Occasionally we hear people identify themselves as Christians but decline to talk about what they believe. They rationalize that their faith is a private matter.
The idea of being a Christian, but being unwilling to share one’s faith or talk about it, doesn’t square with what the Bible teaches.
Jesus said,
Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven (Matthew 10:32-33).
You might counter, well what does it look to acknowledge Christ? There are at least three non-optional ways for Christians to confess their faith. First, we should verbally share our allegiance to Christ. In Paul’s words, “. . . Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9a).”
Second, we acknowledge Christ in baptism. Baptism is not optional. Getting baptized doesn’t make you a Christian, but Christians do get baptized.
Third, Christians should acknowledge Christ through membership commitment to a local church. The church is God’s redemptive vessel for this age as much as the ark was for Noah. There’s a big rain coming. Get on the ark of a local church.
Everyone knows, true loyalty requires public identification. We don’t keep our marriages a secret, nor should we act as though following Christ is a private matter. Confessing Christ to others is the greatest privilege we can ever know.
