“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:27-28).
The Bible has much to say about boasting.
It is foolish to boast about tomorrow because “you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). Because the arrogance which spawns it is evil (James 4:16), boasting about yourself is also forbidden (Proverbs 27:2).
God’s plan of redemption in Christ—giving the gift of salvation by divine grace through humanity’s faith in the faith—eliminates all human boasting in self and any works of merit (Ephesians 2:8-9). God’s calling through the word of the cross—His deliberate selection of the foolish, weak, base, and despised things of the world—is intentional (1 Corinthians 1:12, 26-28) and is for the express purpose that “no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Corinthians 1:29); the only exception is for glorying in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:31).
God’s perfect plan of salvation is purposely designed to eliminate human arrogance and personal boasting within the members of Christ’s body. In the category of sin, there is no difference between the Jews and Gentiles—all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:22-23). In the category of present redemption by God’s grace, neither the Jews nor Gentiles can boast. Such boasting is impossible—the Jews are not justified by the law of Moses but by the law of faith in the faith; the Gentiles are not justified by works of merit but by the law of faith in the faith.
Consequently, the conclusion when all has been heard is: “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14).
