We’re With Him

“Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.  But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.”  Matthew 10:32-33

Jesus made a statement as He was speaking to His disciples concerning the importance of being prepared for eternity.  It was a very straight-forward statement regarding the saved and the lost.  He said that whoever confesses Him, that is, believes in Him and tells others that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matthew 16:16), it is this person whom Jesus will confess, that is, stand before His Father and say, “This one is with Me.”  We’ve all heard the following question before, and it is one question that some believers use in witnessing to a person who does not know Christ: “If you were standing before God, and He asked you why He should let you into His heaven, what would you say?”  Those who follow Christ would point to Jesus and say, “We’re with Him”.  God might then reply, “If My Son will vouch for you, then that’s good enough for Me.  Enter in”.  As they say in business, it is not what you know, but who you know that makes a difference.

There is no way that we can enter heaven on our own recognizance.  Jesus made that clear in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 7:21) when He said, “Not everyone that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven”.  He also said in Mark 8:38 that “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels”.  As Christians, why do we sometimes act like we are ashamed of Christ?  Why do we refuse to speak up for Him when we hear others use His name as a curse word?  Why do we engage in conversations about worldly subjects, yet cannot converse openly and freely about the very Son of God except in Sunday School and church?  It has been my observation that even in Christian get togethers, Jesus is rarely the main topic of conversation once the blessing has been asked.  We talk about everything else but Him.  Jesus is absolutely the greatest and most interesting subject in the entire world to talk about.

Paul suffered for the cause of Christ, yet he was “not ashamed: for I know Whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day” (II Timothy 1:12).  It pleases God the Father when we brag on His Son.  A parent is blessed and encouraged when he or she hears others bragging on his or her children:  “Your son is so courteous, such a gentleman”.  “Your daughter is so thoughtful and considerate”.  We like to hear comments like these.  God is also a Father who is blessed when we speak of His Son in loving and honoring words.  It is a reflection upon God, just as our children are a reflection upon us.  Those who truly believe on Jesus will not be ashamed (Romans 10:9-11).  Believers just have to learn to get over their shyness and be bold in our witnessing.  After all, we have all power in heaven and earth to support us and also the most awesome news to tell.

However, Jesus said that the reverse is also true:  “…whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven.  John wrote in I John 4:2-3 that “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God…”  There are plenty of folks who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but they have never really received Him as Lord and Savior.  The latest statistics compiled by pollsters tell us that 80 to 85 percent of Americans claim to be Christians.  I find that hard to believe considering the spiritual state of our nation.  Being born again is more than just claiming to believe in Jesus Christ.  There must be some hard evidence in one’s life to show that he or she truly represents Christ.  Those who completely omit God from their lives want to know where He was when a major tragedy strikes.  He was right where He always has been waiting to forgive, heal, and bless any who would come to Him.  Jesus takes no pleasure in carrying out judgment against those who deny Him.  He said, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

How sad for those who deny Christ, but how joyous for those who confess Him as Lord and Savior.  I am so glad that I am with Him, and His Spirit is within me.