Confidence

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

The term ‘confidence’ (‘confident,’ ‘confidently’) is in the Revised Versionof the NT almost wholly confined to the Pauline Epistles, the only exception being  Hebrews 3:14, In Authorized Versionit renders παρρησία of  1 John 2:28;  1 John 5:14, but is replaced in Revised Versionby ‘boldness’ ( q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ). The verb θαρρεῖν of  2 Corinthians 5:6 ff. in Authorized Versionis rendered by ‘to be confident’; in Revised Version‘to be of good courage’ is substituted. In Revised Versionof  1 Timothy 1:7 and  Titus 3:8 διαβεβαιοῦσθαι is now rendered ‘confidently affirm.’ In both Authorized Versionand Revised Version‘confidence’ is three times employed to render the difficult and many-sided word ὑπόστασις ( 2 Corinthians 9:4;  2 Corinthians 11:17,  Hebrews 3:14).

The words, however, that most concern us here are πεποιθέναι, ‘to be confident,’ and πεποίθησις, ‘confidence,’ the latter being in the NT an exclusively Pauline word and found only once in the Septuagint( 2 Kings 18:19). They both belong to the language of deep personal feeling, and it is not surprising that they appear more frequently in 2 Cor. and Phil. than in all the other Epistles put together. The confidence cherished by St. Paul is a state of mind springing out of faith and rising to the firm persuasion that God’s purposes with himself, with is converts, and with all that pertains to the kingdom of Christ are right and cannot fail of accomplishment. In this ‘confidence’ he enjoys his boldness in Christ and access through Christ to God ( Ephesians 3:12). He is ‘confident of this very thing, that he which began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ’ ( Philippians 1:8). His ‘confidence’ as regards himself ( Philippians 2:24, Authorized Versionand Revised Version‘trust’), and as regards his converts and their compliance with his counsels, is in God ( Galatians 5:10,  2 Thessalonians 3:4,  Philemon 1:21). It comes from union with Christ, and has God for its ultimate goal ( 2 Corinthians 3:4) Clement in 1 Corinthians (xxvi. 1) speaks of those who have served God religiously ‘in the confidence of an honest faith.’ He mentions, too, many wonderful gifts of God-‘life in immortality, splendour in righteousness, truth in boldness, faith in confidence, and temperance in sanctification’ (xxxv. 2).

Whilst there is such a confidence, there is also a confidence which is misplaced-confidence in ourselves ( Romans 2:19,  2 Corinthians 1:9), in the flesh ( Philippians 3:3 f.), the confidence of which Hermas says ( Sim . ix. 22. 3) that ‘vain confidence is a great demon.’

T. Nicol.

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

A multifaceted word that encompasses within Christian thought a range of aspects—faith in God, certainty and assurance of one's relationship with God, a sense of boldness that is dependent on a realization of one's acceptance by God, and a conviction that one's destiny is secure in God. To put one's ultimate trust or confidence either in human ability and power or in false gods and the things of this world is to discover with the men of Shechem the ultimate weakness of the mundane world ( Judges 9:26 ). But to place one's confidence in the Lord rather than in the power of a human army is to begin to confront the mysterious power of the true God, who engenders in his followers genuine, growing confidence ( 2 Kings 18:19-19:13;  Isaiah 36:4-37:20; cf.  1 Corinthians 2:1-8 ).

This developing sense of confidence in the Lord provided the basis for a sense of assurance to Israel for living in this world as a people of God. In the New Testament era confidence in God was also foundational for the expectations of a wonderful future in the hereafter in heaven with Christ ( 2 Corinthians 5:6-8;  Philippians 1:6;  1 John 2:28;  Revelation 21:1-8 ). Rooted in the confidence that came through the resurrection of Jesus, the early Christians were willing to follow their Lord's example of suffering and even death. Although Paul had once found his confidence in his Jewish heritage and his personal accomplishments, he discovered that true confidence was to be found only through the power of God in Christ. The result of his newfound confidence was that instead of being a persecutor he willingly accepted the role of becoming a persecuted one for Christ (cf.  Philippians 3:4-16 ).

Jesus Christ is alive for Christians and he will return to claim his own, both those who have died and those who are still living ( 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 )! In this confidence the early Christians coined their Aramaic trademark prayer/greeting: Maranatha, "Come, our Lord!"/"Our Lord is coming!" ( 1 Corinthians 16:22;  Revelation 22:20 ). As Paul realized the end of his life was on the horizon ( Philippians 1:21-23 ), he echoed separately that great expectation of the coming day of the Lord ( Philippians 1:6;  2:16;  3:20;  4:5 ). Christians at their best have always been an eschatological community of hope.

This eschatological confidence is not a "do-nothing, pie-in-the-sky-by-and-by" philosophy but is wrapped in a summons to authentic, active, moral integrity based on the model life of Jesus, the servant Lord who gave his life for others. Christianity is not a mere religion humans practice; it is a confident way of living based on what God has done in Christ. But Christian confidence does not mean that Christians cease to be human or lack human characteristics. Even Paul went through periods of discouragement when his troubles were almost unbearable ( 2 Corinthians 1:8 ). But the resurrection of Jesus provides the key throughout life that confidence is based not on ourselves or our activity but on God who can raise the dead and give us the capacity to face adversity ( 2 Corinthians 1:9-10 ).

