Boasting in the Lord means finding your identity, worth, satisfaction, and purpose in God rather than in yourself or your accomplishments. It is recognizing that all you have and all you’ve achieved is by God’s grace alone (1 Corinthians 4:7). Boasting in yourself leads to pride, but boasting in the Lord leads to humility and thanksgiving.
The Bible has a lot to say about boasting, both positive and negative. We are warned against boasting in human wisdom, strength, or riches (Jeremiah 9:23). But we are encouraged to boast in the Lord and what He has done for us. Here are some key aspects of what it means to boast in the Lord:
Boasting in God’s love and grace
As Christians, our fundamental identity and worth comes not from anything we’ve done, but from God’s freely given love for us in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). We contributed nothing to our salvation – it is entirely by grace. So we have no grounds to boast in ourselves, only in God’s gracious love (Romans 3:27). We can boast in a God who loved us so much that He sent His only Son to redeem us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).
Boasting in the cross of Christ
The message of the cross is foolishness and weakness to the world, but for Christians it is our greatest boast (1 Corinthians 1:18-25). We boast in what Christ accomplished there – bearing our sins, enduring God’s wrath, forgiving our trespasses, disarming the demonic powers against us, and triumphing over sin and death on our behalf (Colossians 2:13-15). The cross is the ultimate demonstration of God’s wisdom, power and love towards us.
Boasting in knowing God
Intimate relationship with God Himself is our greatest gift and privilege as Christians. We can boast in knowing God through Christ, having His very Spirit dwell within us, and being called the children of God (Jeremiah 9:24, Romans 8:14-17). To know the eternal, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving Creator should inspire endless boasting in every believer.
Boasting in our weakness
Humility is at the heart of boasting in the Lord. Like Paul, we can actually boast in our weaknesses, because when we are weak, we rely more fully on God’s strength (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Our failures and limitations showcase God’s gracious support and sufficiency. The less we have to boast about in ourselves, the more reason we have to boast in the Lord.
How do we boast in the Lord?
Practically speaking, here are some ways we can boast in the Lord in our daily lives:
- Praise and thank Him for every good thing in our lives, since they all come from His hand.
- Share testimony of what God has done for us personally.
- Exalt in His character, works and redemptive acts throughout history.
- Find our primary identity and satisfaction in belonging to Christ.
- Trust in His strength when we are feeling weak and inadequate.
- Give Him glory in all things – don’t take credit for what He has done.
- Refuse to put confidence in our achievements or abilities.
- Be quick to share the gospel – boast in its saving message.
Why should we boast in the Lord?
Boasting in the Lord is the appropriate response for believers because:
- It is rooted in humility and gives God glory for every good thing (Psalm 115:1).
- It frees us from pride and self-glorification, which God resists (James 4:6).
- It reminds us that everything we have comes from God’s grace.
- It gives us confidence – if God is for us, who can stand against us? (Romans 8:31)
- It causes us to put our hope and trust in God rather than ourselves.
- It overflows from a heart filled with gratefulness and love for God.
- It spurs us on to live for His purposes and praise.
What are the results of boasting in the Lord?
Some of the wonderful fruits that come from properly boasting in God include:
- Salvation: “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galatians 6:14)
- Strength: “…but those who boast shall boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:17-18)
- Provision: “The stingy are eager to get rich and are unaware that poverty awaits them. Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.” (Proverbs 28:22-25)
- Guidance: “The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Psalm 32:8)
- Hope: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again – my Savior and my God!” (Psalm 42:11)
Warnings about boastful pride
While Scripture encourages boasting in God, it sternly warns against proud or self-reliant boasting. Here are some dangers of boastful pride:
- Boasting in wealth is foolish because it is fleeting (Psalm 49:6-7).
- Boasting about tomorrow is foolish because we don’t know what will happen (Proverbs 27:1).
- Self-confident boasting sets us up for failure and humiliation (Proverbs 25:14).
- Boasting in our works nullifies God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-9).
- Proud boasting is detestable to God (Proverbs 6:16-17).
- God can humble the proud and lay low the lofty boasts of man (Isaiah 10:33).
The antidote to proud boasting is humble boasting in the Lord. He gives grace to the humble but opposes the proud (James 4:6). The one who boasts should boast in the Lord for our righteous standing before Him (1 Corinthians 1:30-31).
Examples of boasting in the Lord
Many godly men and women in the Bible provide inspiring examples of boasting in God:
- David: “My mouth is filled with your praise, declaring your splendor all day long… I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart…The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad.” (Psalm 35:28, Psalm 34:2, Psalm 118:24)
- Isaiah: “No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, nor the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord your God will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” (Isaiah 60:19)
- Jeremiah: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
- Habakkuk: “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” (Habakkuk 3:17-18)
- Paul: “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee…But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:4-7)
Boasting in humility
Though boasting in the Lord may seem like a contradiction, in a sense we are boasting in God’s goodness and grace toward us. But this kind of boasting should always be marked by humility. As 1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “In your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect…” True boasting in the Lord recognizes that we have nothing to offer Him except our praise and thanks for the salvation and blessings He has freely given.
Balancing boasting and humility
The proper biblical balance between boasting and humility can be summarized as follows:
- Don’t boast about human achievements, strength or wisdom.
- Don’t boast about your own works but glory only in God’s grace.
- Boast in Christ’s redemptive work, not your own merits.
- Boast in God’s power at work within your weaknesses.
- Boast in knowing God through Christ by the Spirit.
- In boasting, exalt God rather than self.
- Let your boasting display God’s worth and glory, not your own.
- Boast in reverent boldness, always with gentleness and humility.
When our boasting is genuinely God-centered and Spirit-led, it strikes the right balance of exalting God’s greatness while recognizing our dependence on Him as the source of all good things.
Conclusion
To boast in the Lord means joyfully recognizing and proclaiming that every good thing we have comes from Him. It frees us from pride and self-reliance. It exalts God, builds our faith and spurs us to live for His glory. When we boast in the Lord, we are lifted out of discouragement, worry, envy and despair. We find confidence, hope and strength to face life’s trials. Boasting shifts our focus from ourselves to the all-sufficiency of our God. It reminds us that the greatest treasure we have is knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. May we all learn to boast more and more in Him.