Our Boasting Is Excluded

Paul in the Epistle to the Romans now moves from the thought that the only advantage Jews have knowing God’s law intimately, and being entrusted with his oracles, is that it should cause them to throw themselves on God’s mercy faster, to a very brief explanation of how that can work. Let’s take a look at what the scriptures say: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one. He will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. Romans 3:21-31

You see from the God inspired text that the righteousness of God, or right standing with God, has been made known apart from the law. Is this to say that right standing with God can come without the observance of the Law? By no means is it to say that, but what it is saying is that “our righteousness” comes separate from the law. You see the Law and the Prophets, the Old Testament, bear witness to and predict the fulfillment of the Law by Christ. Our righteousness does not come without the law being fulfilled, it simply comes with Christ fulfilling the law for us, because we were not able.

Paul worked so hard for the first three chapters of this epistle to show exactly how the Jew and the Gentile had sinned. He even made a very long list of what those sins were. (see Romans 1:24-32) So when he makes that statement that all of us have sinned it makes sense. And falling short of the true worship and glory of God, we can now see that if ever we are to be justified in the sight of a holy God it will have to be because someone else, namely Jesus Christ, made us justifiable by God’s grace through his redemptive work on the cross.

God put Christ forward as a propitiation, or appeasement, by his very life blood. All of this to show God’s righteousness because in forbearance he passed over former sins. Paul is saying here that all of the animal sacrifice that ever was never washed a sin away one, but rather God merely “passed over” the sins, patiently waiting knowing that Jesus would redeem us by his blood.

So as a Jew what is to become of their boasting in the Law? Paul says that it is excluded, or no longer allowed. Not because of a law of works though, but because of the law of faith. For no one is justified by their law keeping, buy rather by their faith in the only one who could keep the law, Jesus Christ! Showing that once again there is only one God, and He is the God of the Jews and the Gentile. Are the results of this faith an overthrowing and wiping out the law? Not at all, but rather they are upholding the law, because all who are justified by his blood through faith and repentance receive the gift of his Holy Spirit, and we can then walk according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh. For as Jesus said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments.” Not because we are able, but He who lives in us is able.

So what does this mean to us today? Have you been boasting in the law? Proclaiming that you have something that you do not, and therefore participating in the very legalism that Jesus condemned? If so, then be afraid, for God says that our boasting in ourselves is no good, for we can never boast that we are able. The only true boasting that may come from our mouth is that He is able. Are you guilty before a holy God? Then just repent. God will be delighted when you admit to him how much you really need him for your power to live today.

Father God,
I admit to you that I have tried to live my life apart from you. I repent from all of my foolish boasting about my own righteousness, and ask for your forgiveness. Lord, may I only boast about the righteousness of Christ from this day forward, and may I always be excited to serve him. In Jesus’ matchless name I pray, Amen.