BOASTING IS EXCLUDED

Romans 3:23-27 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness: that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.

(T)here is no respect of persons with God (Rom. 2:11). Within New Testament Christianity, God does not distinguish between races or classes of people. It is God's righteous judgment that both Jews and Gentiles are equal, in that they are all under sin (Rom. 3:9). There is none righteous, no, not one (Vs. 10). Considering this inspired message written to the Roman Christians, Paul continues, in the first verse of the lesson text, to say, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Vs. 23). Within mankind, of all ages, there can be found no one being free from sin - no one has ever had spiritual perfection.

From creation, God gave men and women a great responsibility - they were given the superior task of ruling over all of God's creation (Gen. 1:26-31). To rule this great domain, as God required, they would have glorified God to the fullest. Through sin, however, Adam and Eve fell short of the glory of God, and all mankind followed in their footsteps - all have failed to render the glory God sought from those created in His image, for all have sinned. Mankind is without excuse. As the Creator, the work of His hands proclaims in every language that there is a God over all things, including mankind (See Psalm 19). Yet, knowing there was a God to whom we had an awesome responsibility of obeying His will, mankind failed miserably. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened (See Rom. 1:20-21).

Through the Seed of Abraham (Jesus Christ our Savior), God promised that all families of the earth be blessed (Gen. 12:3). From the porch of Solomon, in the temple of God, Peter confirmed this promise to be filled by declaring Jesus Christ to be that Seed descending from Abraham (See Acts 3:11-26). Just as all have sinned, all also have access, to the righteousness, which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference (Vs. 22 above). To be justified,means that, even though we are sinners, God will treat us as righteous. To be justified freely,means that it is a gift that we have no right to, and cannot be earned by our own merit. Through His love of mankind, and by His grace,God offers redemption to all believing Christians through His Son, Jesus Christ (See John 3:16).

Just as animal sacrifices were made under the Old Covenant to atone for sins, God, under the New Covenant, provided the sacrificial lamb in His Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem mankind from their sinful state. Although all people are undeserving sinners, God provided a way of escaping the just punishment of eternal death, with the reward of eternal life. It is God's desire that all mankind accept this gift. As the apostle Peter wrote, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). Hearing God's word, one must believe it, and believe Jesus Christ to be His Son, the Savior of the world. Repentance of a sinful past is also necessary, and the declaration of one's faith in (the) blood (of Jesus Christ),by being baptized into His body for the remission of past sins.

This demonstration of faith is the way, the only way, one can be justified in the sight of God, and be made free from the bondage of sin, under which all mankind has lived, from the initial fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Justification by faith excludes boasting. The crown of life, promised by God to all them that love Him (James 1:12), cannot be attained by the laws of man, nor earned by our own works. It is God's gift to His believing children. It can only be attained by obedience to God's law - by the law of faith. Less we boast, this crown of life cannot be placed upon our own head, nor can we place it upon another. However, it is God's gift, uncorrupted by human hands, and He will fulfill His promise by placing the crown of life on the head of everyone that is justified through the blood shed by His Son, Jesus Christ.