God Forbid That I Should Glory

(Rom 3:27) "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith…”

1. Then…the context

a. Man cannot save himself

Rom 3:19-20 "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

Rom 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.."

b. God’s righteousness is something we cannot produce at all, in whole or in part

c. God’s righteousness is apart from the Law

d. God’s Way of Salvation
(Rom 3:24-26) , , to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

(1) We are Justified by faith—"…being justified…”

(2) As a gift through grace—“…freely by His grace…:

(3) Redeemed—“…through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…”

(4) God’s Work, God’s Sacrifice—“…25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood…”

(5) We receive the benefits of this sacrifice by faith—“… through faith…”

(6) God was just to save the OT saints

(7) God is just to save us.

e. What part of salvation, therefore, is ‘ours’?

(1) It is received through faith (3:25)

(2) Salvation requires Holy Spirit Conviction

(3) It requires a revelation from God

(4) It requires us to believe in, adhere to, trust in, and confess Christ as our Lord AND Savior.

f. So Salvation was

(1) Planned by God

(2) Unfolded by God

(3) Accomplished by Christ on the Cross

(4) Applied through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in conviction and the New Birth



2. What is Boasting?

a. Boasting is a mode of speech and actions from that are self exalting and unfitting for any created being.

(1) Boasting is the result of human pride and arrogance, and has no place in God’s Church

(2) This is actually very prevalent in the churches of today—especially the heretics on TV, but it can seep in to where any of us are.

b. First, let us define “pride” Biblically—

(1) If you think you deserve better than what God has allotted you in life, that is pride—and pride of the satanic type at that. Pride of this sort, Boice notes, was the first sin— (Isa 14:12-14) ""How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.'"

(2) The Pride of Life—Eve’s sin—1 John 2:15-16

(3) The Pride of Life—a temptation of Christ—(Mat 4:5) "Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple,"

(4) If you think that your riches, your abilities, your position or station in life, entitle you to more influence, pride has entered.

(5) God hates pride

(Prov 8:13) "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate."

(Prov 11:2) "When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom."

(Prov 13:10) "By pride comes nothing but strife, But with the well-advised is wisdom."

(Prov 14:3) "In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them."

(Prov 16:18) "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall."

(Prov 21:24) "A proud and haughty man; "Scoffer" is his name; He acts with arrogant pride."

(Prov 29:23) "A man's pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor."

(6) Pride is the opposite of love—“…1 Cor 13:4-5 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5or rude…”

(7) Pride is the opposite of justifying faith—(Hab 2:4) ""Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith."

(8) Religious pride is the worst kind of all

(Luke 18:10-14) ""Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men; extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 'I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' 14 "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.""


c. Things that are not pride

(1) Being happy in having done a good job at work—Eph 6:4ff

(2) Rejoicing at the success of a friend or relative

(3) Encouraging or exhorting one another, or being encouraged or exhorted

(4) Rejoicing in a true spiritual ministry, or defending that ministry by relating the facts—

(2 Cor 1:14) "(as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus."

(2 Cor 9:2) "for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority."

(2 Cor 10:8) "For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your destruction, I shall not be ashamed;"

(2 Cor 10:13) "We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us; a sphere which especially includes you."

(2 Cor 11:16) "I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little."

(2 Cor 11:18) "Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast."

(2 Cor 11:30) "If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity."

(2 Cor 12:1) "It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:"

(2 Cor 12:5-6) "Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. 6 For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me."

(2 Cor 12:9) "And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

(2 Th 1:4) "so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,"

d. God loves true humility

(James 4:6) "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.""

(James 4:10) "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up."

(1 Pet 5:5-6) "Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." 6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,"


3. Where is Boasting?

a. Well, first, it is often in the church

(1) Attitudes

(2) Speech

(3) Pride by actions

b. Examples of church pride—

(1) Philippi 2:1-4—the Philippian church had a problem with personal issues between women in the congregation

(a)

(2) Diotrophes was a man who despised the authority of the John the Apostle (known by that point in his life as “The Elder.” —(3 John 1:9) "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the preeminence among them, does not receive us."

(3) The false teachers in Jude’s day—Jude 1: 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority…”


(4) The Dangerous Men of 2 Tim 3:1-13

(5) The Super Apostles—2 Cor 11:12-15 And what I do I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

(6) 2 Pet 2:9-20

(7) Religious Pride Today

4. Boasting is excluded By the Law of Faith

a. The word means Totally excluded

b. First, there are two laws, two written and spoken principles that can pertain here: it is either works or grace

c. The “Law” of works—works lead to boasting in self-religion

(1) This is a futile attempt to please God—for works cannot please Him—(Rom 3:20) "Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin."

(2) The religion of morality—those who lean on this create their own standard for morality, like the rich young ruler, and others during Jesus’ day

(Mat 19:16-18) "Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" 17 So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." 18 He said to Him, "Which ones?"

(Mat 22:36) ""Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?""

(3) The religion of self-generated faith and easy believism.

(John 2:23-24) "Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men,"


(John 8:30) "As He spoke these words, many believed in Him."

(John 12:42) "Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;"

(James 2:19) "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe; and tremble!"


(4) The religion of “religious feelings”


(5) The religion of church involvement


(6) The religion of ministering supposedly in the name of Christ, when the reality is not there

(Mat 7:21-23) ""Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"

(7) The religion of knowledge


(8) The religion of false unity and popularity—2 Tim 4:1-8

(9) The religion of music—a new thing in this day

d. The Law of Faith Excludes Boasting

(Eph 2:8-10) "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

(Gal 6:14) "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world."

(1 Cor 4:7) "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"

(Rom 4:2) "For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God."

(1 Cor 1:29) "that no flesh should glory in His presence."

(1 Cor 1:31) "that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.""