CONFIDENT CHRISTIANITY

Being confident is tight-rope for the Christian. Slip one way and our proper place of confidence looks and sounds like cocky arrogance. Slip the other way and it sounds like false humility. The first deviation is caused by an over-estimation of our own ability. The other deviation is caused by attention on our own ability. The Christian's source of confidence is not themselves, yet they are involved.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Confidence means "con" - with + "fide" - faith. It originates in the concept of having a "safe, sure, refuge". This is why the Scriptures reveal that -

Proverbs 3:26 for the LORD will be your confidence
and will keep your foot from being caught.

The New Testament prescribes that Christians live confidently. But this doesn't mean that we are to be brash or bombastic. Neither is it the same as self-confidence. The apostle Paul contrasted this typemof confidence with the confidence that comes through a relationship with Christ. In Philippians 3:4 he told these Macedonians that he had many reasons for being religiously self-confident. But this was not the basis that enabled a person to approach GOD (1Tim. 1:7). Rather than mere self-confidence, we are told live confidently in Christ, because this is the path to receiving a "great" reward from the Lord-

Hebrews 10:35 Therefore do not throw aay your confidence which has a great reward.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they could have confidence when relating to God, because of Christ. Perhaps we live in too flippant a society that the idea of God being 'transcendent' is completely unconsidered. But for those who ponder how a man can approach an ordinarily unapproachable God, the idea of confidently approaching God is either absurd or ignorant.

Job 25:4a How can a mere mortal stand before God...

The New Testament teaching about confidently approaching and communing with God was shocking. Two millennia later, it is hardly earth-shattering news for a generation that has made mankind transcendent above a God who apparently resembles Morgan Freeman. But Morgan Freeman is not GOD. GOD is GOD. He is not to be trifled with. Yet the New Testament writes to an audience who had to be repeatedly reassured that they could now approach GOD: confidently.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

But confidence with GOD requires effort on our part. In fact, it mostly requires endurance. This is one of the most prominent themes throughout the Epistle to the Hebrews. We should regard this life as a precious opportunity to relish the opportunity to endure with Christ for GOD's glory. We need to live in the will of GOD by living to please and know Christ. Then we can enjoy a knowledge of the confidence that are invited to approach GOD-

1John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God;

Does your heart before God give you reason to be a confident before GOD? Are you a confident Christian? Make Christ your Advocate and Confidence.
Amen.