At the Bible study on Thursday we looked at 1 John 2:28: ‘And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.’
The Greek word translated here as ‘confident‘ is ‘parrhēsia’ and can also be translated as ‘boldness’ or ‘plainly’ or ‘publicly.’ A study of various verses (Mark 8:32/ John 7:13/ John 11:14/ Acts 4:29/ Eph 3:12/ Col 2:15) show us a range of translations, with Hebrews 4:16 possibly being one of the closest links to this statement found elsewhere in the Bible. It is used elsewhere in 1 John in 1 John 3:21 and 1 John 4: 17. As we continue or remain in Christ, we can approach God with confidence because we know our lives are hid in Christ with God and therefore He does not see us in sin but sees us covered with the spotless righteousness of Christ.
Being unashamed (Greek aischunomai) is the opposite of the pure state in which God created man when ‘Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.’ (Gen 3:25) Sin brought with it shame and fear (Gen 3:10) and the equivalent Hebrew word often has connotations to do with becoming pale or with blushing (the Message version of 1 John 2:28 talks about ‘red-faced guilt.’) Ps 34:5 reminds us that those who look to God are radiant and never put to shame (see also Rom 10:11, 1 Pet 2:6). Far from being fearful and apprehensive about false teachers or our own fallibility, John gives us here two words which radiate hope. Songwriters have long captured these two words for us and we can draw close to God with boldness and confidence and shame or fear because of all He has done for us. Sing it out, for ‘what could be better than a grace that washes all our shame away?’ (‘Sing And Shout’, Matt Redman) What can be better than the truth that at the cross ‘There’s a place where sin and shame are powerless’? (At The Cross (Love Ran Red), Chris Tomlin)
‘Boldly I Approach (The Art of Celebration)’, Rend Collective
‘Boldly I approach Your throne,
Blameless now, I’m running home.
This is the art of celebration
Knowing we’re free from condemnation.’
‘And Can It Be?’, Charles Wesley
‘Bold I approach th’eternal throne/ And claim the crown through Christ alone.’
‘Holding Nothing Back’, Tim Hughes
‘You washed my sin and shame away
The slate is clean: a brand new day,
Free now forever
Now boldly I approach your throne
To claim this crown through Christ my own
Yours now forever.’
Thirst, Phil Wickham
‘One thing I ask and I would seek
To see You there in front of me
With nothing standing in the way
Just me before You unashamed.’