Boasting

Boasting condemned

1 John 2:16 NASB 2020

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.

See also Ps 10:2–6; Ps 12:3–4; Ps 52:1; Ps 94:4; Hab 1:10–11; Ro 1:29–30; 2 Ti 3:1–2

Boasting exposed as folly

Proverbs 27:1 NASB 2020

1 Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring.

See also Jdg 9:38–40; Pr 25:14; 1 Co 3:18–23; Jas 4:13–16

Salvation by faith means no-one can boast about human merit

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB 2020

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

See also Lk 18:9–14; Ro 2:17–24; Ro 3:27; Ro 11:17–21; Ga 6:14

Examples of foolish boasting

Isaiah 10:12–14 NASB 2020

12 So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the arrogant pride of his eyes.” 13 For he has said, “By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this, Because I have understanding; And I removed the boundaries of the peoples And plundered their treasures, And like a powerful man I brought down their inhabitants, 14 And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest, And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth; And there was not one that flapped its wing, opened its beak, or chirped.”

See also Is 37:24–25; Da 4:28–30 Nebuchadnezzar; Da 7:8; Da 7:11; Da 11:36; Ac 8:9–10 Simon the sorcerer; 2 Th 2:3–4 the antichrist; 2 Pe 2:17–18

Legitimate boasting

Boasting in God

Jeremiah 9:23–24 NASB 2020

23 This is what the Lord says: “Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy, justice, and righteousness on the earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.

See also 1 Sa 2:1–3; Ps 34:2; Ps 44:8; 1 Co 1:27–31; Je 9:24; 2 Co 10:7–18; Heb 3:6

Boasting in the results of ministry

1 Thessalonians 2:19–20 NASB 2020

19 For who is our hope, or joy or crown of pride, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? Or is it not indeed you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.

See also Ro 15:17–19; 1 Co 15:31; 2 Co 8:24–9:3

Boasting in the conduct of ministry

2 Corinthians 1:12–14 NASB 2020

12 For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. 13 For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end; 14 just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, on the day of our Lord Jesus.

See also 1 Co 9:15; 2 Co 11:7–12; 2 Ti 3:10–11