"Since we have such a hope, we are very bold..." 2 Cor. 3:12
"Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God's presence." Eph. 3:12
"Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;" 1 John 3:21
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4:16
There are many more examples in scripture of boldness before the Lord, boldness in witnessing and boldness in speaking the gospel. A holy boldness is given to God's children who speak his truth. We can see this following Pentecost where the apostles and leaders spoke "boldly in the Lord." Acts 14:3.
Where does this boldness come from?
The Presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian. The apostles, "filled with the Holy Ghost," were filled with confidence and boldness as they spoke to the religious and political leaders, and to the early Christians, so much so that they were constantly persecuted right up to their deaths. Acts 4:13 says that the leaders "took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus." They were living witnesses to the power of Christ. When Christians speak with God's authority they speak boldly, with confidence.
God's Word. We can never be so confident in our boldness to speak, as when we are speaking directly from the Word of God. We are then enabled to speak "the word of God with boldness." Acts 4:31. When Paul was debating and persuading the philosophers and religious leaders of the day, he spoke boldly to "make known the mystery of the gospel." His confidence came from that very gospel, because he knew it was truth.
A Righteous Life. When a Christian is living in obedience to the Lord he has assurance that he has a powerful witness and the message of the gospel, and that he is compelled to spread that truth. "...in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body..." Philippians 1:20. He is living 'in' Christ and can therefore speak with the authority of a mature believer.
Our confidence and boldness doesn't come from our own abilities or goodness, neither of which would stand up for a moment. Our boldness comes from the inner witness of the Holy Spirit in the life of an obedient believer who loves to study God's Word, and whose life is a reflection of a changed life.
It's an amazing privilege to be heirs of salvation, boldly approaching the throne of grace in prayerful request for personal guidance and petitions. I never cease to be in complete awe of the grace and mercy that God has afforded us, in that he calls us his friends ... his brethren ... his children ... members of the family of the Creator himself. And he invites us to boldly approach him, as...
A Royal Heir
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