Make The Plunge
Be of good cheer if your hearts are set on Christ: there is your stay, the anchor of your soul. If He is such, dear friends, stand forward for Him; be not ashamed to own your relationship to Him, your dependence on Him: be decided, cut short all expedients for deferring the bold acknowledgement of your being His; confess Him before men, and act for Him, and live for Him in an ungodly world. He is not ashamed to call you brethren; and will you be ashamed to confess Him as your Lord and Master in the face of all the world?
Be not debating within yourselves, when you shall avow yourselves; do it at once, decidedly. Make the plunge, and trust God for the consequence. I know it by experience that an open bold confession of being Christ’s is more than half the struggle over. I know the devil tempts, and says, "O, do not be too hasty; you might ruin the cause by over-forwardness; this is not the time to confess yourself openly, wait for another opportunity." But I say, dear friends, as one who knows, that if a man, in the strength of the Lord, is just brought to say to his companions and friends, "I am Christ’s, and I must act for Him," that he will not suffer what others will feel who are creeping on fearful and afraid to avow Him whom they desire to serve. Believe me, my friends, it is as I say: by this decided and open opposition to the world he may at first be laughed at and mocked; but what of that? Christ was served so. But soon, when his companions find him resolute, they will give him up as a bad case which they can make no hand of, and they will leave him comparatively free from ridicule.
Are there any of you who are thus halting between two opinions, and afraid to confess your obligations to the Lord? Oh! I once more entreat you to be candid. Be open, be decided, confess Christ’s name on earth, and He will not be ashamed to confess your name before the whole assembled universe.
