Where does your confidence come from? 2 Corinthians 1-3

2 Corinthians 3:4-6 (NASBStr)

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

Paul, when writing to the Church at Corinth, uses several words that are translated "confidence," as in the above passage.  Apparently there were some in the church who were questioning his ministry and methods.   In chapter one (See 2 Corinthians 1:12) he has already begun to to address this subject with his readers.   The key to catch is that when stressing that he DOES have confidence in his ministry and person, he NEVER takes credit for the confidence.   His conscious never claims a moral or righteous victory without first giving the real reason for the victory to God.  In the above passage we see that stated boldly.   His confidence is "through Christ toward God."    In our world today, if someone questioned the leader of an organization they would attack his/her credentials.   They would question their educational background, their references, and/or their job performance.    If the world today wants to establish credibility they often point to those things.   The world says, "You can trust me as the leader and I have confidence because ..." and the rest of the statement is: "I have won," or "I graduated from ...," and/or, "I hold degrees in ...!"   Paul does no such thing here.  He simply tells them that he has bold confidence and that confidence is found in and through Christ and in the ministry of the Holy Spirit in His life.  To many ministers today rely on their methods, results or circumstances to build their confidence.    Paul was NOT adequate in himself to consider being confident.   His adequacy was from God, in Christ and through the Spirit.   The Holy Trinity gave him confidence as he, by grace through faith, rested in the confidence They provide.   We are not confident in ourselves.  That is sin.   We are confident in what Christ has done for us and is doing in us through the ministry of the Spirit.