Boasting in the Lord | SermonIndex

sermonindex Oct 14, 2011

2 Cor.1:30-31
It us because of him that you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God-that is our righteousness holiness, and redemption. Therefore as it is written 'Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.'

The above verses tell us that our being in Christ is only by God working in our lives. The scriptures say only because of God are we saved, redeemed, and made holy. We get the the salvation aspect of the verses down. We woud declare that salvation belongs to the Lamb and man cannot save himself. Indeed we would boast in God that he has saved us. We would sing with the hymn writer, Halleujah! What a savior'.

But the above verses teach that even our practical righteousness anf holiness are of God and not of us. Jesus teaches us John 15 that 'apart from ne you can do nothing'. Only by us being in Jesus and Jesus being in us can we bear the fruit of righteousness or character.

Again in Gal.5 we are reminded that the fruit OF THE SPIRIT, is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these inward virtues there is no external law. Going back to John 15 this fruit of the Spirit can only be producted by being in Christ and Christ being in us.

And that has to be the key. The fruit of righteous character is BEING IN CHRIST and CHRIST BEING IN US. I think one sister so accuratly described our walk with Jesus as BEING and not DOING.

And we cannot boast of a righteous walk with him. Any outward righteousness that is manifested through our deeds as James speaks us is of Christ and not us.

Our boast has to be in the Lord and not us. Paul best summed it up in Gal.6 when he said may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world.

For your edification,

Blaine Scogin

dietolive Oct 14, 2011

Amen Brother Blaine.

A key passage would be:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

Verses 8 and 9: Our salvation is wholly wrought by God. How can we boast in a work that, not "we", but "He" did?

Then in verse 10, we see that outward works, what Paul calls "good works", were also prepared for us by God, that we should do them.

The Lord prepares us for the good work, He guides us into the good work, and He gives us the grace to successfully accomplish the good work.

All we do in this equation is submit and humbly obey.

Where is there any room for personal boasting in that?

There is none.

Doug

sermonindex Oct 14, 2011

Excellent verses to bring to the table. I say a rousing Amen, my brother. All of God and not of us.

Blaine