Approaching God with freedom and confidence

Ephesians 3:12

If Ephesians 3:12 was a statement in isolation it would still be splendid, conveying such warmth and hope: that being joined to Jesus, by faith in him, people like us can come to the living God “with freedom and confidence”. The freedom of children entering our Father’s presence, knowing that we belong there and belong to him. And doing so with a proper sense of confidence - that his love and power are such none can ever ask too much. Confidence that asking for bread will not yield a stone.

The goodness of God, wrapped in the profound privilege of adoption. None could be freer, nor have cause for greater, calmer confidence.

This is a statement to frame and mount on the wall of your heart.

But for all its beauty, this verse is not without proper moorings. It doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s set within its own God-made frame which only serves to heighten the wonder of its graced overtures.

Paul has been reflecting on how the gospel demonstrates and declares, to the whole cosmos, to the powers that are seen and unseen, the untold depths of the wisdom of God. That wisdom is seen not simply in how individuals are reconciled to God, recovered from their sin and shame, but its depth and height are seen in the uniting of Jew and Gentile into the one, true family of God. Tearing down the wall of hostility that has kept people apart for so long and embracing them into the one, blood-bought, faith-marked family of God

The splintering of relationships through sin is so destructive of the image of God in humanity, the one God in three persons, the blessed Trinity. In the boundless, unsearchable riches of Christ, the dividing wall of hostile separation is taken down and a new temple rises, each living stone being “members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise that is in the Messiah, Jesus.”

It is this reality that accentuates the blessings of freedom and confidence as we approach God. It takes and shreds into the tiniest of pieces the legacy of blame and shame that our histories contain, both personal and collective.

When we have known what it is to be despised or marginalised because of our family name, our country of birth, the colour of our skin, the cadence of our accent, our gender or other distinctives, an intolerable weight is laid upon us and is more than we can carry. The burden of shame that a nation’s history bequeaths its citizens may be unseen yet festers like canker. Each expression of twisted hatred has the capacity, in its overspill, to diminish the wonder of coming to God, becoming a deadweight on the joyful reach of hope. Rejected by others, a lingering fear may remain that we’re not fully welcome in God’s presence.

The unjust shame that is fostered through bigotry and prejudice leeches the soul. As Annie Lennox sang, “There’s no water that can wash away this longing to come clean.” But the gospel can and does rinse the heart. All that once stood against us, both justly and unjustly, are defused through the cross. However much others try to deny our right of approach or seek to vitiate its vitality - however much the spill-over of shame still deluges our hearts - the Lord’s declaration that we belong to him has liberating power.

As we come to God, we do so “in him”, in the One who was himself despised and rejected - the rejection that robs of beauty and steals the legitimacy of being. He was marginalised and humiliated, dying to atone for sins not his own. All that once stood against us - the charge-sheet of our sinful waywardness - and all that we were falsely arraigned with - the bias and slander of others - was laid on his shoulders. He carried that weight into the deepest deep, from where it will never rise again.

And so, through faith in Christ, we truly have freedom and confidence to come to God.

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How I love the voice of Jesus
On the Cross of Calvary
He declares his work is finished
He has spoken this hope to me
Though the sun had ceased its shining
– Though the war appeared as lost
Christ had triumphed over evil
It was finished upon that Cross

Now the curse it has been broken
Jesus paid the price for me
Full, the pardon he has offered
Great, the welcome that I receive
Boldly I approach my Father
– Clothed in Jesus’ righteousness
There is no more guilt to carry
It was finished upon that Cross

Death was once my great opponent
Fear once had a hold on me
But the Son who died to save us
Rose that we would be free indeed!
Free from every plan of darkness
– Free to live and free to love
Death is dead and Christ is risen!
It was finished upon that Cross

Onward to eternal glory
– To my Saviour and my God
I rejoice in Jesus’ victory
It was finished upon that Cross

(City Alight - words and music by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, Nigel Hendroff)