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We Have A Confidence Problem
Brian Mashburn
April 1, 2007
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We Have A Confidence Problem
According to the Bible, the Christ follower is forgiven. Period. He has no more need for guilt. Period.
That is the objective truth. However, many Christ followers don't perceive the truth correctly. That is the only reason a Christ follower would still have a guilty conscience, and they (we) need healing. They (we) need freeing. And as we all know, it is Jesus that said, "The truth will set you free."
If we don't feel free, it is because we don't believe the Bible.
The Bible says, "In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." (Ephesians 3:12), but they (we) don't. The objective reality eludes them. Something hinders them. They exchange the truth of God here for a lie.
The Bible says, "We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." (Hebrews 3:14), but their (our) hold weakens. Most all Christ followers had a "momentary sample" of the freedom and confidence that comes from actual forgiveness, enough to get them baptized or go to church, but they don't hold firmly to it. They let it go and their restored relationship with the Father feels severed. It's not. They are still as clean and as whole as Christ himself. But something thwarted them from sharing in that with Christ.
The Bible says, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded." (Hebrews 10:35), but we do it anyway. We even think it's spiritual to do so, trying guilt on to be humble or appreciative or motivated to "do good". The problem is, it rewards us a little bit, making us feel a little bit spiritual, and we get hooked. But God intended a reward that is rich. A true spirituality that has the whole truth, not just a little bit. And the whole, objective, Biblical truth washes away the guilty conscience. Period.
The Bible says, "God has said, 'Never will I leave you; Never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid." (Hebrews 13:5-6) Ask each other in your small groups, honestly, "Do you have confidence before God? Are you afraid?" Look in each others eyes when they answer.
If we don't believe the objective truth, the answer is no. And we need healing.