Boast only in the Cross

There are all sorts of things that give us pride. Texas A&M University itself is a university that is very much concerned with students having pride in their school, and around that is built a system of traditions and yells and such that cause school pride (and also cause lots of alumni giving). We can take pride in that, or other things we do, or things we've accomplished, or any number of other things. So what was Paul saying when he said that faith was a gift from God, not by works, so that no one can boast (Ephesians 2:9)?

One of the sins that we fall into is the sin of self-justification--that because we do something, we have some kind of inherent merit. Christians and non-Christians both suffer from this (although for a Christian, there is always the basic knowledge that we are meritless deep in our hearts and minds, otherwise we would not be Christians). One of the hardest things about Christianity is the fact that it teaches the total depravity of mankind--that we are capable of nothing good on our own and must rely on God alone to save us. That's a tough teaching to swallow, and it's the reason why the message of the Gospel is so offensive. People aren't willing to come to the feast and bring nothing--they want to be able to bring something to the table. Even many of us who are Christians want to pay God back for the gift of salvation, when in fact there is nothing we could possibly do to do that.

The Cross is the only merit there is for us. Christ's merit has been applied to us, and God sees us as meritorious and worthy of salvation because of Him. What great news, what an excellent story! Let us never forget that most basic truth of Christianity--that Jesus Christ died to save wretched sinners, took our sin on His account, and applied to us the merit of His perfect obedience. Hallelujah!

"I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom. But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection" (Townsend)

Luke