Boasting Excluded

Romans 3:27–31 NKJV

27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. 29 Or is He the God of the Jews only? Is He not also the God of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also, 30 since there is one God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. 31 Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.

Before we look at our passage this morning we need to review.

Paul’s Thesis:

Romans 1:16–17 NKJV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

To prove his thesis he has to prove

1. That all are sinners

Romans 3:9–10 NKJV

9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. 10 As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;

2. That no one will be righteous through keeping the Law

Romans 3:19–20 NKJV

19 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.

3. That everyone who believes on Jesus will be justified

Romans 3:21–26 NKJV

21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, 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.

In our passage this morning Paul returns to his diatribe which is his method of dealing with objections. He ask four questions which his hypothetical opponent would ask and then answers the objection.

Where is Boasting Then?

We love getting the credit.

We hate when someone stills our credit

the Jews boasted in their national election as the people of God, the Law of God given to Moses and their attempts to keep that law.

The Gentiles where also full of pride and arrogance and boasted in their achievements thinking themselves to be superior. This is the way of fallen human nature. We think we are better than others.

Righteousness as it has been revealed through the gospel is something we have no credit in.

Paul answers this objection sharply “It is excluded” the literal translation is it has been shut out. Justification by faith in the work of Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death on the cross rules out all possibility of boasting.

Philippians 3:4–8 NKJV

4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ

By What Principle is it Excluded?

Is boasting excluded by the principle of works? This question is almost absurd. It righteousness is of works then we have earned it God would owe it to us and we would get the credit for achieving holiness. The fact that it is of grace through faith means we cannot boast

Paul answers this with no but by the principle of faith

Ephesians 2:8–9 NKJV

8 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.

Boasting is not compatible with justification by faith

Is He the God of the Jews Only?

Or is he the God of the Gentiles also?

Does God’s election of Israel exclude other nations?

To Abraham God said in you all the families of the earth will be blessed. God id the God of the gentiles also. Didn’t God send Jonah to the people of Nineveh to warn them? Paul has proven already that all need salvation because all are sinners. The Gospel is for everyone no matter what race, no matter your political position, no matter your gender. God is the creator of all people and the Gospel is for all people. Is he not the God of the homeless? Is he not the God of the Muslims? Is he not the God of the homosexuals and the transvestites? He created them too. They are sinners just like me and they need salvation just like me. When they turn to Jesus by faith and accept the payment of the cross for their sins God makes them righteous just like He did me. God help us not to become exclusive with the Gospel.

The Jews didn’t like that this gospel put them on equal ground with the Gentiles.

Does Justification Through Faith Make the Law Void?

This is a question that will always arise where the Gospel of justification through faith is preached. If doing good deeds can’t save us and it’s only by faith, then why would anyone do good deeds. Paul will answer this more fully in the coming chapters. by for now he assures his readers that it certainly does not, in fact, justification through faith establishes the law.

We have this idea that no one will do good unless they have consequences for doing bad and reward for doing good. We have this idea because thats the way the world works. That’s the rules. But what if someone changes the rules? What if God were awaken something within us that made us different? What if God recreated our heart and something new was born inside us? A new creature and all things were made new. Couldn’t that change things? Wouldn’t that change the rules?

Ephesians 2:8–10 NKJV

8 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.

So the works of the Law which we could not keep and would never make us righteous are established by grace through faith.