When one begins to walk down a path, the ultimate goal is to reach the destination. There will be things to see and do along the way, but the true objective is to take each of the necessary steps in order to reach the goal. The path that leads to salvation from sin is very similar to that. The ultimate objective is being freed from the sins that separate one from God. In order to reach that destination, there are steps that are required by God. One must believe that Jesus is God’s Son (John 3:16). One must repent of his sins (Acts 17:30). But that is not all that one must do!
First, the Bible teaches that we must confess in order to be saved. The apostle Paul wrote, “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rom. 10:10). Confession is an obvious prerequisite to salvation in this passage. This confession is to be done “before men” (Matt. 10:32), “in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Tim. 6:12). Therefore, this is a public act that takes place prior to salvation.
Second, the Bible teaches what we must confess. It is vital that we understand what God is asking us to confess in order to be saved. What one will not find in the New Testament is the Lord calling upon non-Christians to confess their sins before men, in order to be saved. Nor will one find God asking for individuals to speak their personal testimony as an act of confession. Rather, “the good confession” (1 Tim. 6:12) is a verbal acknowledgement of the faith that is in one’s heart. Specifically, you are to “confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus,” expressing that you “believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead” (Rom. 10:9). God longs “that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2:11). In order to be saved, the Ethiopian in Acts 8 confessed, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God” (8:37). One cannot be saved from his sins without confessing his faith in Jesus Christ.
Third, the Bible teaches what will happen if we do not confess our faith in Jesus. The promise of Jesus is that “whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32). However, choosing to not confess Jesus is equivalent to denying Him, and Jesus warned, “But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (10:33). As with each step in God’s plan of salvation, drastic consequences await when individuals choose to not take the necessary step outlined in Scripture.
To be saved according to God’s plan (which is the only plan that can lead us to our final destination of salvation from sin), a person must be willing to publicly acknowledge his faith in Jesus. This is simply saying the same thing that God says about Jesus—that He is the Son of God. Do you believe that with all of your heart? Is there any reason you should not confess your faith in Jesus right now?