How to Have or Increase Confidence

Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, as some do, letters of recommendation to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.

Now like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end, but their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Are You a Confident Christian?

Paul presents a passage that is very helpful if we have never found confidence toward God or need to be refreshed in it. Each of us maintains a profession that we are Christians, but can we claim confidence in Christ? Paul states that there is a confidence that can exist anywhere and thus everywhere. This confidence is powerful, focused on God and centered around the gospel of Jesus Christ—the reality of Jesus living His sinless life, dying His righteous death, forgiving our sins completely, and rising as our sovereign Savior for all time.

Are you confident toward God? Do you have boldness based on your relationship with God through Jesus Christ? Not just a profession of faith, but the claim of being a confident Christian?

Confidence is similar to assurance: you know something so well there is no possibility of denying it. You trust it fully. Do you have assurance of your relationship with Jesus Christ?

The goal is to hear from Paul on how to have or increase Christian confidence. If you lack it now, you may receive it for the first time. If you have it, you can grow bolder. Paul gives three motivations for confidence as Christians.

1. Letters of Recommendation

The first is that the Corinthians were letters of recommendation for Paul. They were spiritual letters, written on hearts, not ink. A letter of recommendation affirms someone's genuineness. The Corinthians proved Paul's ministry was real, and ultimately that Jesus Christ is worthy of confidence. Their salvation demonstrated the reality of the gospel worked through Paul and others.

Verse 4 says, "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ." Their lives gave Paul ongoing confidence in Christ. We must be letters of recommendation for the Scriptures themselves, demonstrating their reality, seriousness, and authenticity. We become epistles of Jesus Christ—letters from Him—by living worthy of the gospel.

There is little confidence as a Christian unless you are such a letter. Live as the Bible describes a Christian. New Testament letters explain the Old Testament, which pointed to Christ. Does your life demonstrate the reality of Old Testament saints' hope in Christ?

Letters also explain the gospel: teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, as in 2 Timothy 3:16. Does your life teach Jesus? Rebuke sin? Correct wrongdoing? Show training in righteousness and completeness for good works? Present Christ, known and read by all.

The amount of your confidence is measured by how much those around you know Christ and His work in your life—not a vague Jesus, but the radical Christ who pricked His culture. Live distinctly from the world, with superior morals only possible through Christ.

Confidence starts by showing you are a Christian everywhere—no hiding Christ in any room of your house: sports, gaming, friendships, romance, shopping, tipping at restaurants. Prioritize Christ's reputation over your own. Hiding Christ reveals cowardice, blocking confidence.

2. Letters of Revival

You are a letter of Jesus Christ, not the letter of the law that kills, but of the Spirit that gives life. The law—Moses' ministry—was glorious yet a ministry of death and condemnation, displaying God's standards to show His people's uniqueness and moral relations. But it sets the standard impossibly high, revealing our sin and death sentence, pointing to Christ who fulfills it perfectly.

Even that imperfect system shone with glory—Moses' face glowed so brightly he veiled it. If that ministry of condemnation was glorious, how much more the ministry of righteousness in Christ? We have permanent, eternal glory, causing boldness. We experience glory by dwelling in Christ's awesomeness—joy, satisfaction, pleasure nothing else matches.

3. Letters of Regal Glory

To experience more glory and thus confidence, recognize Christ's hope: He came, died, rose, reigns. We have it already. Moses veiled the fading glory; hardened minds still veil it today when reading the old covenant—only Christ removes it.

Turn to the Lord—the veil lifts. Approach Scriptures to behold Christ's glory, not routinely. If boring, your mind is hardened or you haven't turned to Christ. See Christ crucified, resurrected—life-changing, soul-satisfying.

Intense study, laboring for Christ's gold, produces confident Christianity. Commit to displaying Christ, understand the privilege, go to Scriptures enthralled. You will be captivated—confidence becomes muscle memory. Confident Christians are content, basking in Scripture's bliss. Seeing Christ's glory makes boldness inevitable.