Boast in the Lord [Awakening Faith]

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 – 31)

What is the right kind of boasting? What is the source of human greatness? Scripture says, “The man who boasts must boast of this, that he knows and understands that I am the Lord” (Jer. 9:24). So our greatness, our glory and majesty, is to know in truth what is great, to hold fast to it, and to seek glory from the Lord of glory. Boasting in God is perfect and complete when we take no pride in our own righteousness but acknowledge that we are utterly lacking in true righteousness and have been made righteous only by faith in Christ.

Paul boasts of the fact that he holds his own righteousness in contempt and seeks the righteousness of faith that comes through Christ and is from God. He wants only to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and to participate in his sufferings by dying with Christ in the hope that he may arrive at the resurrection of the dead.

In Paul we see all arrogant pride laid low. There is nothing left for us to boast of in our humanity, for our boasting and hope lie in putting to death all that is our own and seeking the future life that is in Christ. Since we have its firstfruits in the person of Christ, we now live entirely in the grace and gift of God.

Basil the Great

Awakening Faith: Daily Devotionals from the Early Church

by James Stuart Bell and Patrick J. Kelly

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