Called to be Bold


By Rev. Rob Patrick


- tion in making boastful claims or statements before others. Politicians make bold statements regarding their own accomplishments, or the li- abilities of their opponents. It’s not uncommon for professional athletes - lets with bold advertisements, claiming superiority over their competi- tion, whether it is a car dealer who won’t be undersold, or a personal injury attorney who will get the highest judgment for damages in a court            


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 “bold?” If the examples of politicians and athletes given above depict boldness, a Christian might be hesitant to make that claim. Risky behav-   may be celebrated in the world in which we live, but boldness by those - ing someone as “bold” may sound more like disapproval, rather than serve as a commendation of someone’s character. Whatever expressions of boldness may be common in our culture, the Scripture clearly calls Christians to a proper boldness. In fact, bold- ness is instructed, described, and commended for believers. Moderator McKay’s theme of “Advancing the Gospel” calls for consideration this


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ho would you say is the boldest person you know? Your an- swer may depend on how you understand the meaning of the world “bold.” We live in an age when there is no shortage


month of the Christian’s call to be bold in gospel ministry. The Greek root most often translated “bold- ness” in our English New Testa- ments is usually associated with speech. It expresses “outspoken- ness,” “openness to the public,” or “plainness of speech.” This kind of boldness is almost always connected to gospel proclamation. We’ll trace some uses of that root in New Testament passages com- mending or describing boldness in what follows.


Boldness, or openness, was no- ticed in the ministry of Jesus, even when opponents wanted Him dead. John 7:25,26 records this observa- tion by others when Jesus spoke boldly and openly in the temple during the Feast of Booths, “Some of the people of Jerusalem, therefore, said, ‘Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities know that this


The Associate Reformed Presbyterian


February Synod Emphasis


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