Say What You Need to Say

in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him (Eph 3:12).

I've spent a lot of time worrying about what I should (or shouldn't!) say.  I try to figure out what are the right words to use depending on whom I'm talking to.  But Paul lets us know that we can and should speak freely with God.  That's because of what Jesus has done for us "in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him" (v12).  As John Mayer sings, "Say what you need to say."  

This is a HUGE point for the folks in Ephesus.  There's a nasty heresy making the rounds that has fooled Jesus' followers into buying into a complicated list of religious rules to maintain our relationship with God.  False teachers have duped folks through this counterfeit gospel into thinking we need to dot all our "i's" and cross all our "t's" before we can even consider approaching our holy God.  But Paul lets us know who Jesus is and what He's done for us.  When we place our trust in Him and not trying to save ourselves, we enter into His holy presence boldly and confidently.

He wraps this little verse with the "in Christ" sandwich.  Paul uses some variation on the phrase "in Christ" 28 times in this letter to the Ephesian church.  And he uses it twice in this verse!  Think of it as the Gospel in condensed form.  Apart from Jesus, we're in big trouble.  In Him, we're under the waterfall of God's grace.  In Him, I place my trust in who He is.  In Him, I place my trust in His perfect life that I failed to live.  In Him, I place my trust in His death on the cross for sin that I deserved to die.  In Him, I place my trust in His glorious resurrection that I certainly don't deserve.  When the Father looks at me, He doesn't see the jacked up sinner.  He sees His sinless Son.  I'm "in Christ."  That's why these little bookend phrases "in Whom...in Him" are so VERY important.  We're bankrupt apart from Him.  We have access to God's riches in Him.

There are some amazing privileges available to me because of my standing before God in Christ.  "We have boldness and access with confidence" (v12).  But what exactly does that allow us to do?  Let's drill down into the original text and see what that tells us.  Most experts translate the first word as either "boldness" or "freedom."  This is the Greek word parresia.  It means freedom of speaking, talking frankly and openly or an outspokenness.  In other words, say what you need to say.  Later in this same letter, Paul talks about how he holds nothing back when he's telling folks about Jesus, "opening my mouth boldy (Gr. parresia) to proclaim the mystery of the Gospel" (Eph 6:19).  It's the permission to speak freely.  

Say what you need to say.

In the OT, the Jews thought long and hard about sticking their toes into the holy presence of God.  The only way they would even consider it was by following an intricate method of sacrifices.  And even then, only the high priest would enter just once a year.  But that all changed when Jesus offered Himself as the once-and-for-all sacrifice for all sin.  That's why He yelled, "It is FINISHED!" (Jn 19:30).  The Lamb of God had come and taken away every bit of sin for the entire world (Jn 1:29).  As a result we now have the amazing privilege of a joyful sense of freedom in God's presence.  We now have confidence despite the most intimidating circumstances in the universe.

So many of us have a picture of God as sitting on the edge of His heavenly throne just waiting to zap us with lightning bolt the moment we screw up.  But that's far from the truth.  We worship a gracious God who has gone to unthinkable lengths to restore His relationship with us.  He sent His Son.  He sent Jesus.  God's not looking to zap us.  Instead He's making a way for us to come into His presence.  "For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father" (Eph 2:18).  We don't have to be scared or frightened if we've placed our trust in Jesus.  "Let us then with confidence (Gr. parresia) draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb 4:16).  The writer of Hebrews sums it up.  "We have confidence (Gr. parresia) to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus" (Heb 10:19).

Boldness.  Access.  Confidence.  We can say what we need to say. 

God wants us to be completely honest and transparent with Him.  I'm free to tell Him whatever's on my mind.  My fears.  My dreams.  My hurts.  My hopes.  He invites me to confess the sin that He already knows all about.  It's OK to wrestle with Him as I pray, as long as I remember Who I'm wrestling with!  Don't believe me?  Then you need a refresher course in the Psalms.  This songbook is loaded with worshipers pouring out their pain, doubt and ultimately their praise to the Lord.

Say what you need to say.