Confession and Surrender

Confession and Surrender
Words of Faith 11-7-2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2023
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Mark 3
[7] Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. [8] When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. [9] Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. [10] For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. [11] Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." [12] But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was.

Just what sort of faith is it that saves us? What is "saving faith?" The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). But what does that sort of faith look like? We get a picture today based on what that genuine faith does not look like.
As the ministry of Jesus was exploding with growth, Jesus "withdrew" to the shoreline of the lake. Jesus encountered huge crowds but he also encountered evil spirits. Who were these spirits? They were among a finite number of fallen angels that once lived in heaven but chose to rebel with Lucifer (Is. 14:12-14).
These demons fell down before Jesus and confessed His identity-- "You are the Son of God." Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell who he was. They had to obey Jesus. It is not clear whether these were demonic forces in the realm of the spirit that only Jesus could see, or if they were evil spirits that had taken possession of humans and Jesus additionally cast them out. Either is possible.
The question here is, why did Jesus forbid them from telling His identity? We don't know for sure. It is most likely the case that Jesus did not want to rush His timetable. Jesus certainly did not need the endorsement of demons.
The thing we do not want to miss is that demons know Jesus and may even confess his identity. They know exactly who Jesus is. They knew Jesus in heaven before the rebellion of Lucifer (Satan). They previously had worshiped Jesus. Lucifer means "star of the morning" or "angel of light."
Jesus saw the Fall of Lucifer. Luke records that Jesus told his disciples, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). These demons were in a sense "old friends" who had gone to the dark side. On this day, they fell down before Jesus because they knew who He was and how powerful He is, but they still remained in a state of declared rebellion.
Confessing the identity of Jesus is not the same as confessing personal faith (trust) in Jesus as sovereign Lord. There is a difference between believing a fact and trusting a person. You might know a person quite well but not trust them and certainly not surrender to them. This demonic confession cannot be an expression of "saving faith."
The Bible teaches that eventually, every demon will confess that Jesus is Lord. Philippians 2:10-11 declares, "That at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
Romans 14:11 declares: It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" Isaiah 45:23 proclaims, "By myself, I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me, every knee will bow; by me, every tongue will swear."
Eventually no intelligent being-- whether angels and saints in heaven; people living on the earth; or Satan, demons, and the unsaved in hell-- in all of God's universe will escape this confession. All will bow either willingly or they will be made to do so unwillingly.
Polls tell us that 71% of Americans believe in God. 84% describe themselves as Christian. 88% feel accepted by God. 72% profess a personal commitment to Jesus. 45% claim to be born again. 44% believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior. While a majority of Americans have the correct identity of who Jesus is, only half of those people identify with the key relationship needed in the Biblical plan of salvation.
James, the half-brother of Jesus, started out as an unbeliever but later professed Jesus as Lord and Messiah of God's people. He wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder" (James 2:19). A survey of the demonic world would find they have a near perfect theology. Demonic doctrine is almost all correct. What they lack is personal surrender in a trusting relationship with the sovereign Lord Jesus.
We often hear it said. There is a difference between knowing who Jesus is and knowing him personally as Lord. This is partly a matter of confession but also a matter of the heart. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart," that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved" (Romans 10:8-10).
But that confession must be matched with a surrender of the heart. Jesus said... "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 7:21). Lordship is not about words only; it is about what we declare with our actions. "Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:22).
Saving Faith is expressed when we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord-- declaring His Lordship by word and deed-- and believe in our hearts that He is the hope that God raised from the dead. Saving faith is manifested when we trust and obey Jesus as our Lord.

Lord, I profess today more than just the obvious fact that You are the Son of God. I profess and trust that You are the Lord of my life. I choose this day to trust You with every detail. I choose this day to honor You with every decision. I choose this day to proclaim You Lord, not just with my voice, but with my deeds. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2023
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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