Are You a Boaster or Have You Been Quickened by God’s Holy Spirit?

© 2023 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Boasting is the natural tendency of unsaved, unrepentant mankind.  This tendency shall increase as the “last days” progress.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, …” (2 Timothy 3:1-2)

How could any unsaved person remain boastful?  Boasting comes from not comprehending one’s true predicament before a Holy God.  This is sometimes associated with denial of God’s very existence.  A person may choose to replace belief in God, the creator, with belief in evolution.  Evolutionary theory is inconsistent with true scientific principles.  However, admitting this would require recognizing one’s immense level of sinfulness and accountability before that infinitely Holy God.  Evolutionary theory seems to provide an excuse for denying accountability to God and His requirements which we’ve violated.  The unsaved person feels much more comfortable pointing to his or her own good works.  Otherwise he or she must admit that only Christ’s finished sacrificial death, at Calvary, is sufficient to put away sin.

I once met a respectable lady on the street.  A conversation ensued in which I asked where she thought she would spend eternity after death.  She confidently declared she would be in heaven.  When I asked her why she was so confident, she began to list various things for which she was proud.  She said that she had lived a good life.  She faithfully attended her church and was a member in good standing.  She said she had acted kindly toward others.  Never once did she mention faith in Christ who had sacrificially died for sinners at Calvary.  She expected admission to Heaven because of her own works of righteousness.

God’s Word, however, makes it clear that salvation comes, not by our own works, but by God’s Grace.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

This grace is provided when the Lord quickens the soul of a spiritually dead person.  “Quickened” is a word used frequently in the Bible.  It means “made alive.”  Speaking to those who are trusting Christ’s finished redemptive work, scripture says,

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:  Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.  But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” (Ephesians 2:1-5)

Are you boasting of your own good works, or have you been quickened by the finished work of Jesus Christ?

 

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