Expert: Brian Thompson - 6/9/2004

Question
My grandpa is a teacher at the Assembly of God church and spends hours and hours trying to research a single topic and I told him about this sort of thing on the internet!  I was just woundering what is your answer to his question

       What is the difference between persuasion and confidence?

Thank you so much for your input on the matter and I look forward to recieving your answer!

Answer
Hi Lauren

I hope this helps your grandfather
per·sua·sion      P   Pronunciation Key  (p r-sw  zh n)
n.
1.   The act of persuading or the state of being persuaded: “The persuasion of a democracy to big changes is at best a slow process” (Harold J. Laski).
2.   The ability or power to persuade: “Three foremost aids to persuasion which occur to me are humility, concentration, and gusto” (Marianne Moore).
3.   A strongly held opinion; a conviction. See Synonyms at opinion.
4.   
a.   A body of religious beliefs; a religion: worshipers of various persuasions.
b.   A party, faction, or group holding to a particular set of ideas or beliefs.
5.   Informal. Kind; sort: “the place where... rockers of any gender or persuasion can become megastars” (Christopher John Farley).

2 Tim 1:5  I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

con·fi·dence      P   Pronunciation Key  (k n f -d ns)
n.
1.   Trust or faith in a person or thing.
2.   A trusting relationship: I took them into my confidence.
3.   
a.   That which is confided; a secret: A friend does not betray confidences.
b.   A feeling of assurance that a confidant will keep a secret: I am telling you this in strict confidence.
4.   A feeling of assurance, especially of self-assurance.
5.   The state or quality of being certain: I have every confidence in your ability to succeed.

Phil 1:3  For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--
4  though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh,

You are persuaded to have confidence. You cannot have confidence unless you are first persuaded. For example; we know there is a natural progression from knowledge to wisdom. You gain knowledge, you apply knowledge and gain understanding and by understanding though the application of knowledge you have the wisdom of knowing when to apply tour knowledge. It is the same with persuasion and confidence. You gain knowledge and are persuaded that this knowledge is truth, having learned the truth you are then able to communicate this knowledge to others in the confidence it is correct.