and claims as peculiarly her own.
3. To manifest a decided attachment to His people (Matthew 10:40; Matthew 25:40).
II. The difficulties attendant on this duty. Such a decided and consistent testimony to Christ will be attended with difficulties (Matthew 10:36).
1. Common temptations.
2. Ridicule.
3. Calumny.
III. The promise annexed to the discharge. Christ will confess His people; it is not said He will do so before men; by striking interpositions of providence. While they are partially confessing Him on earth, He is graciously confessing them in heaven. (E. Cooper.)
Double confession
I. Man’s confession of Christ. It implies
(1) Knowledge of Christ;
(2) Belief in Christ;
(3) Love to Christ:
(4) Reception of Christ. Its characteristics.
1. It is a personal confession.
2. It is a public confession.
3. It is an honourable confession-“me.”
II. Christ’s confession of man.
1. It is a return for our confession.
2. It is a personal confession.
3. It is a confession on the greatest occasion.
4. It is a confession before the greatest Being. (T. O. Griffiths.)
Confessing Christ
Something more than fifty years ago there was a small dinner party at the other end of London. The ladies had withdrawn, and under the guidance of one member of the company the conversation took a turn, of which it will be enough here and now to say that it was utterly dishonourable to Jesus Christ our Lord. One of the guests said nothing, but presently asked the host’s permission to ring the bell, and when the servant appeared he ordered his carriage. He then, with the courtesy of perfect self-command, expressed his regret at being obliged to retire; but explained that he was still a Christian. Mark the phrase, for it made a deep impression at the time-“Still a Christian.” Perhaps it occurs to you that the guest who was capable of this act of simple courage must have been a bishop, or at least a clergyman. He was not. The party was made up entirely of laymen, and the guest in question became the great prime minister of the early years of Queen Victoria. He was the late Sir Robert Peel. (Canon Liddon.)
The greatest King
On a certain occasion one of the bravest officers of Frederick the Great declined the king’s invitation to dinner, because he intended next morning to receive the Holy Communion. The next time he was present at the royal table the king and his guests began to rally him for his scruples, and to mock at the sacred ordinance. The old man rose, saluted the king, who was no man to be trifled with, and told him respectfully but firmly that there was a greater King than Frederick, and that he never allowed that Holy One to be insulted in his presence. The courtiers looked on in amazement, trembling for the safety of the general; but Frederick, instead of resenting the rebuke, clasped the hand of his brave servant, and expressed his sorrow that he could not believe so firmly, or declare his faith so fearlessly. (Canon Ashwell.)
Confessing Christ:-Signing the Scotch Covenant
As the hour drew near, people from all quarters flocked to the spot, and before the commissioners appeared, the Greyfriars Church and Churchyard, Edinburgh, were densely filled with the gravest, the wisest, and the best of Scotland’s pious sons and daughters, The long roll of parchment was brought, the meaning and purpose of the covenant explained. Then a deep and solemn pause ensued: not the pause of irresolution, but of modest diffidence, each thinking every other more worthy than himself to place the first name upon the sacred bond. An aged nobleman, the venerable Earl of Sutherland, at last stepped slowly and reverentially forward, and with throbbing heart and trembling hand, subscribed Scotland’s Covenant with God. All hesitation in a moment disappeared. Name followed name in quick succession, till all within the church had given their signatures. It was then removed into the churchyard, and spread out on a level gravestone. Here the scene became still more impressive. The intense emotions of many became irrepressible. Some wept aloud: some burst into a shout of exultation; some after their names added the words “till death;” and sonic, opening a vein, subscribed with their own warm blood. When every particle of space was filled there was another solemn pause. The nation had framed a covenant in former days, and had violated its engagements; if they too should break this sacred bond, how deep would be their guilt! Such seems to have been their thoughts, for, as if moved by one spirit-the One Eternal Spirit-with low, heart-wrung groans, and faces bathed in tears, they lifted up, with one consent, their right hands to heaven, avowing by this sublime appeal that they had now joined themselves unto the Lord in an everlasting covenant, which should not be forgotten. (T. Guthrie, D. D.)
The confession of Christ
Some confess, but believe not, as hypocrites; others believe, but confess not, as timorous and Peter-like professors in the days of persecution; others do neither confess nor believe in Christ, as atheists; others both confess and believe, and they be true Christians. (D. Willet.)
The best use of the mouth
Had the faith of the heart been sufficient, God would not have given thee a mouth. (Chrysostom.)
The sin of denying Christ
I. What is meant by denying of Christ before men? It is
(1)to deny His mission and Messiahship;
(2) to disown Him for the Son of God and Saviour of the world; and
(3) not to receive Him for the person annointed and appointed of God for the redemption of mankind. It is (a) to deny the Divinity of Christ; (b) the Incarnation or manhood of Christ; (c) the satisfaction of Christ for sin; (d) the resurrection of Christ; (e) the authority of Christ over His Church and kingdom.
II. What are the motives or inducements that lead men thus to deny Christ? The two principal are
(1) Fear of persecution;
(2) Hopes of preferment. Both clap a wrong bias upon the mind, that turns it from Christ to Belial.
III. How, OR in what manner, is this denying done?
(1) Sometimes in verbis, by words and oral expressions;
(2) Sometimes in scriptis, by blasphemous writings; and
(3) sometimes in operibus, by wicked works.
IV. What is meant by Christ denying of when before his father in heaven? It must be His disowning the deniers of Him, as false and deceitful followers of Him, the misery whereof is inexpressible. (Matthew Poole.)
Interest deposed and truth restored
I. How many ways Christ and his truths may be denied; and what is the denial here chiefly intended.
1. By erroneous, heretical judgment.
2. By oral confession.
3. By our actions and practice.
II. What are the causes inducing men to deny Christ in his truths.
1. The seeming supposed absurdity of many truths.
2. Their unprofitableness. To be pious is the way to be poor.
3. Their apparent danger.
III. How far a man may consult his safety in time of persecution without denying Christ.
1. By withdrawing his person.
2. By concealing his judgment.
IV. What it is for Christ to deny us before his father in heaven.
1. The action itself-“He will deny them.”
2. The circumstance-“Before His Father,” etc. A man’s folly will be spread before the angels.
V. The uses which may be drawn from the truths delivered.
1. Confess Him in His truth.
2. In His members.
3. The baseness of a dastardly spirit. (R. South, D. D.)