“Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:27-28).
Paul, in his letter to the Philippian Christians, shares his own experience. The things in which he boasted were set aside when he met Christ. “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:4-8).
Faith in Jesus eliminates boasting because it says that I am totally dependent on what Jesus has done for me. I don’t take credit for my standing with God. I have done nothing to boast about because what I have I didn’t provide for myself. Jesus provided it for me.
Tim Keller stated it this way: “I have Christ. His death means that when God looks at me He sees His beautiful child. World, I need nothing from you, and you can take nothing from me. I have Christ.”
That is enough to cause us to praise Him!
