“Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 10:32-33
Keith Miller wrote, “It has never ceased to amaze me that we Christians have developed a kind of selective vision which allows us to be deeply and sincerely involved in worship and church activities and yet almost totally pagan in the day-in, day-out guts of our business lives . . . and never realize it.”
Our friend, Ken H. always wears witness wear t-shirts. He is a big man and in his own words, he is like a “walking billboard.” Everyone knows, not doubt about it.
Believers have a clear choice. Everyone who acknowledges Jesus Christ will be acknowledged by Christ before his Father in heaven. Jesus’ followers would face earthly courts of law where they would have to publicly claim to belong to Jesus Christ, usually at their peril (10:17-25). But for the disciple to acknowledge Jesus means that Jesus will claim that disciple as his own before the Father in heaven.
How would you be charged?
On the other hand, the person who denies their relationship to Jesus Christ would in turn face denial by Jesus before the Father. What would my response be to those who would bring me before the courts and charge me with being a Christian? How would I respond? It happened quite often in the Roman Empire and it is happening today in many countries. We are blessed to live in the USA but if we preach against sin, could are laws change and we be censored or even put into prison? Just asking.
The more important question in response to our text is how we will be seen in the courts of heaven. Has Jesus acknowledged me before the heavenly Father? If we are too cowardly to confess Christ what should we do. The Apostle Peter denied the Lord but found forgiveness; can we not do the same? Lord help us to be bold in our faith and confession. Through the presence and power of Holy Spirit, let’s be as bold as lions and as harmless as doves. Amen, amen and amen.
