The word “confess” is used twelve times in the NT and the word “confession” is used six times. In addition to these, the ESV uses the word “acknowledge” in Matthew 10:32 (also in Lk. 12:8 and Rom. 1:28), where the same Greek word is used.
The word “confess” is from the Greek word, homologeo. Strong’s defines it as “to assent, that is covenant, acknowledge.” The word itself is not a religious word as it can be used with regard to any kind of acknowledgment. However, there are two primary ways in which it is used in a religious sense in the NT. It is used concerning the child of God confessing His sins, both to those he has sinned against (see James 5:16) and to God (1 Jn. 1:9), who is offended by all sin as Joseph understood (see Gen. 39:9). There is also the confession that is made before one can become a child of God. It is this confession that we will give brief attention to. Notice the following points concerning this confession in the NT:
(1) This confession is the verbalizing of what one believes in His heart concerning Jesus being the Son of God. This amounts to acknowledging the insurmountable evidence for Jesus being who He claimed to be. (The vast evidence consisted of things like the testimony of the prophets, the testimony of the Father, His miracles, and His resurrection.) Paul says this confession is “with the mouth” (Rom. 10:9-10) and has witnesses of this beautiful proclamation (see 1 Tim. 6:12).
(2) Just like with belief and repentance, confession is also directly tied to salvation (see Romans 10:10). When the Ethiopian in Acts 8 requested to be baptized, Philip responded, “If thou believest with all thy heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (v. 37, ASV). It should be noted that some versions do not contain this verse, or have a footnote indicating that the verse is disputed. We can’t delve into that question textually right now, but that such a confession was made before baptism is bolstered by other texts such as 1 Timothy 6:12 where it is said that Timothy “made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” Notice the definite pronoun “the,” which indicates a singular, special confession that Timothy had made. Additionally, the Hebrew writer admonishes us to “hold fast to our confession” in Hebrews 4:14 and 10:23.
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(4) Paul says that there is a day coming when “every knee shall bow… and every tongue confess to God” (Rom. 14:11). In the context this is seen to be the Day of Judgment (read verses 10-12). Some will confess the Lord on that day to their own destruction, whereas if we confess His name while we will live on this earth, the Lord will confess our name before the Father (see Mt. 10:32). What a thrilling thought! What a sober thought for those who refuse!
If you have already made “the good confession,” that’s wonderful! But please consider how you can continue to confess the sweet name of Jesus before others. Our prayer is that they too will make the good confession.
Daren Schroeder
