Pros and Cons

Prefixes can be confusing sometimes. For example, the prefix "anti" means to be 'against' something, right? Anti-freeze, anti-vax, Anti-Christ. But that standard does not always hold true. I'll explain.

The prefix 'pro' means you are for something, like pro-life, 'con' means you are against something, like CONtraception.

A few weeks ago our pastor gave these last two prefixes a slightly different, and opposite, meaning in his sermon.

PROfess - "to declare in words or appearances only."

CONfess - "to acknowledge to God."

A "profession of faith" is different from our "confession of sin." Even though they mighty seen similar, they are both really quite different.

For example: a man can profess to be a woman. He can wear women's clothing, get hormone treatments, and be surgically altered to 'appear' like a woman. But his DNA says he is still a man. His profession is a lie. 

Similarly, and this is how our pastor used the 'profess' side, someone can profess their faith in Jesus. Even though they might not live it out in their lives. They too are lying.

"They claim to know God but by their own actions they deny Him." - Titus 1:16

Now, on the opposite side of things, to confess one's sins against God is actually a good thing. It is an admission of guilt against a Holy God. It is the fourth stop on the Romans Road.

“That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” - Romans 10:9

It is better to confess than profess. Confession is acknowledging a truth. Profession can be a lie.

We've all seen the political ads on television lately. Tell me, are they professing things, or confessing?

Professing a faith in Jesus is meaningless if it is not coupled with our actions.

"For as the body apart from the Spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead." - James 2:26

There is a line from a Sidewalk Prophets song that asks the question, "Is there evidence that I've been changed?" That's the test right there that each of the 'professors' must pass.

James and Paul recognized 'false converts' way back in their day. They still exist in our world today.

It is my opinion that none of the apostles truly believed until they encountered the resurrected Jesus. Everyone one of them abandoned Jesus when He was arrested.

We must not merely profess our faith in Christ, we must make a full confession of our sinful nature and live a life relecting that faith every day of our lives. We must not only SAY we are Christians, we must LIVE like it.

Live Like That - Sidewalk Prophets