Gerald L. Borchert

See also Assurance

King James Dictionary

CON'FIDENCE, n. L. See Confide.

1. A trusting, or reliance an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact.

It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidence in man.  Psalms 118 .

I rejoice that I have confidence in you in all things.  2 Corinthians 7 .

Mutual confidence is the basis of social happiness.

I place confidence in a statement, or in an official report.

2. Trust reliance applied to one's own abilities, or fortune belief in one's own competency.

His times being rather prosperous than calm, had raised his confidence by success.

3. That in which trust is placed ground of trust he or that which supports.

Israel was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence.  Jeremiah 48 .

Jehovah shall be thy confidence.  Proverbs 3 .

4. Safety, or assurance of safety security.

They shall build houses and plant vineyards yea, they shall dwell with confidence.  Ezekiel 28 .

5. Boldness courage.

Preaching the kingdom of God with all confidence.  Acts 28 .

6. Excessive boldness assurance, proceeding forom vanity or a false opinion of one's own abilities, or excellencies.

Their confidence ariseth from too much credit given to their own wits.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): (n.) Giving occasion for confidence.

(2): (n.) Having an excess of assurance; bold to a fault; dogmatical; impudent; presumptuous.

(3): (n.) Having self-reliance; bold; undaunted.

(4): (n.) Trustful; without fear or suspicion; frank; unreserved.

(5): (n.) Private conversation; (pl.) secrets shared; as, there were confidences between them.

(6): (n.) The state of mind characterized by one's reliance on himself, or his circumstances; a feeling of self-sufficiency; such assurance as leads to a feeling of security; self-reliance; - often with self prefixed.

(7): (n.) The act of confiding, trusting, or putting faith in; trust; reliance; belief; - formerly followed by of, now commonly by in.

(8): (n.) That in which faith is put or reliance had.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

The trust and boldness that faith in God and His word gives. "In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence;" "The Lord shall be thy confidence."  Proverbs 3:26;  Proverbs 14:26 . "We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our 'assurance' firm unto the end."  Hebrews 3:14 . In contrast to this the 'fearful' are classed with the 'unbelieving.'  Revelation 21:8 .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

kon´fi - dens ( בּטח , bāṭaḥ , and forms, כּסל , keṣel  ; παῤῥησία , parrhēsı́a  ; πείθω , peı́thō , πεποίθησις , pepoı́thēsis , ὑπόστασις , hupóstasis ): The chief Hebrew word translated "confidence" ( bāṭaḥ , and its forms) means, perhaps, radically, "to be open," showing Thus what originated the idea of "confidence"; where there was nothing hidden a person felt safe; it is very frequently rendered "trust." In  Psalm 118:8 ,  Psalm 118:9 we have "It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to put confidence in princes," and in   Psalm 65:5 , "O God of our salvation, thou that art the confidence ( mibhṭāḥ ) of all the ends of the earth." Mibhṭāḥ is translated "confidence" in  Job 18:14;  Job 31:24;  Proverbs 21:22 , etc.

Keṣel ("firmness," "stoutness") is rendered "confidence" in  Proverbs 3:26 , and kiṣlāh in  Job 4:6; peithō ("to persuade") is translated "confidence" in  2 Corinthians 2:3;  Galatians 5:10 , etc.; pepoithēsis , in  2 Corinthians 1:15;  2 Corinthians 8:22 , etc.; hupostasis ("what stands under"), in  2 Corinthians 11:17;  Hebrews 3:14;  2 Corinthians 9:4; parrhēsia ("out-spokenness," "boldness") is invariably translated in the Revised Version (British and American) "boldness" ( Acts 28:31;  Hebrews 3:6;  Hebrews 4:16;  Hebrews 10:35;  1 John 2:28;  1 John 3:21;  1 John 5:14 ); tharséo or tharrhéō ("to have good courage") is so translated in the Revised Version (British and American), "being therefore always of good courage" ( 2 Corinthians 5:6 ); "I am of good courage concerning you" ( 2 Corinthians 7:16 ), the King James Version "confident" and "confidence."

Revised Version has "confidence" for "hope" ( Job 8:14 ); for "assurance" ( Isaiah 32:17 ); for "trust" ( 2 Corinthians 3:4 ); for "same confident boasting" ( 2 Corinthians 9:4 ); "is confident" for "trusted" ( Job 40:23 ); "to have confidence" for "thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust" ( Philippians 3:4 ); "confidently" for "constantly" ( Acts 12:15 ); "confidently affirm" for "affirm" ( 1 Timothy 1:7 ); conversely, we have for "his confidence" ( Job 18:14 ), "wherein he trusteth," for "with confidence" ( Ezekiel 28:26 ) "securely therein."

The Bible teaches the value of confidence (  Isaiah 30:15;  Hebrews 10:35 ), but neither in "gold" ( Job 31:24 ), nor in man, however great ( Psalm 118:8 ,  Psalm 118:9;  Jeremiah 17:5 ), nor in self ( Proverbs 14:16;  Philippians 3:3 ), but in God ( Psalm 65:5;  Proverbs 3:26;  Proverbs 14:26 ), as revealed in ̄ Christ ( Ephesians 3:12;  1 John 5:13 ,  1 John 5:14 ).