Confession is one of those words that has been redefined and altered since the first century. Religious leaders and organizations have since created the “confession of faith” which is generally a public (often extensive) statement, written or oral, of their doctrinal beliefs. If that is the case, the “confession of faith” for a Christian should be the inspired New Testament.
However, a confession is represented differently in the Bible. A confession is not simply a statement regarding your beliefs of a specific religion or doctrine but rather of someone. It is a public and verbal statement of a person’s belief and commitment to Christ. Confession was important in the first century (as it is today) because there were some who would deny Christ before men. They could have been persecuted, rejected by their Jewish family, or even murdered for confessing their commitment to Christ. However, Jesus said, “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,” Matt. 10:32. This makes our confession a conditional element to salvation.
In Acts 8:26ff Philip taught the Ethiopian Eunuch from Isaiah 53 about Christ and the salvation He brings. Philip then obviously tells him the need for baptism because the Ethiopian makes the request. Philip then says, “If you believed with all your heart, you may.” The Eunuch makes the confession to Philip, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,” and both go into the water and the Eunuch comes out of the water rejoicing. Later in the first century, the Hebrew writer tells the Christians that came out of Judaism, “hold fast the confession of our hope…,” Heb. 10:23. He is encouraging them to remember the commitment they made when they first made their confession (as the Ethiopian).
When we confess and put on Christ in baptism as the Ethiopian Eunuch, we must stay committed to Christ as He committed to us and never deny Him
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