Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Boldness in Christ
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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2 Corinthians 10:1-3
Now I am going to appeal to you personally, by the gentleness and kindness of Christ Himself. Yes, I, Paul, the one who is "humble enough in our presence, but outspoken when away from us," am begging you to make it unnecessary for me to be outspoken and stern in your presence. For I am afraid otherwise that I shall have to do some plain speaking to those of you who will persist in reckoning that our activities are on the purely human level. (Phillips)
John W. Ritenbaugh
Endure as a Good Soldier
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Hebrews 3:2-6
Christ is greater, better, superior to Moses! Whoever the author of the book of Hebrews was, he handled this very delicately. He could have caused offense by seemingly putting Moses down, as Moses was held in high regard by the Jews. Yet, he was able to get across the fact that here was One greater than Moses in such a way that he showed that Moses, indeed, was faithful. However, he was faithful as a servant within the house of which Jesus Christ is the Builder. Notice the word "confidence" in Hebrews 3:6. In Hebrews 4:16, the exact same word is translated as "boldness" These Hebrews were no longer rejoicing, nor were they bold. Their apathy had them just lying there, taking life in. They were observers, not doers, neglecting what had been given to them. Thus, the exhortation to be bold and confident in overcoming and growing, and to rejoice in the greatness of the message that has been given. We could not have received a greater message than the one that we have been given. It is just not possible to hear any news greater than what God is preparing for His children.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Hebrews: A Message for Today
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Revelation 12:11
In addition to paying the death penalty for our sins and cleansing our consciences, the blood of the Lamb also grants us entrance to the Holy of Holies (see Hebrews 10:19-23), enabling us to come before the throne of the Most High God. Because of this, we have access to the absolute Deity, the Source of all strength and all encouragement, whose every action is motivated by love. Nothing is too hard for God, and we have access and permission to come boldly before Him and make our requests known to Him. This stands in contrast to the leaders of men. Kings, generals, politicians, and business executives all learn to limit their accessibility. If every problem and request were brought to them, they would be stretched so thin that they could not attend to the things only they can accomplish. So they erect a wall of sorts, employing gatekeepers to keep out all but the most important of concerns, and they have good reason to do so. God, though, is not limited in His ability to manage all things simultaneously. When we come under Christ's blood, we have open access to Him at all times. If our petition accords with His will, there is no limit to what He will do for us. Consider that He was willing to sacrifice His perfect Son—another God Being!—for our benefit; anything we may ask for pales in comparison. As Paul writes, in Christ "we have boldness and access with confidence" (Ephesians 3:12). By that blood, we have access to Him who is above absolutely everything.
David C. Grabbe
How Did They Overcome? (Part Two)
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