Last week we discussed Ephesians 3:10, which explains our calling to be witnesses to principalities and powers. The next verse states that , “This (being a witness to principalities) was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Therefore, this is something we must take seriously. This also keeps us in touch with the perspective that our actions on earth have consequences in the heavenly realm. As we mature in Christ, the spiritual realm and the interaction between earth and heaven, should become more and more real to us. However, the most important aspect of this is stated in the next verse, Ephesians 3:12:
in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.
Boldness and confident access to the Father does not mean arrogant access. Our boldness and confidence is always in the blood of Jesus, not in our own righteousness or even who we are in Christ, but in Who He is in us. Whenever our boldness is based on our own actions or standing, we are in jeopardy of a terrible fall that is always the result of pride. However, when our boldness and confidence is in the cross, we will be bolder and more confident than we could ever be when we are trying to stand on our own righteousness or strength.
This is where we need to separate pride from faith, and true humility from false humility. Pride is focused on ourselves, what we have done, or who we think we are. Faith is always focused on God, what He has done and who He is. When God is the source of our boldness and confidence it will never be arrogant. This is why we are told in I Corinthians13:4-5, “Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own.”
This is why true Christian maturity is reflected by boldness and confidence in all things that cannot be experienced otherwise. Yet, this boldness has all of the grace and dignity of true humility that is not self-seeking, arrogant, or presumptuous. How could anyone who has truly beheld the cross not be humbled before it, and before the One who left glory to pay such a price for our salvation. Because of that, we are perpetually humbled and emboldened. We are humbled because He truly is worthy of all honor, glory, and dominion. For us to presume that we are deserving of any in comparison is a terrible and base delusion, but we are emboldened because He loves us that much!
We have boldness and confident access to the Father because we know that He loves us. This sounds elementary, but many Christians have a concept of the Father as being the God of the Old Testament who would smite us if it were not for the atonement of the cross. In this we forget that it was the Father who so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son for our salvation. Jesus perfectly reflected the Father while on the earth, and all the compassion He had for sinners and the oppressed is a direct reflection of the compassion that the Father has for us. God is love, and because of His love we can come boldly before Him and know that He will not only accept us, but desires for us to draw closer to Him.
When we perceive His love, and the completeness of the atonement to cover our transgressions, we can come before the Lord with the same boldness regardless of how good or bad we have been. We are not coming on our own righteousness, and His sacrifice was enough to pay for even our worse sin. Therefore, we should learn to run to Him when we sin, not away from Him. Only from Him can we receive the grace we need.
The ultimate strength of all Christians will be determined by our willingness to use the access we have been given to the throne of God. It is here that the truth we believe becomes the life that we live. We begin by coming for the grace we need. As we grow we will start coming to Him just to be with Him. Remember, that we do not have to wait to be mature or perfect to come before Him, but we are mature and perfected by coming before Him.
