SILENCE IS EXPENSIVE FOR A BELIEVER!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JANUARY 10, 2022.

SUBJECT: SILENCE IS EXPENSIVE FOR A BELIEVER! 

Memory verse: "That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10 vs 9.)

READ: Matthew 10 vs 32 - 33:

10:32: 32: Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father who is in heaven.

10:33: But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

INTIMATION:

People say silence is golden, and it can certainly be so. But in Christendom it is certainly very expensive, and most times, costs a person the thing wanted from God. Your communication matters. The confession of our belief—our faith, is the confession of God's Word; hearing God's Word, claiming it for your own, saying His promise is for you, and receiving the results of that promise are the orderly and direct steps along the pathway to God. However, it starts with the confession of your faith in Christ and His finished work on the cross that culminated in the gift of salvation to you: “…With the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10 vs 9). 

In the Bible passage we read today, the statement by Jesus thus, “every one .....who shall confess Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father...,” conveys the thought of confessing allegiance to Christ as one’s Master and Lord, and on the other hand, of acknowledgement, on His part, of the faithful one as being His worshipper and servant, His loyal follower. 

Anyone who confesses Jesus Christ (that is, publicly acknowledges faith in, or declares allegiance to Him) will be acknowledged by Christ before His Father in heaven. People who will not take a stand for Jesus for reason of being afraid of rejection or ridicule will eventually be denied by Jesus before His Father. They wouldn’t admit to faith in Jesus because they may not want to lose their association or follower-ship in worldly affairs which may be their source of livelihood, or lose their prestigious position in their association or community. 

In Mark 8 vs 8 Jesus said, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” We can reject Jesus now and be rejected by Him at His second coming, or we can accept Him now and be accepted by Him then. Rejecting Christ may help us escape shame for the time being, but it will guarantee an eternity of shame later. We should live as Christ has urged us to, sharing our faith no matter what the cost. We may not be beaten or thrown into jail, but we may be ridiculed, ostracized, or slandered. 

But the praise of humans is fickle and short-lived. We should be much more concerned about God’s eternal acceptance than about the temporary approval of other people. Christ’s given mission of Christians is to go forth and preach the gospel; confessing Christ’s “Good News” to the world thus turning many from sin to righteousness. 

The gospel is the good news of Jesus’ death for our sins and resurrection for our hope. And this is what all believers must proclaim to all the world. In doing this, the Scripture says we are eternal “stars”—by being wise and leading many to God’s righteousness. (Daniel 12 vs 3.) If we share our Lord with others, we can be true stars—radiantly beautiful in God’s sight. It is very important to lead people to Christ because it keeps us in touch with God while it offers others eternal life. 

It’s noteworthy that Christians still face persecution in the hands of non-Christians in some parts of the world till date. In the face of such persecution, Jesus’ followers are encouraged to publicly claim to belong to Him. Though it is usually at their peril, but they are assured of an everlasting joy with Christ in eternity. Genuine discipleship always involves acknowledging Jesus Christ, whether or not we face pressure and persecution. Not confessing Jesus or keeping silent about your faith in Him is tantamount to denying your faith. 

Prayer: Abba Father, denying You is death, and confessing You is life—life everlasting. Let my tongue gum to the roof of my mouth if I fail to confess You to the world. May the thought of denying You never cross my mind, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!