Growing In Faith
|
Posted: December 31, 2022
Author: Kerry Lytle 2 Corinthians 10:17, English Standard Version "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." |
|
"Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the name of the Lord our God." (Psalms 20:7, NLT)
Bragging or boasting can show a misplaced value in something. When we boast about something, we do so because we think it is valuable and therefore worth boasting about. As adults, we can be subtler in our boasting than children, but we, nonetheless, are proud in places where we should be humble.
But Paul tells us that there is, in fact, a time which we can brag (or boast): we can boast if we boast in the Lord.
Boasting in the Lord is, on the one hand, quite the opposite of boasting in one’s self. Instead of drawing attention to ourselves, we draw attention to Christ. This boasting is a call for people to admire Him. We are seeking praise—for Christ’s worth.
Boasting in the Lord shows how much we value Christ—He is our best quality. It tells all that He has done for us and all the ways He blesses us.
Boasting in the Lord is actually quite hard for us to do. It requires us to be in a state of humility in ourselves but pride in Christ—something unnatural to us.
We have to be careful not to boast in a Christ of our own making; first, He calls us to humility by giving us a Christ that does not make sense to the world.
God Himself is calling us to find our pride and joy not in our understanding of Christ, but in His! In His Christ that was crucified. Crucified for our sins. True boasting in the Lord is actually boasting of the Lord - boasting of His great attributes, boasting what He has done for us, and what He is still doing and what He has promised to do.
Many people boast about what they think they are and what they think they have. People can be proud of who they are and of their positions in society and of their great knowledge.
God chose the poor and the foolish. Why did He do that? “He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him.”
We must be in a state of humility. We must see that we are completely destitute before God when we come to face His holiness. We must see that Christ and His cross are the only way we could be saved, in order to see that through Him God is showing His power and wisdom. All the achievements and accomplishments we have done is because God gave us the wisdom and strength to do so. We cannot do anything without God.
“It is 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.’”
Let us boast in Christ—showing how much we value and love Him and seeking praise for His worth!
