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#18. "That no flesh should boast in His presence." (3: 27, 28).
pp. 57 - 60
We now come to the conclusion of this important section (Rom. 3: 21-28).
"Where then is boasting? It is shut out. Through what law? of works? Nay, but by
the law of faith. For we reckon that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law"
(Rom. 3: 27, 28).
The question of the apostle, "Where then is boasting?" reveals the innate tendency of
the human heart. Salvation has been so planned that no man, however ingenious, will be
able to find a foothold for boasting except in the Lord. "Christ crucified", the foolishness
of God, the offence of the cross, the centre of the very gospel, all was so arranged by God
that "no flesh should boast in His presence" (I Cor. 1: 29). Christ is set forth as the one
sufficient and only Saviour, Redeemer and Sanctifier. "But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus,
Who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption" (I Cor. 1: 30). Not only that no flesh should boast, but that "he that boasteth,
let him boast in the Lord" (I Cor. 1: 31). Man can be nothing more than the unworthy
recipient of God's unspeakable Gift.
In I Corinthians boasting in human wisdom is the great evil that is cut down:--
"And again, the Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore
let no man boast in men" (I Cor. 3: 18-23).
"For who maketh thee to differ? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?
Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou boast, as if thou hadst not received it?"
(I Cor. 4: 7).
If trust in the wisdom of the flesh was the snare at Corinth, trust in external works of
the flesh was the snare at Galatia.
"They desire to have you circumcised, that they may boast in your flesh. But let it not
be that I should boast, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is
crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Gal. 6: 13, 14).
Eph. 2: declares that salvation is by grace to prevent man from boasting:--
"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" (Eph. 2: 8, 9).
"It is the gift of God".--Rom. 3: declares that justification is gratuitous, it is a gift--
therefore boasting is excluded. I Cor. 4: 7 states that all things we possess are gifts,
therefore boasting is absurd. Ephesians reveals that the whole scheme of salvation is a
gift, purposely arranged that no man should boast. The only boasting that is allowable is
"in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 3: 3). The man who said this declared that if any man had
ground of confidence in the flesh, he had more, but he proceeds to demolish all hope that