Where, then, is Boasting?

In Romans 3, Paul makes his case that we are redeemed by the grace of God on the basis of our faith in Jesus' atoning act of the cross/resurrection.  We are not redeemed because of who we are or because of the good works that we do, but rather because we trust in the work of Jesus.

This was a major shift of thinking who God was and what religion was all about for the audience of Paul's letter.  Whether they were Jews who believed it was their family heritage and their following the Law that would atone for their sins or they were Gentiles who worshiped god's who demanded acts of service and gifts of obedience to be appeased.  And for many people today we are still trying to please a God with our church attendance or by being a good enough person that God will not condemn us.

But when we believe we had a part in our redemption besides receiving and trusting we will most likely boast about our goodness.  Paul writes when we realize it is all about the work of God we have no reason to boast and no grounds to boast about ourselves, but only boast in the amazing grace of God.

Money is the root of all kinds of evil.

Rebellion is the root of all kinds of evil.

Pride is the root of all kinds of evil.

- Pride keeps us from asking God or others for help
- Pride keeps us from trusting in Christ completely with our lives
- Pride keeps us from having tough conversations with friends/family which would deepen relationships
- Pride keeps us focused on our own little world instead of seeing the world like God
- Pride keeps us from being empowered by the Holy Spirit because we believe we are good enough
- Pride keeps us from loving others as Christ loves others
- Pride undermines the work of God
- Pride keeps us from saying I was wrong
- Pride keeps us form saying I am sorry
- Pride keeps us boasting in our own goodness instead of God's goodness

What power have you given the enemy in your life because of pride?

Do you boast in God to your friends and family or give yourself all the credit?

Romans 1

Paul in the first chapter of Romans has given us a history of sin in the human race.  Why it came to be and how it has increased. Then he began to describe some of the sinful behavior of people.  He deals with idol worship, homosexuality, and a long list of other sins people have committed against God and then in verse 30 we can read (Romans 1:30)  They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.

All these actions that we weigh out as really bad sins committed by really wicked people and we get to feeling pretty good about ourselves, then Paul adds "disobey their parents."  It seems a little or a lot out of place.  It doesn't seem to fit in Paul's list of sins, "Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.  They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful."

  

Maybe Paul is trying to remind us of God's understanding that sin is despised by God in all forms.  Sin separates us from God whether it is idol worship, homosexuality or disobeying our parents.  

Maybe Paul is reminding us that all sin starts somewhere in the hearts of people and manifest itself in many different ways.  The heart of much of the sin in our lives is the issue of pride which does not allow us to be submissive to our parents or other authorities in our lives.  

Maybe Paul is making sure we all realize we need a redeemer!  No matter how large you think your sin is or how seemingly good of a person you think you are, you need a redeemer.  We all do! 

Thanks be to God through faith in Jesus Christ, we can be redeemed.