“Cast not away therefore your confidence which has a great reward” (Hebrews 10:35).

Confidence: (Def): (Gr.) Parrhesia: Assurance, boldness, fearlessness, courageous

The challenges of life can sometimes be overwhelming causing us to question our faith. The writer to the Hebrews knew well of all the sufferings of his readers:

“But remember the former days in which having been enlightened, you continued to endure a hard struggle of sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed both to reproaches and afflictions; and sometimes having become comrades of those living in such circumstances. For you both sympathized with the prisoners and accepted the plundering of your belongings with joy, knowing that you yourselves have a better possession and one that is permanent” (Hebrews 10:32-34).

Then comes the word of exhortation: Don’t give up! Or, in Scriptural language, “cast not away, therefore, your confidence.”

Don’t Give Up! The reward is too great to forfeit it now. As the great Apostle wrote to the Church at Philippi:

“Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

In the same thought the writer to the Hebrews tells us:

“But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence (Parrhesia) and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6).

This confidence we share together in our faith is also translated boldness, as we see in the context of the Hebrew Epistle:

“Let us therefore come boldly (Parrhesia) unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). And again,

“Having, therefore, Brethren, boldness (Parrhesia) to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19).

This confidence and boldness creates perseverance and steadfast hope in the promises of God that no suffering, no loss, no setback, no challenge can overcome.

The Apostle John used this same word in his Epistles:

“For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. Beloved, if our heart condemns us not, then have we confidence (Parrhesia) toward God” (I John 3:20-21).

“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness (Parrhesia) in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world” (I John 4:17).

“And this is the confidence (Parrhesia) that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him” (I John 5:14-15).

Beloved, don’t give up! Be bold, be courageous, be fearless, be confident and be assured. God is faithful to give you all He has promised, and what He has promised is His Son, whose very house we are, His Body. God will make all grace abound to you in all your suffering and great will be your reward in Him.

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