Boldness by J. S. WASHBURN

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Dec 23, 1915

Boldness

By J. S. WASHBURN

J. S. WASHBURN

He who truly fears and fully trusts God will fear no other, will never tremble in terror before tempest, fire, or flood, before wild beasts, wicked men, or cruel demons. With Luther he may boldly say:—

And though this world with devils filled Should threaten to undo us, We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.”

He who knows that the Author of life is with him always, has all power in heaven and earth at his command. The fear of the Lord does not make a man uncertain and wavering, but calm and bold. “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence.” Prov. 14:26. It is God’s wish that we should “serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.” He has overcome the world; and while we rest on his word, he is overcoming the world in us; and no one in the universe dare stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

Whatever our condition may be, even if we have sinned deeply, we may still come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. God does not wish us to be cringing slaves, but his own dear children, coming with confidence to our Father, who delights to give, and who never upbraids us when we turn to him confessing our sin; who never reproaches us nor taunts us with our weakness or failure. He wishes us to “have boldness in the day of judgment.” 1 John 4:17.

It is when our love is made perfect that we have boldness. Perfect love casts out fear. Fear comes as a result of sin. Where God is, where love is, sin cannot be. Love not only does no evil deed, speaks no evil word, but actually “thinketh no evil.”

Until Adam sinned he had no thought of fear in the presence of his divine Father. But the day he fell into sin, he hid himself in terror from his best Friend. Thus does a guilty conscience make cowards of us all.

Sin is the only cause of fear. But all have sinned, and therefore all have reason to tremble at the “judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” Then how is it possible for us to have boldness now or in the day of judgment? There is one true ground for boldness, and one only, and that is the forgiveness of sins, the absolute, complete destruction of sin in us. No one can be bold on the ground that he is better than any other man. Such hope is a snare. He who is nearest to God will count himself the chiefest of sinners. Paul, who thus counted himself, faced every deadly peril boldly from the time he was converted till the day on which he fearlessly died a martyr’s death. How could this man, who had been a murderer, a blasphemer, meet death and the judgment joyously, without trembling? Only on the ground that he had obtained mercy and had been forgiven.

In the parable of the prodigal son, when he returns and is forgiven, there is no taunting of the son on account of his evil course. He feels that the past is forgiven and forgotten, blotted out forever; and so God says to the sinner, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins.” Isa. 44:22. “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Jer. 31:34. “In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found.” Jer. 50:20.

When sin is confessed, it is forgiven. With the forgiveness of sin the life of Christ is imputed to the sinner. His sinless life is now where the sin was. He who accuses a man of a sin that is confessed, and forgiven by the Lord, is bearing false witness. Forgiveness of sin is not only taking away the sin, but taking the sinfulness out of the inmost life, and filling its place with the pure life, the eternal life of God.

Thus, whoever reproaches another for a sin confessed, is doing the terrible work of the accuser of the brethren; and he who will not acknowledge that another has been forgiven, thus reveals that he himself has not received forgiveness. With quiet confidence, with perfect assurance, may the forgiven sinner face a frowning world, going on from victory to victory, ever conquering self.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth?” “Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

May the following words be our experience not alone in the day of judgment, but now and forevermore:—

“Bold shall I stand in that great day, For who aught to my charge shall lay, While through the blood absolved I am From sin’s tremendous curse and shame?”