Saturday, June 9

Romans 3:27-28 (The good news)

Romans 3:27-28 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

At the Neshoba County Fair, boasting is the order of the day when politicians begin justifying why they should be elected to the various state offices. During the campaigning period, candidates offer their qualifications of experience, education, honesty, etc. as the reasons they should be judged worthy to hold the office that they seek. On Election Day candidates are judged by the voters as to their fitness to hold office. The winners rejoice, have victory parties, and boast even more of having gotten their message out. This strategy of boasting is also used in many other endeavors of American life as people strive to succeed and get ahead. Many are honest about their qualifications, abilities, and the products they sell which is good and the way a perfect temporal world should operate.

But, Paul emphatically explains in this passage that boasting is excluded in spiritual matters concerning salvation. Works of the law or one’s deeds of service do not count toward justification. Man is justified (saved) by faith apart from works. Faith plus works, faith plus baptism, or faith plus anything does not work together to save sinners. Sinners are saved by faith alone, and even that faith is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8). If sinners contributed anything to their salvation, then boasting would be possible. However, sinners do not provide anything and God provides everything in salvation, which excludes boasting.

Praise God that He saves sinners completely.

10 comments:

Susan said...

"Sinners are saved by faith alone, and even that faith is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8)."
This is one verse so many seem to ignore or forget or have never really looked at. It really is an awesome thought that even our faith to believe is a gift from Him and with out that gift we couldn't. WOW!!!! What an awesome God we serve :o)

donsands said...

Our flesh loves to take credit. It may be passive or active, but it loves the admiration of others.

God strips us of all boasting with His truth.

Thanks for the good post. And we surely can be encouraged in what God has done in us, and will continue to do. But it's all by His grace.

As Paul said, "But by His grace I am what I am, and I worked harder than them all, but not me, it was the grace of God in me."
And "For I am crucified with Christ, yet I live, but not me, But Christ in me."

Have a great and joyful Lord's Day.

Anonymous said...

This is really good. Boasting is a dangerous path.

Baptist Girl said...

As far as we are concerned we have absolutly nothing to boast in ourselves.

'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (1 Cor 1:31)

Cristina

jazzycat said...

Susan, Don, Steve, and Cristina,
Thanks. Everything we have comes from God. All abilities, talents, come from God so how can we boast on ourselves. We agree totally.
wayne

Anonymous said...

It's so easy to misuse those talents for ourselves as well. I need to pray daily that I will use the gifts God has graciously given me for His good pleasure and service.
Thanks for your continual correcting, encouraging and edifying posts, Wayne.

jazzycat said...

Thanks Susan,
I am glad you now have a blog. It can be found under my links, "Our Daily Thread" for anyone interested!

mark pierson said...

Wayne, we have so many doctrinal detracters that say that WE preach a message of works purely because we wish to remain faithful to the Word and preach repentance. They say that we preach a message that could cause pride and boasting. How twisted. Worse yet, how unscriptural.

jazzycat said...

Mark,
That is true and why I issued a challenge to all the noisy gongs about a year ago to point out one single statement on my blog or in any devotionals where I add works to justification by faith alone. To date no one has come forward. As you say true faith will come with repentance and the Bible clearly teaches a call to repentance from Jesus to John the Baptist to Paul.
wayne

Scribe said...

"However, sinners do not provide anything and God provides everything in salvation, which excludes boasting."

Amen Jazzy! This is the Lord's doing and it is marvelous in our eyes!