In Our Life in Christ, God Does It All
So let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord
Are you ever tempted to take pride in being a follower of Jesus? And of what you have accomplished as a believer? If so, read on.
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 the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30, NIV)
This is a good passage to remember if you ever start to feel proud as a believer, thinking somehow that you are better than those who have not come to Christ. I know few people who would actually express that sentiment. But there are many who indirectly express it in their words and actions. And it is true that we are in a better place than they are. But it has nothing to do with who I am or what I have done. Rather, it’s all about what God has done for me.
What God Has Done
It is because of God that I am in Christ Jesus. It is he who has done the work. I am the beneficiary of what he has done. It was not done as a reward for my goodness, or for any effort on my part. In fact, the previous verses indicate that God has generally chosen those who are of little account in the world. And he has done that so that no one could boast about their position in Christ.
And Christ has become for us wisdom from God. What is that wisdom from God? It is his wisdom applied to our lives. It is God acting, in his wisdom, to transform us into a new humanity. His wisdom working in us results in our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption. God did all of that in us through Christ. We did none of it. That is not to say we are not expected to cooperate with him in that transformation process. But it is God who is really doing the work.
As Paul goes on the say, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Boast about what God is doing in and through you. But be careful that your boasting is actually magnifying God rather than yourself. That is a constant danger we need to guard against.
