Confessing or professing?

Confessing and professing are not the same thing.

Sometimes the Bible says “confess”, with its meanings, and sometimes it says “profess”, with its meanings. Those words are not strictly interchangeable, but no doubt conceptually overlap.

In looking at the usages of these words, I would suggest that confess means to:
a. admit guilt
b. proclaim plainly agreement to a doctrine
c. reveal or disclose thoughts

Whereas profess means to:
a. claim, by speaking or proclamation
b. state one’s position or ability
c. lay hold in faith by speaking

Therefore, we can conclude that what some people call faith confessions (not to be confused with doctrinal confessions) really would better be called faith professions, like in this verse:

Mark 11:23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.

See the following:

1 Tim. 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1 Tim. 6:21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.

Heb. 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Now, you can confess you agree with these Scriptures, but professing them means you act accordingly.