No One May Boast
At the beginning of each college football season, even the lowest teams and their fans boast about the upcoming season. Boasting dissipates for most college football fans about this point in the season. Pride came before destruction. It is time to switch to boasting about basketball.
Men boast because they are proud. They boast in mere men to identify themselves as winners (1 Cor 3:21). They may even claim God’s favor over and above their opponents. If they knew God’s Word, they would know that God shows no partiality (Acts 10:34), especially in the “bragging rights” for whatever silly idol trophy they raise above their heads. Boasting is not good (1 Cor 5:6), in fact, James says, “all such boasting is evil” born of arrogance (Jam 4:16), so why is it so prevalent?
Sinful man is filled with pride. This is something man learns from his father the devil (Jn 8:44; 1 Jn 3:10). Lust in the heart is the boastful pride of life (Ps 10:3; Rom 1:24; 1 Jn 2:16), and the heart can be heard from the tiny tongue which boasts great things (Jam 3:5). The rich boast in their riches (Ps 49:6; Is 61:6), and nations boast of their military might (Ps 20:7). Even consumers boast about the great deals they made in a recent purchase (Prv 20:14). Men boast that that they are something, when in truth, there is not much to boast about (Prv 25:14; Is 16:6; Jer 48:30). They are only deceiving themselves (Gal 6:3–5). It has been said that pride is the mother of all sins, and we cannot deny this truth.
The point is that man thinks more highly of himself than he ought to (Rom 12:3), especially when this is exactly what prevents him from being in the presence of God (Ps 5:5). God resists the proud (Jam 4:6) and lists the boastful among the reprobates He abandons to their own ways (Rom 1:30). Reprobation, including boasting, will only get worse (2 Tim 3:2).
The Jews in the Apostle Paul’s day were proud God had given them the Law (Rom 2:23). Of course, God gave the Law to expose the sin and unholiness of man (Rom 5:20). The fact they were proud of knowing God’s law caused them to puff up with pride, which I suppose made God’s point regarding the total depravity of man. Boasting is unacceptable (Rom 3:27). God chose the foolish things for the express purpose of thwarting the proud (1 Cor 1:28–29). This is why God’s salvation comes to us through the foolishness of the Cross of Christ Jesus (1 Cor 1:18).
Arminians boast in their decision to “choose Christ,” but the Apostle Paul asks, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it (1 Cor 4:7)?” No, but by His doing you are in Christ Jesus (1 Cor 1:30), it is not by the will of man (Jn 1:12–13), it is not the result of works, lest any man should boast (Eph 2:8–10).”
Paul also clearly argued, “If I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to boast of (1 Cor 9:16).” Nothing means “nothing.” No one may boast in anything, except who Christ is and what He has done for us. Christians are prohibited in boasting because it causes strife and factions (Gal 5:26), which is exactly what Arminianism has done for the past four hundred years. The Arminian has failed to understand the most crucial point, “salvation belongs to the Lord (Ps 3:8; Jon 2:9; Rev 19:1).”
Churchmen boast in the size of their congregations and in their church’s long history. Has God shown you favor before you fall in your pride? Humble yourselves before Almighty God. “Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,’ declares the Lord (Jer 9:23–24).”
Do we understand and know God? If we did, we would, “boast in the Lord (1 Cor 1:31b),” and for good reason (Gal 6:3–5). The Apostle Paul suggests we examine our work and then consider the work of Christ. There is no comparison. Paul recognized the wisdom in this, “Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God (Rom 15:17).” Abraham could boast in nothing (Rom 4:2), nor can any other man (1 Cor 1:29). However, there is clearly a boasting “in Christ Jesus” in Paul’s writing that appears to be him, “boasting on your behalf (2 Cor 7:4).” What is boasting in men?
The key to understanding Paul boasting, not in himself, but in other Christians is his knowledge of Christ in them, willing and doing His good pleasure (Phil 2:13). Men should not praise themselves, but praise does come to men from God through others. This is a blessing and a test.
The blessing is the encouragement received in the Holy Spirit, to press on with one’s upward call in Christ. It sounds like, “well done, good and faithful servant, enter the joy of the Lord (Mt 25:23).” The test is the temptation to “believe our own press.” In other words, if we receive the boast of men, and attribute it to our own working, we fall into sin. We must be careful to ascribe greatness to the Lord…only.
Paul boasted of the Macedonian’s liberality in financial giving despite their poverty, and he wrote to the Corinthians about how he had boasted to the Macedonians about the Corinthians’ desire to give to the poor at Jerusalem (2 Cor 8–9). In this way, Paul encouraged the Macedonians for their good work, and he spurred on the Corinthians to do the good works they had intended but not yet fulfilled.
The Corinthians were a bit carnal and too worldly. They needed to have Paul “sell himself” to them because false apostles had infiltrated the church Paul had planted at Corinth (2 Cor 11:12). These detractors from Paul’s ministry caused the Corinthians to practically excommunicate him. He hesitantly boasted of his apostolic authority and his accomplished works (2 Cor 11:18). He apologized to them for having to do it (2 Cor 10), but refused to stop, “this boasting of mine” because he loved them (2 Cor 11:9–11).
In other words, if the Corinthians forced Paul to primp himself, he would become that for them, but it was not necessary if they would only rationally think about it. Boasting was necessary with them, but not profitable (2 Cor 12:1). Paul loved to gambol in the glorious person and powerful work of Christ (Gal 6:14), but he also loved to boast in his own weakness (2 Cor 11:30; 12:5, 9).
Christians also boast in our hope of the things to come (Heb 3:6). If we do not believe in Christ’s power to keep us, we have nothing to boast in regarding the future. The born again Christian boasts in her Savior, who is able to keep what she has committed to Him. He has promised to keep her from everything which could separate her from Him (Rom 8:35–39). She knows and boasts in her Savior who actually saves His people, not just making salvation a possibility.
To boast in the Lord means we boast in everything about Him. He is eternal. He is the Creator of everything. He is the Redeemer of His people. He is all our hope and stay. He is coming again to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will have no end. We have much to boast about Him.
In summary, we have discerned the human problem of pride and boasting in anything other than God. Sin nature spurs human boasting, which dishonors God. Boasting in oneself is Satan’s design and promotion. We learned how Christians lower their self-assessment and prefer to boast in the Lord. This is an affront to a proud world, but it is the knowledge of Christ and the Spirit of Christ which compels us to proclaim Him instead of ourselves. We are weak in this, but He is strong. He will accomplish what concerns us, and what concerns us is His glory.
In conclusion, we must repent of our sinful self-admiration. We must lower our view of ourselves and raise our view of Christ Jesus. We must guard our hearts, our minds, and our lips from perverse thoughts, affections, and words of self-aggrandizement. Our ambition is to please Him. Our faith, in who He is and what He has done, is heard through our bearing witness of Him and not ourselves. He is worthy, and we are not worthy.
In return for exalting Christ, He blesses us with His own joy, as strength in the battle of boasting. Men will never cease from boasting in themselves and the things of the world, but God graciously changes some people, and then their self-promotion abates in His glorious presence. You will know them by their testimony, “Not I…but the Lord!” so that no one may boast.
David E. Norczyk
Eugene, Oregon
January 7, 2021
