Justification By Faith Excludes All Boasting (Rom 3:27-4:8)

“For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory; but not before God” (vs2).

Righteousness is not obtained through our effort and improvement; it is God’s declaration to all that believe.  There are two ways to be right with God: I can keep the law perfectly and stand on my merit, or I can trust the obedience of Christ, the promise, and the power of God.  I can believe in me, or I can believe God, but I can’t do both, “For what says the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness“ (vs3).  And, since we are sinful and depraved, our hope is not improvement or human strength; it is MERCY and grace from God, declaring us righteous, by faith, in the promise.

The promise is eternal life and salvation, holiness, heaven, etc - “And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life” (1 John 2:25). And, we believe that God will do what He has said, not because I help Him, but freely, mercifully, and justly, through the blood of Christ. He PAID for the blessings that I shall receive, and God is RIGHT to save my otherwise wicked and helpless soul, “But to him that works not, but believes on him that justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Rom 4:5).

We must be emptied of self-confidence, so that we trust Christ, lest we be like those “which trusted in themselves… and despised others” (Luke 18:9). They trusted how strong they were, what they could do, how they improved, etc, and they never trusted Christ.

The unworthy sinner, however, went home righteous.  He trusted GOD to be appeased by the blood of Christ and thereby justified to show him mercy, “for every one that exalts himself shall be abased; and he that humbles himself shall be exalted” (Luke 18:14). He believed God rather than himself; he believed that God could save him through Christ, rather than God “rewarding” him for what he’s done - “Now to him that works is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt“ (Rom 4:4).

If you seek a reward, then don’t call it mercy.  If God is rewarding you for what you’ve done, on top of Christ, then it is merit and not mercy. If you seek righteousness by your improvement or promises for better living, then you’re asking God to pay you what He owes, and He will, but it will be hell eternal, without pity.  But, if you believe God is GRACIOUS enough to save you, then you’re justified as the sinner that you are, “Even as David also describes the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputes righteousness without works” (Rom 4:6).  Your sin isn’t imputed or charged to you: He won’t hold you accountable in wrath.  Your lawlessness and iniquity is punished and forgiven by Christ’s agony in your place. Your stepping out of bounds in sin is covered up, so that God sees you BELIEVING and thereby righteous, rather than wicked.

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,  and whose sins are covered;  blessed is the man whom the Lord will not charge with sin” (Rom 4:7-8).

You can’t stand in your efforts, so boasting is excluded, and that’s necessary to the gospel, because no one shall glory in His face, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith, without the deeds of the law” (Rom 3:27).