THE GOOD CONFESSION by John G. Matteson

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 25, 1876

FromThe Review and Herald, Review and Herald, Vol. 47, No. 21.

THE GOOD CONFESSION.

By John G. Matteson

“But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Tim. 6: 11, 12.

If we desire to be numbered with the people of God we must flee from the love of money, discontentment, strife, and selfishness. By the grace of God we can obtain treasures in this life which are far more valuable than all the treasures of earth. They are righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. These characteristics are more precious in the sight of God than precious stones and much fine gold. They are a reflection of the holy character of Jesus, a fruit of his bitter sufferings and death, an effect of his ministration in the heavenly sanctuary. They are produced in willing hearts who open the door to sup with the heavenly guest. They are often developed slowly, and mostly ripened through storms and dark days, when troubled souls buy oil for their lamps from the store-house of grace.

This is the good fight of faith whereby we can lay hold of eternal life: To flee from sin and corrupt companions, and bring forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness. Unto this, God had called us, and we have professed a good profession before many witnesses. But we are living in a time when this good profession too often is forgotten, and the high and holy calling of the Christian too much degraded. The best of all professions is to confess Christ before men. When we have made the promise or covenant (eperoetema) of a good conscience with God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and are raised up from the baptismal waters to walk with our Saviour in newness of life, we have made a good confession. Having begun in the Spirit it is blessed to also finish in the Spirit. But it is a sad fact that many fall through unbelief like the children of Israel in the wilderness.

“I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Verses 13, 14.

Our Saviour witnessed a good confession (teen kaleein homologian: the good confession—the very same words which are rendered a good profession in verse 12) before Pontius Pilate. He said: “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37. Jesus was not ashamed of the truth. He testified of the truth unto his death—not in words only but also in his life. He never departed from the way of truth to the right or left. He never forgot to do the will of his Heavenly Father in small or great things. And he did not only witness the good confession in the hour of prosperity, when everything went well, but in the darkest moments, when tribulation and anguish filled his soul—yes, even when the sins of the world fell upon him with the terrible curse—he held fast the principles of heavenly truth, trusting only in “God, who quickeneth all things.”

The apostles, as well as thousands of holy martyrs, witnessed the good confession before many witnesses, and were faithful unto death. Yet they wavered sometimes, and some did even deny their Lord in the hour of temptation, when the spirit was willing, but the flesh weak. They commenced resolutely to follow the Master, but found that they had more of earthly and less of heavenly disposition than he had. Afterward they repented of their mistakes, and turned to the Lord to serve him with renewed diligence and greater caution. Some did even acknowledge the authority of antichrist through the weakness of the flesh, when they were cruelly tortured. But many of these repented afterward of their own weakness, and returned to the good confession, in which they continued unto death. Henceforth a crown of righteousness is laid up for them unto the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Many of us have also witnessed the good confession. Then the truth shone brightly before us, and the love of Christ burned warm in our hearts. It was sweet to hear the voice of our Heavenly Shepherd: They are mine; “my Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” This created a strong desire and gave courage to follow Jesus. But afterward we have often made mistakes in the hour of temptation. This was wrong. It was a great evil. The recollection thereof causes sadness. We had fully given ourselves to serve the Lord, and had witnessed the good confession before many witnesses. In sorrow we exclaim: How great is the corruption of the human heart! How poor our judgment, how weak our spirit! Yet the Lord is long-suffering. Still the way of salvation is open before us. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

May the Lord help us to fight the good fight of faith, to lay hold on eternal life, and be living witnesses for Jesus and his truth unto the end. To those who are turned out of the way, we extend a kind invitation to return. And those who never have commenced to serve the Lord, we invite to witness the good confession before God and man, that they may learn to keep the commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

JOHN G. MATTESON.