The No Boast Zone

The No Boast Zone
Words of Faith 7-30-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Romans 3
    [27] Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.

       In the grace of God, there is no boasting.  
       No one can claim to be more "observant" than another if they are justified by faith.  No one can claim a more holy life than another if they are justified by faith.  No matter how long we have walked with the Lord, no matter the spiritual gifts He may exercise in our lives, no matter the deeper spiritual experiences we may have had, no matter the level of our sanctification, we are all sinners justified by HIS work and in no way can we boast.  
        The Apostle Paul made no claim by which to boast. "For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me" (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
        We can only point to the cross.  We can only point to His glory.  Oh, but how the temptation to boast will arise.  In the church, we may be tempted to make speeches.  "Why I've been a Christian for umpteen years, and I...."   "Why I was a charter member of this church..."  "I've walked with the Lord a lot of years, and I never thought I would see the day when..."   Such words are all folly.  
       The truth is that though we may walk with the Lord for a lifetime, but there is nothing in which we can boast.  We stand on the same rung as the newest believer.  Pride, arrogance and boasting are an offense to the grace of Christ.  Jesus made it clear that the workers who came at the end of the day are paid the same as those who come at the beginning of the day.  The only difference is that those who come early enjoy the vineyard longer.
        In the arena of education, we are tempted as well.  We rack up degrees and honors, honorary degrees and honorary honors, religious titles, and badges.  We are tempted to strut in special robes or sit as dignitaries on a platform above the rest and boast about the exploits of the speaker of the day. But when confronted with grace, all this is stubble which burns away in the presence of a Holy God.
       We may even be tempted to boast in the latest breeze of Christian culture or the newest techniques and models for success.  Did you hear how fast our church is growing?  Did you hear about the latest thing in suburban ministry?   Did you hear about the healings at our place?  Did you hear about the "outpouring" we had?  No matter how marvelous such things are, we cannot boast.   
        Where, then, is the boasting?  It is excluded.  By the Law?  No.  By faith which trusts wholly in the work of Jesus.  In such faith, there can be no boasting, save in the cross of Christ alone.     

      Lord, forgive me for boasting.  Even when I have claimed to boast only in You, I have sensed the pride that wells up regarding my efforts.  I claim nothing, Lord Jesus, but the grace You have poured out for me.  I have no boast, only thanksgiving, and joy. In Jesus' name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2021 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.