Today’s devotion comes from Romans 3:27-30.
“27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.” Romans 3:27-30.
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Man has a tendency to boast about his own self-righteousness, that is, his own virtues and ability (wisdom and willpower) to know and obey the Law. God will not give man reason to boast in himself, only reason to boast in the Lord. We read in the very first verse of today’s Scripture that “a law of faith” excludes boasting.
There is an amazing amount of Scripture on the topic of boasting. We read God’s attitude toward man’s boasting in himself in Scripture. In contrast, we also read God’s attitude toward man boasting in just Him (God). The amount of these Scriptures helps us better understand the Scripture for today, that God will not give man reason to boast about his own self-righteousness, that is, his own virtues and ability (wisdom and willpower) to know and obey the Law: “a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law”. Here are some verses.
1 Samuel 2:3
“Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the LORD is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.”
Psalm 5:5
“The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity.”
Psalm 10:3
“For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire, And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.”
Psalm 20:7
“Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the LORD, our God.”
Psalm 34:2
“My soul will make its boast in the LORD; The humble will hear it and rejoice.”
Psalm 44:8
“In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever. Selah.”
Psalm 49:6
“Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?”
Psalm 52:1
“… Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man? The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.”
Psalm 75:4
“I said to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ And to the wicked, ‘ Do not lift up the horn;”
Proverbs 25:14
“Like clouds and wind without rain Is a man who boasts of his gifts falsely.”
Proverbs 27:1
“Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth.”
Isaiah 10:15
“Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it? Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it? That would be like a club wielding those who lift it, Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood.”
“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; 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.” Jeremiah 9:23-24.
Jeremiah 48:30
“I know his fury,” declares the LORD, “But it is futile; His idle boasts have accomplished nothing.”
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.” Romans 1:28-32.
Romans 2:23
“You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?”
“For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Romans 4:2-3.
Romans 15:17
“Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God.”
1 Corinthians 3:21
“So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you,”
1 Corinthians 4:7
“For who regards you as superior? 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 Corinthians 5:6
“Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?”
1 Corinthians 9:16
“For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”
2 Corinthians 10:17
But HE WHO BOASTS IS TO BOAST IN THE LORD.
2 Corinthians 12:9
“And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”
Galatians 5:26
“Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.”
Galatians 6:14
“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9.
2 Timothy 3:2
“For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy,”
James 3:5
“So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!”
James 4:16
“But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.”
1 John 2:16
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
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In conclusion, the following verses in I Corinthians Chapter 1 summarize God’s action toward boasting.
“For it is written,
“I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE,
AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” I Corinthians 1:19.
“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” I Corinthians 1:21.
“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” I Corinthians 1:26-31.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 