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FAITH.004
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1992-10-03
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FAITH PRINCIPLES No.4.
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH
The matter of confessing our faith has come into controversy and
disrepute in recent years through an over-emphasis and
over-simplification of the vital truth of confession which has
reduced it from'a valid and necessary expression of faith, to
techniques and formulas. Despite the distortions of unbalanced
teachers and the presumptions of many foolish people, the
confession of faith is not only scriptural, but essential to an
effective faith life.
1. THE MEANING OF CONFESSION.
The word confession comes from the Greek expression
"homologia". In Hebrews 3:1 it is translated "profession",
but more correctly is "confession". These two Greek words -
"homo" = the same, and "logia" = the word, gives us the
thought of "the same word".
our confession of faith is therefore to say the same thing
that God has said. We do not express doubt, fear, unbelief or
other negative attitudes. Our confession is an affirmation of
truth - a declaration of God's word and will. It is a
positive statement of the faith words God has already
declared. We say them again and this is homologia, or the
confession of faith.
2. THE HIGH PRIEST OF OUR CONFESSION
In the Old Testament every High Priest received sacrifices to
be offered, but they could not accept an animal or bird to be
sacrificed if it was blemished. It had to be perfect. The
New Testament church does not have animal sacrifices, but one
of our sacrifices unto God is the confession of our faith or
giving thanks to God.
Hebrews 13:15 - "giving thanks", can be translated as
"confessing to". it comes from the Greek word "homologia".
Ne. despite our feelings or apprehensions, we align ourselves
with God's word and positively declare it to be true. We
cannot bring an imperfect sacrifice to Jesus. IT is negative,
untrue or fearful. He cannot receive it. The sacrifice is
blemished and must be rejected.
This is one of the reasons why many people do not get their
prayers answered. They come to Jesus, but do not realise that
He can only receive a perfect offering - the confession of
faith, and He is specifically the High Priest of this
spiritual function. He waits to hear us declare God's truth
in our prayer instead of unbelief.
Psalm 19:14 says, "[et the words of my mouth and the
meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, 0 Lord, my
strength, and my redeemer". Let the confession of our mouth
be aligned with God's own statements, even to the repetition
of scripture if we are not able to express any positive trust
in God with our own words.
3. THE WORD OF FAITH MUST BE SPOKEN
A. Romans 10:8-10 shows us that the word of faith must be
spoken and not
merely a concept or attitude of the mind. Speaking the
truth that salvation has been received actually releases
it in the life of the person receiving Christ, but
without a declaration, his faith in Christ to save him is
ineffective- He must make confession of his salvation
with his mouth.
The scripture says that this "word of faith" is in our
mouth, and heart.
B. 2 Corinthians 4:13 shows us that when we receive the
"Spirit of faith", we not only believe, but.we speak out
what we believe.
C. This same truth is taught in Mark 11:23. Jesus states
three times in this Verse that faith and speaking are
essentials to each other.
When we speak or confess God's word, it becomes the creative
word of God (7 of God's creative acts in Genesis 1 were
"spoken into being" by His word.
Our confession of faith in God validates His word to us in the
same way that signing a cheque releases the potential of a
bank account.
4. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SPOKEN WORD AND THE MIRACULOUS
A. God said, "Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3)
B. Noah reached deliverance and received it. (Heb. 11:7)
C. Moses decreed the plagues (Ex. 7-11)
D. Elijah spoke drought into being (1 Kings 17:1), and called
fire down from heaven (1 Kings 18:37-38)
E. Joshua commanded the sun and moon to stand still
(Joshua-10:12)
F. Hebrew three confessed the word (Is. 43:2, and Dan. 3:-17)
G. Jesus proclaimed His resurrection (Matt. 16:21, 17:9, and 23),
H. Most New Testament miracles were_spoken into being - lame man
at Gate beautiful (Acts 3:_6), Dorcas (Acts 9:40), and the
lame_man at Lystra (Acts 14:10.)
Rom. 4;17. God who raises the dead and calls those things
which be not as though they were. This is God's faith
statement of things as they_will be when there is no sign at
it.
The changing of Abram's and Sarai's names to Abraham and Sarah
is a classic example of such faith declarations by God and
their subsequent confession by His people. Abram means
"exalted father", while Abraham means "father of a multitude".
Sarai means "Jah is Prince", but Sarah is "Princess" because
she would become the joyful mother of princes. God Himself
gave them their new names and thus declared years in advance
of the event that they would produce children. Every day as
they called each other by their new names, they were
"confessing God's word" about them.
5. THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
The following scriptures show that the tongue has an awesome
power for good or evil and must be used in a positive way to
align us with God's revealed word and His statements of truth.
Prov. 12:14 - "A man shall be satisfied with good by the fruit
of his mouth."
Prov. 12:18 - but the tongue of the wise is health."
Prov. 15:4 - "A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but
perverseness therein is a breach in the
spirit."
Prov. 15:23 - "A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and
a word spoken in due season, how good is it!"
Prov. 18:20-21_- "Death and life are in the power of the
tongue."
Mark 11:23 - "He that believeth ... shall have whatsoever he
saith."
James-3:6-8 - "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity ...
but the tongue can no man tame."
6. THE CONTENT OF OUR CONFESSION
It is precisely at this point that many people have pushed
"confession," to an extreme and have often moved into either
presumption or disillusionment (or both).
The confession of faith is not a magical formula - some "Open
Sesame" to limitless material wealth or spontaneous miracles.
It must be connected to, and balanced by every other facet of
spiritual life such as prayer and fasting, determination, the
sovereignty of God, and timing, etc.
A. Generally the confession of our faith is related to our
salvation or what we are in Christ. Rom. 10:8-10, Philemon v
6, Gal. 2:20, Phil. 4:13, 3:21, 2 Cor. 2:14, etc.
B. When God has opened His "rhema" to us, then we have a basis
for confessing that fact and speaking it into being. Not
every promise in the Bible is, however, directly applicable to
us at any one time. There are general promises or provisions
of redemption that are applicable to all of us, but there are
other promises that who made to individuals which may not be
claimable without a direct rhema from God, ie, Jesus' word to
Peter "come and walk on water" is not a general promise to
everyone to be claimed at their own discretion.
C. In any event the confession of our faith must always be
"homologia", ie saying again what God has said. Note. Heb.
13:5-6, "we say because He has said". and do not take the
initiative to "confess" any idea we choose. our faith is not
in the soulish area of auto-suggestion or mind over matter,
and every confession must originate from God for it to he true
"homologia". Even Jesus' declaration of His ministry was a
restatement of the Old Testament prophecy concerning Him.
Luke 4:18 compare IS. 61:1.
7. ABUSES OF CONFESSION
on many occasions it has been taught that once a person_has
received prayer for healing that they should cease taking any
medication or refuse medical help, and confess their healing
until it is obvious. many tragic cases have resulted from this
practise.