Voluntary, spontaneous confessions or acknowledgements, unlike formal creeds, come from the heart. The first Good Confession recorded in John’s Gospel was by Nathaniel. “Teacher, you are the son of God! You are the king of Israel!” He said these words without thinking, after Jesus said he had earlier seen him “under the fig tree” (John 1:49). With a flash of insight, Nathaniel’s confession burst forth from his heart onto his lips!
The second Good Confession recorded in John’s Gospel was made by a Samaritan woman whom Jesus met at a well. She believed in him after he perceived her personal problem. “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did,” she told her people. “Might not this be the Messiah?” He confession was suggestive, but after Jesus stayed over in the village, the people concluded that he really was 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”. They found his statement that they would eat his flesh and drink his blood unpalatable (John 6:51-66). Jesus 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.” Peter confessed what he believed, not what he understood.
The fourth Good Confession in John’s Gospel was made by a man who had been born blind. Jesus smeared his eyes with mud made from his spittle, and the man received sight when he washed them in the pool of Siloam, and saw for the first time ever. In the face of great hostility, the man confirmed his identity the man who had been born blind. When asked what he thought of Jesus, he replied, “He is a prophet.” (John 9:17) It was not the most profound confession, but was all he knew. Later, he sealed it when he confessed to Jesus, “Lord, I believe!” In between these confessions, he held his ground against savage 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 for 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.” Martha wasn’t wrong!
The sixth Good Confession in John’s Gospel was made by Thomas the pessimist. “My Lord and my God!” is the sixth Good Confession in John’s Gospel. 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 Thomas’ growing realization that he is seeing the Father in the Son. He had heard Jesus speak of this to Philip (John 14:10), but the truth now stares him in the face! No more pessimism from Tom!
The seventh Good Confession in John’s Gospel came from John himself. Hauling a huge catch of fish into the boat after a night of catching nothing, he connected it with an earlier one and exclaimed – “It is the Lord!” (John 21:7) A spontaneous confession of astonished recognition! The rest of the disciples couldn’t even bring themselves to ask, “Lord, is it you?” – knowing it was the Lord! (John 21:12) John’s confession broke the silence.
The eighth and greatest Good Confession was by Jesus, when he stood helpless before Pontius Pilate. The writer of Hebrews calls it “a good confession”, which indicates that although he was not seen as in charge of the situation, Jesus was very much in charge of himself.
These eight confessions were made in a variety of situations, conditions and circumstances. Your confession needs to be as required by your own situation, condition or circumstance. Whatever it expresses, let it rise from your heart to your lips, because a good confession — a spontaneous, involuntary exclamation of personal belief — is what a believer’s ongoing walk with the Lord Jesus is about.
Job made his most memorable confession among piles of broken pottery, which he was using to scrape off pus from boils breaking out on his body. Jeremiah made his when threatened for prophesying in the name of the Lord.
Yours may come while the bills are piling up or a relationship is breaking down. It will come from your heart, while you are looking up to the Lord rather than in despair at your problems; and as it comes forth from your lips it will express a hope in God that may well surprise you — maybe even astonish you!