PAUL'S AMAZING TEACHINGS | BOASTING IN THE LORD ( 1 CORINTHIANS 1:31 )
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3182
PAUL'S AMAZING TEACHINGS
BOASTING IN THE LORD ( 1 CORINTHIANS 1:31 )
Paul realised his calling to share the gospel to the Gentiles.
"In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" ( 2 Cor. 4:4 ).
Paul went further and called pre-believers "dead in sin and trespass" ( Eph. 2:1 ).
To those who are blind and dead - spiritually speaking - Paul considered it his ministerial duty to share the gospel of light and resurrection life. What else do blind and dead people need the most?
His chief purpose was to fulfill the scripture, "Those who have never been told about Him will see Him: and those who have never heard will understand" ( Paul quoting Isaiah in Romans 15:21 ).
In fact, he said he had a right to be proud of his work of spreading the message of the gospel.
In 1 Corinthians 1:31, Paul, quoting Jeremiah 9:24, says, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord".
Paul is obviously not talking about sinful boasting.
We have no reason to boast because, humanly speaking, we are “weak,” “foolish,” “lowly,” and “despised.” All the glory goes to God and God alone (see Isaiah 42:8).
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
True boasting in the Lord is actually boasting of the Lord—boasting of His great attributes, boasting of what He has done for us, of what He is still doing, and of what He has promised to do.
ABBA FATHER, as Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight,’ declares the LORD.”
