In the classic 1950’s film “The Sound of Music”, Maria, a want to be nun, is given an assignment before she is to take her vows of chastity and commitment. On the bus ride to her assignment to being a nanny for the Von Trap family of 6 children, she is anxious and begins to sing a song, to work up her CONFIDENCE.

As She departs the bus and walks to her assignment she sings…

I have confidence in sunshine,
I have confidence in rain.
I have confidence that spring will come again!
Besides which, you see, I have confidence in me!

All I trust I leave my heart to.
All I trust becomes my own.
I have confidence in confidence alone…

I have confidence in confidence alone!
Besides which, you see, I have confidence in me!

 To be clear, I am not normalizing something that is institutionally Catholic and biblically wrong. Being a Roman Catholic nun has zero scriptural basis and comes from the vestal virgins of Babylonian and Roman paganism.

For the sake of explanation, allow this example, as many have a frame reference to “The sound of Music”.

The last lines of what Maria sings “I have confidence in confidence alone” and “Besides which you see, I have confidence in me”.

The character is merely attempting to offset her anxiety with proclamations of what she can do with her confidence.

The word confidence is defined as “the feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something: firm trust”. In Maria’s case, she was proclaiming she trusted in herself to get the job done. In Christian circles we must be careful. Confidence is a biblical word, but that confidence is not in ourselves. Our confidence must be in God alone.

(1 John 5:14-15) ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

 Maria reveals what confidence and faith is, from a natural human perspective. Biblically speaking, confidence not wishful thinking or whipping oneself into believing what we say. This kind of mentality leads to disappointment and grief when obstacles to what we desire arise.

Confidence in God, which is closely connected to faith, is not human wishful thinking, but supreme confidence in God our Father—in His person and presence with us—in His word and what it declares, and in His faithfulness to perform His will.

The word “confidence” in the Bible comes from the Greek word “peithō” meaning to be persuaded of the Lord’s faithfulness.

The word of “faith” in the Bible comes from the Greek word “pistis”, which means conviction of truth to the degree that one moves in action according to what they have confidence in. Confidence is in assurance which calls us to action, whereas faith is to move according to the confident trust we have in God.

The church in America is more apt to have confidence in God’s word and His Christ, while not moving into the arena of faith, which brings new creation life, with the power of the Holy Spirit, to our lives. It is the difference between hearing God’s word, knowing it is true, and doing it and not doing it, which is disobedience. Authentic faith needs obedience to reveal our confidence and faith in God.

This will sound so overbearing, but it is the sin of Israel’s first king, Saul, where he heard the command of the Lord, clearly, yet obeyed only 95% of it (I Samuel 15). You’ll remember that for his 95% obedience, which we would think pretty good, he had the kingdom taken from him.

In fact, Samuel the prophet, on behalf of YHWH, declares a very weighty judgment on Saul. Saul’s 95% obedience, which in God’s eyes is rebellion and self-worship.

1 Samuel 15:22-23 ²² So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. ²³ For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.”

By that measure, we ought to take stock of our confidence and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. How well do we desire and seek to move our confident belief in mind and heart, into the realm of obedient faith actions?

Sanctification

 Simply put, sanctification is the expected effect of our salvation on our spirit, soul, and body.

(1 Thessalonians 5:23-24) ²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

 Sanctification is a partnership with the Holy Spirit where our entire life is cleansed from the patterns of sin still affecting our lives, and the reformatting of our life, after Christ’s life and character. Essentially, we, who belong to Christ, are set apart for God’s service and purpose alone. This is a foundational aspect of our faith in Christ’s finished work, where every area of our lives is progressively transformed into a representation of Christ’s.

Sanctification is the process of us being made practically holy, that we are actually new creations, in Christ, rather than professing this alone.

1 Peter 1:13-16 ¹³ Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; ¹⁵ but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

 Is our confidence in His word concerning us, as sanctified and holy vessels, mere proclamation or actually proliferating for His glory?

 Healing

 Most Christians would declare that God still heals without exercising any actions which reveals we believe He does. Let’s examine two passages, one in the Old Testament and the other in the New Testament, which reveal the promise of healing to our entire person.

Isaiah 53:5 ⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

 1 Peter 2:24-25 ²⁴ who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

 When coupled with James 5:14-15 we begin to see that confidence in healing through Christ’s atoning work, requires actions which display what we are confident in.

James 5:14-16 ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

How confident are we, that when sick or physically broken,  God will heal by His divine power? Do we obey the prescription in James 5:14-16? Whether we do or not, reveals our confidence and ultimately our faith in Christ.

Let us never have confidence in our confidence alone, or confidence in ourselves. That may work for Maria, but not for those who follow Christ. Let us not have a stilted halfhearted faith, which professes faith, but denies that faith and confidence we say we have in Christ, by actions contrary to what we profess.