NO BOASTING

I. GOD’S WORK NEGATES OUR BOASTING

Romans 3:27 (ESV) — 27 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.

Romans 3:27 ESV

27 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.

“Boasting” refers to self-confidence based on self-righteousness. People “suppress the truth” about their sinfulness by their “ungodliness and unrighteousness” (1:18). In the background to the entire section on human depravity (1:18–3:20) is the human objection that we are not as bad as the gospel call to repentance asserts.[1]

Galatians 6:14 (ESV) — 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Galatians 6:14 ESV

14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

II. JUSTIFIED BY FAITH NEGATES OUR BOASTING

Romans 3:28 (ESV) — 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Romans 3:28 ESV

28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.

Ephesians 2:4–9 (ESV) — 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:4–9 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

James 2:24 (ESV) — 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

James 2:24 ESV

24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

[1] ]Yarbrough, R. W. (2020). Romans. In I. M. Duguid, J. M. Hamilton Jr., & J. Sklar (Eds.), Romans–Galatians: Vol. X(p. 74). Crossway.