Boasting in the Lord

Boasting -

has at least three scenarios

One --- The Self Focused --- I AM GREAT

two— Others focused- Others are great

third --- God Focused- HE IS GREAT

which ones are we warned about and which one is taught by Scripture

first choice --- not good preached against

second --- encouragement — but must be careful not to incite PRIDE

Third is the GOAL to ALL things His Glory

We must chose our focus

Explain Roman’s 3:27-31 about boasting

Paul opens by asking what becomes of boasting and declares it is excluded (Rom 3:27–31)—

but the reasoning behind this exclusion shapes the entire passage.

Boasting is ruled out not by adherence to legal requirements but by the principle of faith, since justification comes through faith rather than works of the law (Rom 3:27–31).

The passage develops this principle through two interconnected arguments.

When salvation arrives as a gift, there is no grounds for self-congratulation; faith simply means accepting God’s redemptive offer through Christ[1]

It would be absurd to claim credit for observing the law after receiving justification as a gift—comparable to insulting a gift-giver by insisting on paying for their present yourself[1].

Image with me a moment

you sacrifice money, time and yourself to purchase a gift

not the flannel shirt you buy yearly

BUT rather a gift that you deeply think out

it is EXACTLY what the person NEEDS

and then they don’t accept it or they claim they start to act like it is deserved.

They take the credit

this is key --- the Jewish believers were claiming they were entitled to it and the Gentiles were being told they had to DO

to GET.

Paul then expands this logic universally.

He establishes that God belongs equally to both Jews and Gentiles,

justifying the circumcised and uncircumcised through the same instrument—FAITH (Rom 3:27–31).

Since God’s salvation extends universally to all who believe, and both groups receive justification through identical means, boasting becomes inappropriate.

Finally, the law itself excludes boasting by demonstrating humanity’s moral failure across all its requirements.

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

The law essentially declares, “You have nothing to boast in and I can prove it”—then catalogs every moral shortcoming.

Rather than contradicting faith, the law serves the gospel by eliminating any possibility of self-justification.

The passage establishes that boasting in personal legalism, national exclusivism, or covenant observance all collapse before justification by faith in Christ alone.

No human can boast before God; instead,

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor 1:29–31)—

It redirecting all confidence away from personal achievement toward God’s redemptive work.

.

SERMON OUTLINE: Romans 3:27–31 — Boasting in the Lord

INTRODUCTION

Connect to the congregation’s struggle:

understanding who God truly is

Preview: Three realities that eliminate our boasting—

His Glory, Grace, and Gift

Thesis: When we recognize salvation as a gift, boasting becomes impossible

I. HIS GLORY: Why Boasting Is Absurd

God’s purpose in providing salvation not based on human effort is to exclude boasting

The core issue:

Boasting is the outward form of pride, which has been the root cause of all evils and miseries described in

Romans 1:18–3:26 These have been our lessons the last few weeks.

Application: When we truly grasp God’s glory, self-congratulation becomes ridiculous—we’re celebrating what God accomplished, not what we did

II. HIS GRACE: The Gift Principle

Receiving a gift and then insisting on paying for it yourself insults the giver;

once you pay for it, it ceases to be a gift

—it’s only a gift when totally paid for by another and received by faith alone

The law shows people they have failed in all points to be righteous, forcing them to accept righteousness as a free gift of God

Application:

Your broken relationship healed through God’s grace

—you couldn’t fix it; He did

III. HIS GIFT: Faith Alone Excludes Merit

The same faith that justifies Gentiles justifies Jews—and vice versa

Whatever one possesses, one has received as a gift; we glory in weakness and suffering as the opportunity for God’s power to display itself

The law serves the gospel by removing all boasting about how one might be saved

Application: Shift from “I deserved this” to “I am blessed by this”

CONCLUSION

Paul’s gospel enables one to boast in the Lord, particularly in the cross of Christ

Challenge: Examine where you’re still claiming credit—and redirect that confidence to God’s work alone

WARNING OF GOD

so Paul tells us that THIS GIFT of GRACE is

the RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD back to US.

This is because of the DESIRE of GOD

It is WHO HE IS!!

we are REDEEMED, JUSTIFIED

not by the WORKS of the LAW

but BY FAITH in CHRIST

Our battle to make GOD into what we want is ALWAYS a PROBLEM

We tend to JUSTIFY our ACTIONS.

LOOK EVERYONE—- LOOK AT ME

I am GOOD —-

I do this, I think this way,

I go to CHURCH, I SERVE, I LOVE —- just like the BIBLE says

It manifests in to our LAZINESS on seeking HIM

We all fight the LOOK AT ME

I am better than OTHERS

because of my WORKS

We create our OWN rules

Our OWN adherence to what we believe is RIGHT.

We seek to be better than OTHERS so that

We FEEL RIGHTEOUS.

Friends —- GOD IS AWARE

He is aware of all our thoughts and actions.

YET

Romans 3:23 “23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

it is not for us to BOOST,

We are sinners —- we fall short

But BOOST away

but CHANGE your INTENT

GOD is GOD

we Boost in HIM alone.

Boosting in HIM is GLORIFYING HIM alone

It is not by me, but rather

all by HIM.

I am weak, but HE is STRONG

He is the FORTRESS, the MIGHTY TOWER.

1 Corinthians 1:31 “31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.””

SUCCESS only comes through

GOD’s GRACE and CHRIST’s WORK

We cannot do it ALONE

We cannot do it by ACTIONS

We cannot only DO it by ABIDING.

so our Lesson today is THIS

CONCLUSION

by CHRIST ALONE

HIS LOVE

HIS PRESENCE

HIS WORK

We are JUSTIFIED

we are MADE RIGHTEOUS

only because of the WORK and Continual PRESENCE of

CHRIST IN US

GOD in US

HIS PRESENCE in US

and when we BECOME

DISICPLES- then PRACTIONORS

We are REMODELLED into HIS TEMPLE.

GOD dwelling in US.

we accept NOW

that BOOSTING is our work

in our UPHOLDING of the LAW

is not ENOUGH

It doesn’t take more WORK from US

But DEEPER FAITH

DEEPER COMMITMENT TO HIM

alone

from EDEN to HEAVEN

GOD dwelling again with US.

Adam walked in the still of the EVENING

We walk with GOD in ALL Things

because of CHRIST

we live in EDEN with GOD again.

The RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD is RETURNED.

PRAISE TO HIM ALONE.

GOD is IN US

no matter our prior self

no matter our past

no matter or person

GOD’s RIGHTEOUSNESS is RETURNED through the WORK and PRESENSE OF JESUS

TODAY.

JESUS is coming BACK, but is HERE NOW —- TODAY —-

We don’t have to impatiently wait for HIM

HE IS PRESENT in YOU

TODAY.

lets PRAY