Not Good Works So That No One Can Boast

Romans 9:16 (Amplified Bible)

So then [God’s gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on him.]

Romans 11:6 (Amplified Bible)

But if it is by grace (His unmerited favor and graciousness), it is no longer conditioned on works or anything men have done. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace [it would be meaningless].

Thank You FATHER GOD, for You have accepted me in the beloved not because of what I've done but because of Your Grace.

B. People tend to boast of their accomplishments (works)

"lest any man should boast. ... so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself."

1 Corinthians 1:29-31 (Amplified Bible)

So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God.

But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] our Righteousness [thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God], and our Consecration [making us pure and holy], and our Redemption [providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin].

So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.

If we like to boast, we can still boast, actually we're free to boast, yet we boast in the LORD.

1 Corinthians 1:31 (Amplified Bible)

So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.

2 Corinthians 12:10 (Amplified Bible)

So for the sake of Christ, I am well pleased and take pleasure in infirmities, insults, hardships, persecutions, perplexities and distresses; for when I am weak [in human strength], then am I [truly] strong (able, powerful in divine strength).

What matters is the divine strength in our life, not the physical strength, for all things find itself sourced from the Divine. It's what I need in my daily life, and daily walk with GOD, His Divine Strength overiding my weak physical strength. That's why I boast in all that I received a lot of these, persecutions, and even insults, because they see me as a weakling but not in GOD'S sight. In GOD's sight, I am strong by His Grace.

2 Timothy 1:9 (Amplified Bible)

[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago].

Titus 3:3-5 (Amplified Bible)

For we also were once thoughtless and senseless, obstinate and disobedient, deluded and misled; [we too were once] slaves to all sorts of cravings and pleasures, wasting our days in malice and jealousy and envy, hateful (hated, detestable) and hating one another.