Profession
Several words are used in Acts and the Epistles to express avowal, professing, or confessing. (1) In the general sense of professing or avowing something we have (professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:22) and (which becometh women professing godliness, 1Ti 2:10; they profess that they know God, Tit 1:16). (2) In the particular sense of professing or confessing faith, the words and are regularly used. In this connexion the word profession disappears from the RV_ and the more accurate word confession takes its place: e.g. Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed the good confession (1Ti 6:13). In the specific sense of confessing faith in Jesus Christ it is the technical term. The locus classicus is Rom 10:9-10 : If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord thou shalt be saved: for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (cf. Act 24:14, 2Co 9:13, 1Ti 6:12, Heb 3:1; Heb 4:14). In the 1st and 2nd Epistles of John, particular stress is laid on the confession of the reality of the human life of Jesus-no doubt with reference to the Docetic heresy: e.g. Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God (1Jn 4:2, also 1Jn 4:3, 2Jn 1:7).
The etymological meaning of is to say the same thing as others. It fitly expresses the condition necessary for joining the company or society of those who believed in Jesus Christ. Those who confessed their faith said the same things about Him as those who were already in the society. At first the contents of the confession were very simple. Most probably the confession was the avowal of belief in Jesus as the Messiah, as in the great confession of Peter, Thou art the Christ (Mar 8:29). To the Christian Jew of Palestine He was the Messiah; to the Hellenistic Christian Jew He was the Christ; to the Christian Gentile He was the Lord. Cf. No man can say, Jesus is Lord, but in the Holy Spirit (1Co 12:3; see ExpT_ xv. [1903-04] 289, 296 ff.). Out of that simple confession there quickly grew other relative beliefs which were implicit in it, e.g. His resurrection (Rom 10:9), His Divine Sonship (1Jn 1:4; 1Jn 1:7), His coming in the flesh (1Jn 4:2), and the baptismal confession or formula (Mat 28:19).
Some writers on the Creeds believe that there are references to statements of belief, or summaries of doctrines which may have been included in the confession, in such phrases as the form of sound words (2Ti 1:13), the first principles of Christ (Heb 6:1), etc., but it is more likely that all such passages have only a general meaning (see art._ Creeds, EBr_11 vii. 393). Not till the time of Irenaeus and Tertullian (a.d. 175-200) is there evidence of definite credal statements, embodying the faith of the Church. It is, however, highly probable that there were some summaries of Christian doctrine before that time. As the custom of baptizing immediately after conversion gave way to the system of the catechumenate, the particular elements of Christian doctrine in which the catechumens had been instructed would naturally reappear in the questions that were asked, or the confession of faith that was made, before baptism. The process of creed-formation was largely assisted by the catechizing of the candidates for baptism (q.v._). The rise of error also had a marked influence in determining the particular beliefs that were to be confessed at different times, or at least the particular form in which they were to be confessed.
In the early Church the confession of faith was made in public, or before the Church. The Pauline principle, If thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus as Lord (Rom 10:9), was decisive on that point, to say nothing of our Lords evident dislike for secret disciples. The public confession was not only a testimony for Christ, leading, it might be, to the conversion of others; it had a strong psychological effect on those who made the confession, confirming them in their relation to Christ, and calling certain forces of their nature to the side of devotion. Those who were to be received into the Church sometimes had a form of words provided for them which they might use, but the convert was also allowed to speak for himself, as in the famous instance of Victorinus, whose testimony or confession can still be read with interest (see Augustines Confessions, bk. viii. ch. 2).
Literature.-In addition to the works already mentioned, see P. Wernle, The Beginnings of Christianity, Eng. tr._, i. [1903] 139, 154; J. C. Lambert, art._ Confession (of Christ), in DCG_; W. A. Curtis, art._ Confessions, in ERE_ iii.
John Reid.
Fuente: Dictionary of the Apostolic Church
PROFESSION
Among the Romanists, denotes the entering into a religious order, whereby a person offers himself to God by a vow of inviolably observing obedience, chastity, and poverty. Christians are required to make a profession of their faith,
1. Boldly, Rom 1:16.
2. Explicitly, Mat 5:16.
3. Constantly, Heb 10:23.
4. Yet not ostnetatiously, but with humility and meekness.
Fuente: Theological Dictionary
Profession
Among the ceremonies of baptism in the early Church, one of great importance was the profession of faith and vow of obedience. The catechumens first renounced the devil, and then professed to live in obedience to the laws of Christ. SEE PACTUM.
Christians are required to make a profession of their faith
1, boldly (Rom 1:16);
2, explicitly (Mat 5:16);
3, constantly (Heb 10:23);
4, yet not ostentatiously, but with humility and meekness.
Among the Romanists, profession denotes the entering into a religious order, whereby a person offers himself to God by a vow of inviolably observing obedience, chastity, and poverty.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Profession
PROFESSION.In Biblical usage, to profess is to make a public declaration (Mat 7:23, Deu 26:3); then to take a certain stand or attitude (1Ti 2:10 which becometh women professing godliness); and, lastly, to make an unjustifiable pretension or claim (Rom 1:22, 1Ti 6:21, Tit 1:16). In general, profession and confession are so closely related that one Greek word () is employed indifferently for both; and the Authorized Version has not clearly distinguished between them. Yet they are by no means identical; for while both words imply the utterance or declaration of faith or of fact, confession invariably implies that there is harmony between what is declared and the inward thought or feeling of the speaker, while profession carries no such implication.
