He who would confess Christ must have Christ abiding in him. He cannot communicate that which he has not received. The disciples might speak fluently on doctrines, they might repeat the words of Christ Himself; but unless they possessed Christlike meekness and love, they were not confessing Him. A spirit contrary to the spirit of Christ would deny Him, whatever the profession. Men may deny Christ by evilspeaking, by foolish talking, by words that are untruthful or unkind. They may deny Him by shunning life's burdens, by the pursuit of sinful pleasure. They may deny Him by conforming to the world, by uncourteous behavior, by the love of their own opinions, by justifying self, by cherishing doubt, borrowing trouble, and dwelling in darkness. In all these ways they declare that Christ is not in them. And "whosoever shall deny Me before men," He says, "him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven."

Den, som vil bekende Kristus, må have Kristus boende i sig. Han kan ikke meddele andet, end hvad han selv har modtaget. Disciplene kunne måske uden vanskelighed fortælle om læren; de kunne gentage Kristi egne ord, men hvis ikke de var i besiddelse af Kristi sagtmodighed og kærlighed, så var det ikke nogen bekendelse af ham. En ånd, der var i modstrid med Kristi ånd, ville fornægte ham, hvordan bekendelsen så end lød. Mennesker kan fornægte Kristus ved at tale ondt om andre, ved dårlig tale og ved ord, der er usande eller ukærlige. De kan fornægte ham ved at søge at undgå livets byrder eller ved at dyrke syndige glæder. De kan fornægte ham ved at rette sig efter verdens skikke, ved uhøflig optræden, ved at elske at høre deres egen mening, ved at retfærdiggøre sig selv, ved at nære tvivl, ved at bringe sig i vanskeligheder og bo i mørket. På alle disse forskellige måder forkynder de, at Kristus ikke bor i dem. Og han siger: "Men den, som fornægter mig over for menneskene, ham vil jeg også fornægte over for min Fader, som er i Himlene."