The humble confidence you have in Christ

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.— Ephesians 2:8-9

Former French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau fought many duels with various rivals. On one occasion, he surprised one of his assistants by asking the attendant at a Paris railroad station for a one-way ticket to the duel. “Isn’t that a little pessimistic?” asked the assistant.

“Not at all,” Clemenceau replied. “I plan on using my opponent’s return ticket for the trip back!”

Most people would probably agree there’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Arrogance is self-centered while confidence is truth-centered. It’s okay for an Olympic gold-medal sprinter to say, “I’m the fastest person in the world.” That’s confidence. Arrogance would be rubbing it in the face of his or her competitors.

In Christ, we have the ability to be confident. We can say for sure we’re going to inherit eternal life because of our relationship with Him. That’s a fact. And, we can face any challenge life throws our way by remembering that simple truth. But let us never be arrogant in our faith, thinking that somehow we merit this incredible free gift of salvation we’ve received.

Because of your relationship with Christ, you can have the full confidence of eternal life. So share this wonderful message with others in humility and grace, knowing that salvation is not your work, but God’s alone!

Prayer Challenge

Pray that God would give you the humble confidence you need to share your salvation with others.

Questions for thought

Where is the line between confidence and arrogance in the Christian faith? Why do you think some believers become arrogant?

What would humble confidence about your salvation look like in your daily life?