I know a man who says he won't put a scripture or an ichthus on his truck because he's afraid that when he gets angry at another driver going down the road, he or she will judge all Christians by his actions. Kind of a backward witness, but I see his point. We must acknowledge Christ before men, and we must carefully protect that acknowledgement.
10:32 Every one therefore who shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father who is in heaven.
10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
10:34 Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
10:35 For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law:
10:36 and a man's foes `shall be' they of his own household.
10:37He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
10:38 And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me.
10:39He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
10:40He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
10:41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward: and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Acknowledgement of Christ before men is not without risk, but it is also not without reward. "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the scripture says, 'Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame'" (Romans 10:9-11); and "If we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown Him, He will disown us" (II Timothy 2:12).
These days, many people are willing to acknowledge just about any ungodly thing before men. And they feel free to live out all their ungodly passions in public. If sinners are "freed" by their confessions, imagine how truly free we can be when we openly confess Christ before men. I acknowledge my husband, my parents, my children, my students, my employers, my Pastor, my church family, my friends, because I love them. More than all of these, I acknowledge my Christ, my Lord, my God, my Savior, who, although I never deserved it, acknowledged me first.
Public announcement: I LOVE YOU, JESUS!
10:32 So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven;
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