Bruce Collins, Evangelist

Matthew 9:30-31
And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.

The Lord had done a great miracle, He had opened the eyes of two blind men. He had tested their faith by asking them if they believed He could do this. They had said, “Yes!” He had said that His miracle would be according to their confidence in Him; and, since they were healed, they obviously really did believe He could heal them. After opening their eyes, He gave them a test that they failed. He asked them not to tell anyone that they have been healed.

Can you imagine people not wondering about these two? They were blind, but now they could see. Wouldn’t it be obvious to those who knew them that something great had happened? Wouldn’t their friends, relatives, and acquaintances want to know how they were now able to see? And were they going to be able to fulfill the Lord’s command, “See that no man know it?” I don’t think so!

When we are saved, we have our spiritual eyes opened to the truth that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). We understand and trust in the Truth that God demonstrates His love to us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). We find that as sinners we are saved simply by taking God at His Word, by believing Him without any reservations (Acts 8:37). We too should have a hard time keeping that to ourselves.

Nicodemus was likely saved in John 3 but He didn’t publicly proclaim His confidence in the Lord until He helped Joseph of Arimathea bury Him. So we can be saved and not confess that publicly. But Nicodemus did confess Him when the time was right and so will we. Romans 10 verse 9 says that if we confess the Lord Jesus and believe in our hearts that God has raised Him from the dead, we will be saved. Many think it is the confession that saves, but it is faith in Christ that saves. Romans 10 verse 11 seems to make it clear that confession is unto the salvation that faith in Christ has provided. Even if that is not perfectly clear from these verses, it should be obvious that we cannot confess to that which we have not believed–to something that we do not have. So confession does not save, but how can the saved keep from confessing?

I personally believe that the Lord was trying to make a point by asking these two who had been healed to do something He knew that they could not do. If we are not confessing the Lord, perhaps our spiritual healing has not brought about any visible change that others wonder about. But if we are asked about why we are different or happy, it should be very difficult for us not to give the enthusiastic response that the Lord has loved us, has died for us, and that through faith in His name we are saved for time and for eternity.

Confession does not save, but it should be the normal response of those that are saved. We should find it hard not to tell others of the great work that Christ has done for us. On this memorial day weekend, the best way for the Lord to be memorialized is for us to confess Him before men. We can do that by being baptized if we are truly saved and we can do that by remembering the Lord when the church gathers together as in 1 Corinthians 11:33-34. But we can also do that by not hiding what the Lord has done for us when we are asked for a reason of the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15).

Bruce Collins