God didn’t mess up when He created man as a free-willed creature, able to choose between good and evil. God knew. He knew that they’d choose self and sin over His sovereignty and love. He knew what we’d choose. Yet, He wanted a relationship with us.

He created a perfect place, the garden of Eden, in which to place His creatures. The garden satisfied all of the senses. Beauty—accentuated with the chorus of birds, the sweetness of the flowers’ blooms carried on the breeze—surrounded Adam and Eve. But even there, in perfect fellowship with their Creator and His creation, they chose to rebel against Him.

It took so little to sway them, to plant doubt, to tease, and to tempt. Only a few words, “Did God really say?” It was too easy. Completely satisfied and peaceful, they doubted. Doubted God’s goodness, His power, His love. And they chose. God had warned them, but they didn’t heed His warning. They had no reference point for death, knew nothing about what that meant. But He knew. He knew the devastating consequences of their choice.

God knew that sin required death. It meant the severing of relationship, the requirement of blood. He knew. In the garden it was God who made the first sacrifice and provided coverings for Adam and Eve. He did—right there in Eden—what they couldn’t do for themselves. Sin’s entrance brought with it necessary death and a broken relationship between God and man. They couldn’t stay where He’d placed them. They had to leave Eden.

Here in the beginning of the story, we see God creating man and giving him a choice. We also see God’s mercy from the start. God had mercy on His creature in the provision of an animal sacrifice. But even in the beginning, Jesus was the plan. God would send His Son in the fullness of time as the sacrifice for all, a ransom.

When Jesus came as the God-man, He was all God and all man. He was born of the virgin Mary, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit. God came down to live and walk among us. In life He faced all of the same challenges and trials we face, and He responded to them perfectly, boldly. He didn’t stand down; He stood up. He didn’t ignore; He spoke up. He confronted the religious leaders and demons. He knew the thoughts of men and spoke directly to their hearts that they tried to hide.

In the downloadable five-part study, we’re going to take a more in-depth look at several different aspects of Jesus’ boldness. He is our example. We can look to Him and learn from Him. What does it look like to live boldly? To stand up and speak out? What does it look like to submit to appropriate authority? What does it look like to have compassion? What does it look like to hear the words and teachings of Jesus and to live them? What does it look like to engage with our family, friends, and neighbors?

To live boldly is to live as Christ lived. He lived focused on the will of the Father. He lived determined to glorify the Father. He commands us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. He invites us to come to Him with our burdens. He challenges us to love our enemies, to bless those who curse us. He shows us how to die to ourselves so that we can truly live, so that we can live worthy, boldly. He was criticized, misunderstood, maligned, ridiculed, betrayed, denied, beaten, mocked, and crucified. Boldly.

No matter what you and I face, we ought to face it boldly. We ought to take our cues from Jesus. Don’t back down, don’t cower, don’t run or hide, but face every opportunity, every situation, every single moment focused on God and His glory. Allow the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives to grant us strength and wisdom, love and mercy. We ought to live as He lived, boldly.