Two Views on Confidence

 There are two views on Confidence:  (1.) The world's view on confidence; (2.) and God's view on what confidence should be. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the word "confidence" means: "Trust, reliance; self-assurance, boldness; a state of trust or intimacy."[1] Alexander Cruden, the author of the well known Cruden's Concordance concurs with this definition: "Boldness, Acts 28:31; trust, Job 4: 6; that wherein one trusts, Jer. 48:13."[2] Lastly, Mr. Vine defines confidence (Gr. pepoithesis) as "denotes "persuasion, assurance, confidence," 2 Cor. 1:15; 3:4, KJV, "trust"; 8:22; 10:2; Eph. 3:12; Phil. 3:4. 2. (Gr. hupostasis) lit., "a standing under" (hupo, "under," stasis, "a standing"), "that which stands, or is set, under, a foundation, beginning"; hence, the quality of confidence which leads one to stand under, endure, or undertake anything, 2 Cor. 9:4; 11:17; Heb. 3:14. Twice in Heb. it signifies "substance," 1:3 (KJV, "Person") and 11:1. (Gr. parrhesia) often rendered "confidence" in the KJV, is in all such instances rendered "boldness" in the RV, Acts 28:31; Heb. 3:6; 1 John 2:28; 3:21; 5:14."[3] There are also two Greek verbs on the word confidence as well (see Gr. peitho and tharreo).  

So as the reader can see the word confidence has  various meanings depending on the given context of a passage of Scripture considered. The word "confidence" is mentioned in the KJV 38 times (see Judges 9:26; [2 Kings 18:19; Isa. 36:4]; Job 4:6; 18:14; 31:24; Psalm 65:5; 118:8, 9; Prov. 3:26; 14:26; 21:22; 25:19; Isa. 30:15; Jer. 48:13; Ezek. 28:26; 29:16; Mic. 7:5; Acts 28:31; 2 Cor. 1:15; 2:3; 7:16; 8:22; 10:2; 11:17; Gal. 5:10; Eph. 3:12; Phil. 1:25; 3:3, 4; 2 Thess. 3:4; Philem. 21; Heb. 3:6, 14; 10:35; 1 John 2:28; 3:21; 5:14.). However, as I mentioned at the beginning of this blog. There are two views on the term confidence: The world's view and God's view.

 

1. The world's view of confidence: is essentially to wholly place one's confidence or trust in one's self, or in others, or in the things of the world. Concerning ourselves, we are not to put confidence in the flesh, which includes others as well (Phil. 3:3-4; Psalm 118:8).

 

2. The Lord's view of confidence: This godly confidence is where one's confidence is wholly placed in the Lord. Such a confident Christian does not rely on the shifting circumstances of the world around him, nor does he trust in himself or others, nor does he find his assurance in his material possessions he own. He rightly places his confidence in the Lord. For he knows that when everything else fails, God will never fail him. For the man of God, "in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength" (Isa. 30:15). Again, "in the fear of the LORD is strong confidence" (Prov. 14:26).

 

I firmly believe that our confidence as Christians is closely tied to how we view ourselves before God and man. (See my blog on "The Christian's Self Image," Mon. Oct. 22, 2012). The problem with confidence is that it seems to be always in a state of fluctuation. One minute we are confident the next minute we are not. Confidence never seems to stay the same in our experience. To keep a healthy measure of confidence requires unquestioning faith in God Himself and to know ourselves and our abilities and limitations in relation to the world around us. It is only when we have a healthy Biblical self-image of ourselves that we can be truly confident. Below is a diagram of the World's view of our Self-image and God's view of our Self-image:

   

THE WORLD'S VIEW OF OUR SELF IMAGE	GOD'S  VIEW OF OUR SELF IMAGE	GOD'S WORD
Love yourself	Love God and others	Matthew 22: 37
Build self-esteem	Build up others	Hebrews 10: 24-25
You are good	None righteous	Romans 3: 10
Believe in yourself	The Heart is deceitful	Jeremiah 17: 9
Put yourself first	Put others first	Philippians 2: 1-4
Think highly of yourself	Be humble	Romans 12: 3
You are of great value	We are sinners	Romans 3: 10-11
Do what you want	Walk in the Spirit	Galatians 5: 16
Find yourself	Deny yourself	Matthew 16: 24-26
Have self confidence	Have confidence in God	Philippians 4: 13

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[1] Alexander Webster, Merriam-Webster Dictionary [New Edition], (Merriam-Webster Incorporated, Springfield, Massachusetts, 2004), pg. 152.

[2] Alexander Cruden, Cruden's Complete Concordance, (Dugan Publishers, Inc., Gordonsville, Tn., Wholly Revised, 1986), pg. 106.

[3] W. E. Vine, Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, (Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, TN, 1996), pgs. 120-121.