Courage tends to be contextual. An athlete could be very bold and aggressive on a football field and yet timid and withdrawn in a classroom. An extrovert might have the courage to take the stage in front of a crowd and yet completely panic in isolation. It seems that a great deal of courage is actually just confidence in situational talent. This begs the question, what is real courage made of – what is its consistent, internal source as opposed to its external, situational stimulus?
The apostle Paul has a simple but brilliant recipe for courage that is embedded in the structure of his letter to the Ephesians. The six chapters of Ephesians flow this way:
· this is who you used to be
· but… the gospel
· now this is who you are
· act like it
Paul begins with the elephant in the room. You’re a mess. You stand condemned because of sins of omission and commission alike. Like a physician, Paul delivers a devastating but accurate diagnosis that you have earned divine wrath.
But there is good news – you are now, in Christ. “In Christ” is Paul’s favorite theological shorthand for what is at the heart of the Gospel, which is the reality of being permanently and exclusively attached to Jesus Christ. This union creates a spiritual adoption – a new “legal” status, where those in Christ receive the rights, privileges, and benefits of the one true Son of God.
This new condition, in Christ, replaces the old one of sin and condemnation. Believers now have the approval of The Father, the presence of The Spirit and the status of The Son. This is not wishful thinking or spiritual cliché – this is reality. Believers now have access to an eternal supply of approval, security, direction, hope, and comfort.
The trick is to act like it.
Paul concludes his letter by encouraging his readers to put on the armor of God, which is to say don’t just be able to articulate doctrine, live in a way that is consistent with your doctrine – act like it is true – wear it. The gospel is like armor; it protects us from the fears and dangers that unbelievers have to take into account. In the same way that a motorcycle rider is emboldened by a helmet or a gymnast is comforted by protective pads, we can be brave because of our union with Christ.
Our armor gives us security and security produces courage. Therefore, Christians don’t need to spend time and energy manipulating people or situations to manage our insecurities. Because we are filled, we have a reservoir of courage to give instead of take, to be vulnerable instead of defensive, to be calm in the midst of chaos.
We are in unprecedented times of fear and uncertainty. One by one, the crutches that we have grown accustomed to leaning on for confidence have been taken away. Now is the time for the Church to be brave.