Involuntary, impromptu, spontaneous confessions are different forms of acknowledgements. They are genuine because they come straight from the heart. Written confessions have their place, of course; for example, criminal ones that lead to convictions. Or the political or ecclesiastical kind, such as the Westminster Confession.
The first impromptu confession recorded in John’s Gospel came from Nathanael. “Teacher, you are the son of God! You are the King of Israel!” He said this without thinking after Jesus said he had seen him earlier “under the fig tree” (John 1:49). Nathanael had a sudden flash of insight, and his confession was spontaneous — it burst forth from his heart onto his lips into involuntary words!
The second good confession recorded in John’s Gospel was made by a Samaritan woman that Jesus met at a well. She believed in Jesus when he perceived her most personal problem. Running to her village, she exclaimed to everyone: “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Might not this be the Messiah?” It was more a suggestive confession, but after Jesus stayed over in the village, the people concluded that he was indeed the promised Messiah.
The third good confession in John’s Gospel was made by Peter after “many of his disciples pulled back and stopped walking with him”. His statement that they must eat his flesh and drink his blood was very unpalatable to them! (John 6:51-66) Jesus did not explain the spiritual meaning but asked those who remained, “Do you also want to go away?” Peter answered, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words [declarations] of life everlasting, and we believe and know that you are the holy one of God.”
The fourth good confession in John’s Gospel was made by the man who’d been born blind. Jesus smeared his eyes with mud and after the man washed them as instructed in the pool of Siloam, he saw for the first time ever! In the face of hostility, the man maintained that he was indeed the man who had been born blind. When asked what he thought of Jesus, he replied, “He is a prophet.” (John 9:17)
Although not a profound confession it was all he knew at the time. Later he sealed it by saying to Jesus, “Lord, I believe!” In between the two confessions, he held his ground against verbal assaults by religious leaders and gave as good as he got!
The fifth good confession in John’s Gospel was made by Martha when Jesus arrived after her brother Lazarus had been dead three days. There was a hint of hurt in Martha’s words when she said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” But there was also a hint of hope. “But even now, I know that whatever you ask God for, He will give it to you.” And, as we know, God did.
The sixth good confession in John’s Gospel was made by the once pessimistic Thomas. “My Lord and my God!” Scholars tell us the “and” is copulative and that the words of the verse are cumulative. In other words, “My Lord” is linked with “my God” in the growing realization of Thomas that he is seeing the Father in the Son. He had heard Jesus speak of this to Philip (John 14:10) but the truth is now staring him in the face!
The seventh good confession in John’s Gospel is by John himself. Hauling into the boat a huge catch of fish after a night of catching nothing, he connected the catch with an earlier one and exclaimed – “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7) It is a spontaneous confession of astonished recognition! The rest of the disciples could not even bring themselves to ask, “Lord, is it you?” – knowing it was the Lord! (John 21:12)
These seven impromptu, involuntary confessions were made in a variety of situations. Your confession will be the one that your own situation or circumstance may require. Let it arise from your heart to your lips spontaneously, no matter who or what tries to keep you quiet because your good confession, more than anything else, will seal your relationship with Jesus, your risen, glorified Lord!