32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.”

Theologians battle over passages like this one, and there are two main interpretative views for understanding Jesus’ teaching here. Some would say that Jesus refers to those of His followers who at some point deny Him, presumably under persecution. In this view, Jesus Himself will deny that person before God, and therefore that person will lose their salvation. This, it is believed, provides a motivation to confess Christ openly. Those who hold this view present other Scripture to support their view. Each step of the way, disciples need to walk in obedience and loyalty lest they forfeit their salvation.

A different, and opposing, interpretation is that Jesus here is still in the process of disclosing what discipleship is all about and is weeding out those who are not truly disciples. He is not speaking to the issue of salvation, but of counting the cost of discipleship. There is no point in deluding oneself about being a follower of Christ if one is not willing to identify with the Master. At this stage, being called a “disciple” was not synonymous with being “saved” and having eternal salvation. Christ had not yet died, they had no knowledge of His coming substitutionary atonement. Further, as we have pointed out before, there were times that when His teachings got difficult many of His “disciples” turned back from following Him (John 6:66). Judas provides the clearest example of one who was called a disciple, but clearly was not, nor became, a saved individual. In John 17:21 Jesus called him “the son of perdition.” It was not a matter that he was saved and lost it; his betrayal was prophesied well in advance of his life. Further, passages like Romans 8:28-39 and many others show that those who place their faith and trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross are secure for all eternity.

We believe that this second interpretation better fits the whole tenor of the New Testament. How can we apply this? First, the public identification that Jesus speaks of, in context of His earthly mission, was baptism in the “Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” Those who refuse are essentially ashamed of identifying with Christ. Not that baptism is required for salvation, but refusal of it calls into question a person’s sincerity of faith. The importance of identifying with Christ continues then into our daily living.

Lord, show me ways today that I may identify with You; show me how I can honor You in an ungodly world. Give me an opportunity to speak Your Name.