To _confess_ Christ signifies to Covenant. Its import is, to confess him
to men, and also to confess him to God. And the passage last quoted,
according to the interpretation given of it, proves that the latter is
to Covenant. When confession with the mouth is made to salvation, it is
Christ that is confessed. "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved; for with the heart man believeth unto
righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation."[66]
_To make confession_ is to confess. The form of expression occurs twice
in the English version of the Old Testament, and the passages, according
to what has been shown, describe at once the exercises of confessing
sin, and of Covenanting. And that the former of the passages records the
latter of these exercises, moreover, is manifest; from the expressed
resolution of king Hezekiah, of which that passage recounts the
fulfilment. He said, "Now it is in mine heart to make a covenant with
the Lord God of Israel, that his fierce wrath may turn away from
us."[67] And the accomplishment was, "And the children of Israel that
were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days
with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praising the Lord
day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the Lord. And Hezekiah
spake comfortably unto all the Levites that taught the good knowledge of
the Lord: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering
peace-offerings, and making _confession_ to the Lord God of their
fathers."[68] The other passage states the character of an exercise in
which Daniel as an individual engaged, and from its very structure,
independently of the conclusion to which we have otherwise come,
manifests him as taking hold on God's covenant, as well as acknowledging
sin. "I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my _confession_, and said,
O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to
them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments."[69]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account