Here’s where the misconception becomes so defeating: Who of us, at any given moment, would say that every single aspect of our lives belongs to Christ? All of us have those aspects we hold back, and, even if we do give them to Him, there are moments we take them back. If indeed He has to have control of myentire life, how can I speak to someone else about their salvation?
This misconception presents new Christians with conditions that, as unsaved people, they’re not even remotely prepared to meet.
5. If you’re not willing to confess Christ publicly, you cannot be saved.
This misconception comes in different colors, and there are those who carry it to different extremes but God never said this. Some are simply talking about admitting personally and publicly that you’re a Christian. Some go so far as to say that one must walk forward in a church through what is commonly called the “altar call.” Either way, the understanding is given that if you don’t, you can’t be saved.
When addressing this misconception, approach it positively, not negatively. Stress the importance of unashamedly telling people that you are a Christian. After all, if He was not ashamed of you, why be ashamed of Him? Such a confession plays a part in receiving eternal reward. A good passage to support this is Matthew 10:32-33, where Christ declares, “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” The context clearly explains that the issue is not eternal life; the issue is discipleship.
Confession is not an issue of salvation. Here are three examples of why God never said that.
The first is John 12:37-43. The miracles of Christ were designed to wave a flag before the Jewish people proclaiming Christ as God. Many refused to believe. John tells us “although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him.” Some, though, did believe. John 12:42-43 says, “Nevertheless, even among the rulers, many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” In the book of John, the words believe in are used consistently for saving faith. Jewish rulers had trusted in Christ the Messiah, who could save them from their sins. But confessing Him in public would have resulted in their excommunication.
There are also many verses that condition salvation upon faith along, apart from any public confession, but God never said to do that. For example, John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” Romans 4:5 says, “But to him who does not work, but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.”
The thief on the cross is another good example. The thieves on the cross were divided in their view of Christ. One extended the condition, “If you are the Christ, save yourself and us” (Luke 23:39). The other placed his faith in Christ, asking, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom” (vs. 42). Christ’s response was the best news a dying man can hear. “Surely I say unto you, today you’ll be with Me in paradise” (vs. 43). There was no way this dying thief could have told others of his salvation. He was saved by recognizing Christ as who He said He was—the only One who could save him from his sin.
