Living by FaithSample

Boasting in the Grace of God

The Chaldeans were a proud and arrogant people. They believed the world was theirs for the taking. Their successful military campaigns reinforced the idea that they were invincible. They trusted in their army’s might. They could not see that their victories were the result of the God of Israel allowing them to succeed. Instead, they credited their triumphs to their idols. 

This is the great sin of the wicked in this world. They falsely attribute their success and their very being to their own ingenuity, might and the power of their idols. The sovereign God of Israel who made them and allowed them to succeed is ignored. Such is the pride of natural man, that he would trumpet his works and suppress God’s grace. Our God, nevertheless, in His common grace makes His sun rise on the wicked and sends rain on the unjust (Matthew 5:45). God bestows sinners grace even though they continue to reject Him. 

The Christian, on the other hand, knows that he can do no good thing by himself apart from the grace of God. Every true, good and beautiful thing he does is but the grace of God at work in his life. This is why the apostle Paul wrote, “far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:14).” Paul knew his Jewish heritage, his education, his keeping of the Law, his religious zeal counted for nothing, for he was but a mere sinner in need of God’s grace (Philippians 3:4-10). 

This is why the Christian has no ground to boast in his achievements and goodness. All of that is made possible only by God’s grace. There is nothing more hypocritical than a proud Christian for such a man fails to understand the grace of God.