Matthew 10:32,33
“Therefore, everyone who confesses Me before people, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before people, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”
This is why when we receive Christ, we are told to tell some one. We are confessing Him before others. We are never to stop. The hope is others will begin to fear Him.
2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” The world hates Jesus. They like some of His sayings, but they don’t like how He says He is the only way. They are excluded from Him by lifestyle choices. If we identify with Him, then they disassociate from us.
Our identifying with Him is a must. A great hymn has this as one of it’s lyrics, “Though none go with me, still I will follow”. He’s a deal breaker. We must follow Him. To follow Him we must speak of Him.
Sometimes it’s difficult to do so. Peter understood this and prayed this prayer in Acts 4:29, “And now, Lord, consider their threats, and enable Your servants to speak Your word with complete boldness.” While our situations are not nearly be as frightening, we will need boldness to speak.
May we be with those in Hebrews 10:39, “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” He gives us boldness and confidence. We agree with Peter in John 6:68, ‘Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.”‘ We have tasted and seen that the Lord is good.
When we think about it, there is no comparison. We choose God. He is the all powerful one. He is the creator and sustainer of all. It reminds me of Joshua 5:13,14, ‘Now it came about when Joshua was by Jericho, he raised his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his sword drawn in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” He said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the LORD.” And Joshua fell on his face to the ground, and bowed down, and said to him, “What has my lord to say to his servant?”’ It’s not is God for us or against us, but are we with Him.
Lord, thank You that You give us the option to be with You. Such a privilege. Help us to never shrink back, but to boldly identify with You.