Thus the word confess answers in the OT to , which always implies the utterance of genuine faith or feeling (Hiph. = humbly and thankfully to acknowledge Gods name and goodness, 1Ki 8:33; 1Ki 8:35 [LXX Septuagint ]; Hithp. = contritely to confess sin, Lev 5:5; Lev 16:21 [LXX Septuagint ]); while profess answers to = tell out, declare, make manifest (it may be in the way of thankful acknowledgment, Deu 26:3, or of not concealing ones sin, Psa 38:18, or even of showing forth ones sin openly and impudently, Isa 3:9 They declare their sin as Sodom). The difference reappears in the NT, where confess is used as translation of , which is exactly parallel to in both its senses, and also as translation of in the specific sense of publicly owning ones relationship of faith and devotion to Christ, Mat 10:32, Luk 12:8; whereas profess answers to = to make a profession, whether sincerely or not; = to assert or pretend; and to in the sense of making a formal declaration, or in the bad sense of making au outward pretence. Thus, while the one word has received a deep religious impress, the other is restricted to the sense of making a public declaration, a declaration which may or may not be sincere and justified by facts. The Revised Version NT 1881, OT 1885 , in substituting confession for profession in the translation of , for the owning of the Christian faith (Heb 3:1) or the faith which the Christian owns (4:14), has logically followed the rendering of in its specific Christian significance, and has helped to put the distinction between the two terms in clearer light.
The profession of Christ or of Christianity is at once more and less than the confession of Christ. It is more than confession; for while the latter is the witness to actual faith or feeling, profession also covers all ill-grounded utterances to which there is little or-nothing in the heart to correspond. And profession is also less than confession: it is limited to the verbal expression of faith, while confession gives evidence of itself in the tone and conduct of life as well. Confession shows itself in the exercise of faith as well as in the assertion of it. The distinction between profession and confession is valuable when we consider the varying emphasis laid by the Gospels on verbal testimony as an element in the confession of Christ. The duty of verbal profession is at times strongly insisted on (see Confession [of Christ], ii. and iii.), mainly because it was the sign of loyalty and steadfastness of faith. Yet the value of such professions depended on the occasions that called them forth, as well as on their genuineness and their seasonableness. Christ regarded them as peculiarly valuable in times of stress and growing opposition. So He prized the bold testimony of Peter at Caesarea Philippi as being a sign of the rock-fast loyalty of His disciple (Mat 16:17-19); so also He mourned over the later weakness of the disciples and the verbal denial of Peter, as betokening a certain diminution of their allegiance (Mar 14:27; Mar 14:30, Luk 22:61). At the same time, Christ repudiated many kinds of profession, and taught to His disciples a certain duty of reserve in the utterance of their faith. It goes without saying that He repudiated all insincere professions; and He knew that these were to be Found not only among the Pharisees, but also among His own followers (Mat 7:22; Mat 21:30). He also feared the egoism of professions of goodness (Luk 18:9-14), and the boldness of professions of constancy that might not be realized. Hence the coldness of His attitude to professions like that of the new disciple who said, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest (Luk 9:57-58), or to Peters hasty word, If I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee (Mar 14:31). But, further, Christ repeatedly cautioned His followers against all ill-timed testimony. As He Himself practised a certain reserve in His own teaching (Joh 16:12), He also frequently laid upon His followers injunctions of silence. So in cases of healing He charges those who have seen or experienced His power to tell no man what He has done (Mar 3:12; Mar 5:43; Mar 7:36), and after the scenes at Caesarea Philippi and on the Mount of Transfiguration the same injunction follows (Mar 8:30, Mar 9:9). No doubt there were temporary reasons for such reserve on Christs part, and for such injunctions of reserve; and He looked forward to the time when the things He had taught and done in private should be proclaimed upon the housetops (Mat 10:27), and when the disciples should be so fully established in the faith that no further reserve should be necessary. But in any case Christ desired no hasty testimonies in His favour. It was as if He said: The profession of My name is not always needful: its value depends on its seasonableness, and the maturity of the faith lying behind it. Wait till the times are ripe and faith is ripe; till the private confession wells forth irresistibly from the lips; or till the crisis comes when everyone is called to proclaim his faith. There will come occasions when to refrain from declaring ones faith may be equivalent to disowning and denial, or at least to cowardice. Then those who have been confessing Christ in heart and life will also profess their faith boldly with their lips, and face all the consequences of their profession. It is then, when the day and hour are calling for a clear and living testimony, that profession becomes one with confession, and the word has fullest force: Whosoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven (Mat 10:32 f.).
J. Dick Fleming.
Fuente: A Dictionary Of Christ And The Gospels
Profession
See CONFESSION.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Profession
False
Pro 20:6; Hos 8:2
Of faith in Jesus
Confession; Testimony, Religious