Q: Didn’t Jesus teach that He would “confess” some before the Father, but others He would “deny” before the Father?

A: Yes, Jesus said just that. He would confess or deny, before His Father which is in heaven, those who confess or deny Him before men.  

These were part of the commandments given to the twelve disciples before they were sent out to the towns and villages of Israel.  He sent them not to the gentiles (nations), not to the Samaritans, but rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (See verse 6).

One must realize that Jesus was sent to His own people, Israel.  And He came proclaiming the kingdom of the heavens is at hand.  This was the hope of Israel.  Practically all of the Gospels (i.e., Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), have to do with gaining (or losing) the blessings of the kingdom, which, if Israel nationally, would have repented of their self-righteous, evil ways, and accepted Jesus as their Messiah, could have been right then.

Now back to the question. Those who confess Jesus obviously believe in Him, and their name will be confessed before the Father, and since the kingdom on earth is in my opinion, the coming age, all the believers of that time will be resurrected to go into the kingdom.  While, adversely, those who deny Jesus will be denied before His Father, and, since they have died, will await the resurrection of judgment before the Great White Throne.