Make Your Faith Public

Make Your Faith Public

By Pastor Russell Henderson

 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

[Hebrews 4:14 NIV]

Today, I want to look at the last part of this verse, “…let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.”  This word profess is a very important word when referring to our faith.  The word in the Greek is homologeo.  It is usually translated as either profess or confess.  Either way it is the combination of two root words:  homo which means “the same” and logo which means “word”.  When you put these two words together you get the idea of someone that is speaking the same thing as someone else, or coming into agreement with what someone else has said or is saying.

A profession (or confession) of faith is highly important because it is an open declaration that you are choosing to believe in Jesus Christ.  But not just the person of Jesus Christ, it is also a declaration that you are coming into agreement with every word and promise that He has ever spoken from the beginning of time.

Some don’t like the fact that different bible versions use the word “profess” while others use “confess”.  “Profess” is typically more of a positive declaration, and “confess” is typically a negative declaration or an admission of guilt.  I prefer to look at it this way:  a profession of faith says, “Hey everyone, I am proclaiming loudly and boldly that this is what I believe.”  A confession of faith says, “You got me.  I am guilty as charged of following Christ.”  No matter how you choose to look at it, it is still a public declaration that you are standing on the promises and word of God.

However, this declaration also carries some weight behind.  When you make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ, you are now responsible for how you show and portray Jesus Christ to the world.  A profession of faith is not a one-time thing.  It is an ongoing demonstration of the love and mercy of Jesus to a hurting and dying world.  When you make your profession of faith, you are responsible for being a living representation of that love and mercy.

In order for a true profession to be made, it must be public; and it must be carried out in a continual, public manner.  I’m understanding, more and more, that a true follower of Jesus Christ must be making a continual declaration of their faith in Jesus Christ.  People need to know who you are and what you stand for.  If the people you encounter on a regular basis don’t know that you are a follower of Christ, you might need to do a personal inventory.  A true believer is always professing, always declaring, in one fashion or another.

If you are reading this and you are not certain of what you believe, I encourage you to dive into the scriptures and find out what God has spoken and is still speaking to us today.  If you are already a believer, a follower of Christ, let this be a reminder to hold firmly to your faith and profess it everywhere you go and to everyone you meet.