“No man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” (1 Corinthians 12:3)

There are many who profess that Jesus is Lord, whom the LORD Jesus does not acknowledge as His own, Matthew 7:22. Many say the words Jesus is LORD, who do not know Him as the LORD Jesus. Merely saying the words is no more evidence of salvation than Satan declaring, “Thou art the Holy One of God,” Mark 1:24.

What is true is that no one can declare the LORD Jesus in truth except the very Holy Spirit reveal Him in them, and cause them to confess Him as their LORD and Savior. Romans 10:9 declares, “That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shall believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” What is such a confession that is evidence of a soul saved and Christ revealed in it?

1. It is a distinctive grace to so confess Christ in truth. When Peter confessed THE Christ, THE Son of THE Living God, our LORD told him that such a declaration was a blessing of the Father, exclusive to those HE has been pleased to reveal Him. "Blessed art thou; for flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."—Matt. 16:17. Elsewhere, this is described as the faith of God’s elect, and particular ONLY to them, Titus 1:1. This is the mystery of God’s kingdom, that the Holy Spirit can and does reveal in the hearts of those whom the Father gave to the Son from eternity to save, and then sent into the world to accomplish their salvation, and by His righteous life and effectual, sacrificial death, justified them at the cross, once for all.

2. It is a distinctive blessing to confess Christ from the heart. This is the fruit of God’s electing grace, and Christ’s redeeming work at Calvary, that in time is revealed in the heart of each one of the LORD’s chosen, blood-bought ones, by the Spirit of God. It is this grace that is a distinguishing blessing, and not just a common word from men, but in truth a special grace that causes such to see Christ, own Him, come to Him, trust in Him, and call on Him, their Redeemer, Savior, once sin-bearing, Satisfaction.

This is a gracious Word to the sin-condemned sinner perplexed by the weight of His own sin, and where righteousness may be found. Christ revealed in the heart as seated in heaven, victorious and having finished the work, is all our hope and plea. He is all we need and all we want, by God’s grace.