WHAT OR WHO ARE YOU BOASTING IN?
Jeremiah 9: 23 (NLT)
This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches.”
Looking at our world around us today, it is filled with men and women who boast in their wisdom (intellect), their power and/ or their wealth. It is within these things that their security lies or so they think, but it is a false, temporary security which cannot and will not help them in the day of distress and death. Death is one certainty in life that no one can escape and one’s wisdom, power or riches will not grant them an eternal home in heaven. The length of one’s life on this earth is a ‘blink of an eye’ in terms of eternity and every human being is given this gift of life, and this ‘blink of an eye’ in which to make the most important decision they will ever make – a decision which will determine where they will spend their eternity. It is not God’s decision where they will spend it, but it is their decision. God has already provided the gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, and has given every human being the free will to choose the way he or she wants to go.
Jesus said the following of Himself:
John 14: 6 (AMP)
“I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.”
If you are seeking the way, if you are seeking truth and if you need life, then you will find all these wrapped up in the beautiful person of Jesus Christ. It is important to note that neither the church throughout history or its leaders invented the claim of Jesus being the only way – it is not our claim, but His. We as the followers of Christ stand on the claims that He and the early apostles made.
John 8: 24 (AMP) – Jesus
“That is why I told you that you will die in (under the curse of) your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He (Whom I claim to be – if you do not adhere to, trust in, and rely on Me), you will die in your sins.”
Acts 4: 12 (AMP) – Apostle Peter speaking of Jesus.
“And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved.”
1 Timothy 2: 5 (AMP) – Apostle Paul
“For there (is only) one God, and (only) one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”
Looking at these verses, it is clear then that they are unified in their testimony. It is evident throughout scripture that no one can inherit everlasting life, come into a relationship with God and be in right standing with God except through the person of Jesus Christ. It is God’s desire that all men be saved (1 Timothy 2:4), but we know that not all men will be saved because they will not accept this truth.
From the day Jesus walked this earth, He was and still is a Stumbling Stone and a Rock of offense to those who are perishing. In my limited experience, I have found that some outside of Christ will still entertain a conversation with you regarding God, but mention Jesus Christ and they immediately become indignant towards you and sometimes some even flare up in anger like a cobra. The intellectual, the powerful and the rich of this world outside of Christ are often trying to make their own way to heaven – looking for a GPS that will give them an alternate route heavenward, as long as it doesn’t involve Jesus. Their GPS always involves a system of earning a place in heaven through self-effort and works. If you are outside of Christ, it doesn’t matter how much money you give or how many little orphans you feed and clothe, it will never allow you a place in heaven, it will not save you. If salvation was dependent on your works and good deeds, then what works qualify and how much? When will you know if you have done what is required to qualify for heaven and what happens if you come up short or you die before you are able to achieve what is required of you?
Paul, the apostle, addresses a similar situation in the book of Romans where he shows how the Jews were seeking a right relationship with God by putting faith in themselves and trusting that their works could earn favor with God, whereas the Gentiles of the day, when hearing the Gospel that Jesus had paid our debt for us, put their faith and trust in Jesus alone and accepted His gift of salvation. It amazes me how nothing has changed since biblical times.
Romans 9: 30-32 (AMP)
“What shall we say then? That Gentiles who did not follow after righteousness (who did not seek salvation by right relationship to God) have attained it by faith (a righteousness imputed by God, based on and produced by faith), Whereas Israel, though ever in pursuit of a law (for the securing) of righteousness (right standing with God), actually did not succeed in fulfilling the Law. For what reason? Because (they pursued it) not through faith, relying (instead) on the merit of their works (they did not depend on faith but on what they could do). They have stumbled over the Stumbling Stone.”
The point is, is that all will stand before God one day and all will be asked what they have done to deserve salvation. Here is the thing – not one person on this planet, Christian and non-Christian alike, have done a thing deserving of salvation. Not one person alone will be able to boast in their works or good behavior, not one! Why? Because our works and behavior will always come short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3: 10; 23). Jesus was the only one who lived and fulfilled God’s perfect standard. He did it for us and as us and that is why we cannot boast in ourselves but only in Him alone. Our only claim to salvation can be faith and trust in Jesus Christ who is our Lord and Savior.
Romans 3: 10 (KJV)
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”
Romans 3: 23 (KJV)
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Read on: A FREE GIFT!
