Confession as witness

Not long ago I heard a Christian say that he was concerned about being forthright about his faith in Christ with his co-workers because he was afraid of bringing shame to Christ. I think that his motives were sincere; it wasn't just a cop-out. He had seen others make verbal confession, and by their actions bring reproach rather than honor to Jesus. So the question stands: Is this a substantial enough reason to be silent?

As I sat listening to his "testimony" of why he didn't feel free sharing his faith, it occurred to me that there is a way to live authentically that does not run the risk of bringing reproach. That way is confession and repentance.

My friend's tacit assumption was that in order to bring honor to Christ, we need do consistently do what honors Him - and to stumble from that is to bring Him dishonor. And I just don't think that is true of the gospel. What honors Christ is our integrity and repentance. We make public confession in two senses. We confess that Jesus is our hope and our Savior, and we confess our own shortfalls. If we do the first without the second, we give the impression that to be saved is not to stumble (which is simply not true). If we confess our failings in order to excuse them, then we have been unfaithful to Christ and His gospel because He cam to deliver us from the power of sin.

However, if we confess our failings to unbelievers with repentance, this is a compelling witness to them of the truth that we believe: God saves sinners. He does it not because of any merit of ours, but because of His merit. Further, our hope is not in our performance of His will, but in His continuing grace to give us a spirit of repentance. This kind of integrity is far more compelling than keeping up the appearance of having been made holy - and it is far more true to Christ and His gospel.

To say this is easy; to live it is not - precisely because to live this way is to believe the Gospel that my merit is not my own, my pride is my enemy, and that God gives grace to the humble. O Father give me that grace that I both lack and need, to readily admit my failings with repentance so that you get glory.