Hope and Boldness
Scripture Reading: 2 Corinthians 3:12-18
In 3:12 of our text, Paul asserts that he has boldness because he has hope. The word translated as “bold” has the idea of using plainness of speech. He is clear and concise when it comes to the gospel. That doesn’t mean Paul never said anything hard to understand. Peter, mentioning Paul’s letters, says that he wrote things that are difficult to grasp. But in terms of the gospel, Paul didn’t complicate things. He used clear language and didn’t try to veil the message.
He is bold in this way because he has hope. What is the connection between hope and this kind of boldness? Hope consists of two things: desire and expectation. Both are necessary to have hope. I am, of course, using hope in the New Testament sense of the word. We can and do use the word hope in a lesser way. We use hope to describe a sort of wishful thinking about something we would like to see happen and we are trying to keep up a positive mindset about it. We haven’t, as we say, given up hope.
The apostles used the word hope in a more certain kind of way. These two elements, desire, and expectation were there in what they meant. You can have a desire without expectation. For example, you can desire to be healed from a disease for which you know there is no cure. Therefore, you don’t have any expectation that you will be healed even though you would like that. Desire without expectation is not New Testament hope.
You can also have expectations without desire. You might expect that you are going to be laid off from your job. You see the handwriting on the walls, but it is not something you desire. You want to keep your job but expect to be let go. That is not New Testament hope.
New Testament hope is a certainty and confidence about something you both desire and expect to happen. It is not merely wishful thinking.
But let’s return to our question…What is the connection and relationship between hope and boldness? When you are certain what you desire is going to happen you are bold in speaking about it. When you are uncertain you are hesitant. Hope, biblical hope, is confidence and confident people speak confidently. They don’t obfuscate and hedge. They speak the truth plainly.
I suspect much of our hesitance and even silence when it comes to speaking gospel truth into our culture is due to our lack of biblical hope. We either lack the desire or the expectation. Either way, this malady calls us to repentance and a new seeking of the grace of God that will inspire and instill biblical hope.
