3. The “I Will” of Confession.
Now turn to Matthew, tenth chapter, thirty-second verse: “Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, he will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.” There’s the “I will” of confession.
Now, that’s the next thing that takes place after a man is saved. When we have been washed in the blood of the Lamb, the next thing is to get our mouths opened. We have to confess Christ here in this dark world and tell His love to others. We are not to be ashamed of the Son of God.
A man thinks it a great honor when he has achieved a victory that causes his name to be mentioned in the English Parliament, or in the presence of the Queen and her court. How excited we used to be during the war, when some general did something extraordinary, and someone got up in Congress to confess his exploits; how the papers used to talk about it! In China, we read, that the highest ambition of the successful soldier is to have his name written in the palace or temple of Confucius. But just think of having your name mentioned in the kingdom of heaven by the Prince of Glory, by the Son of God, because you confess Him here on earth! You confess Him here; He will confess you yonder.
If you wish to be brought into the clear light of liberty, you must take your stand on Christ’s side. I have known many Christians go groping about in darkness, and never get into the clear light of the kingdom, because they were ashamed to confess the Son of God. We are living in a day when men want a religion without the cross. They want the crown, but not the cross. But if we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ, we have to take up our crosses daily—not once a year, or on the Sabbath, but daily. And if we take up our crosses and follow Him, we shall be blessed in the very act.
I remember a man in New York who used to come and pray with me. He had his cross. He was afraid to confess Christ. It seemed that down at the bottom of his trunk he had a Bible. He wanted to get it out and read it to the companion with whom he lived, but he was ashamed to do it. For a whole week that was his cross; and after he had carried the burden that long, and after a terrible struggle, he made up his mind. He said, “I will take my Bible out tonight and read it.” He took it out, and soon he heard the footsteps of his mate coming upstairs.
His first impulse was to put it away again, but then he thought he would not—he would face his companion with it. His mate came in, and seeing him at his Bible, said,
“John, are you interested in these things?” “Yes,” he replied.
“How long has this been, then?” asked his companion.
“Exactly a week,” he answered, “for a whole week I have tried to get out my Bible to read to you, but I have never done so till now.”
“Well,” said his friend, “it is a strange thing. I was converted on some night, and I too was ashamed to take my Bible out.”
You are ashamed to take your Bible out and say, “I have lived a godless life for all these years, but I will commence now to live a life of righteousness.” You are ashamed to open your Bible and read that blessed Psalm, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” You are ashamed to be seen on your knees. No man can be a disciple of Jesus Christ without bearing His cross. A great many people want to know how it is Jesus Christ has so few disciples, whilst Mahomet has so many. The reason is that Mahomet gives no cross to bear. There are so few men who will come out to take their stand.
I was struck during the American war by the fact that there were so many men who could go to the cannon’s mouth without trembling, but who had no courage to take up their Bibles to read them at night. They were ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation. “Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men, he will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, he will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.”
