“So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.”
Romans 3:28 (NLT)
Paul wants us to see that there is a justification from God by faith that comes apart from the works of the law. The law shows us God’s standard and makes us aware of all the areas we fall short. To have a righteousness from God, we have to come into faith in Christ alone, to receive a salvation that is by grace alone. Our faith isn’t in the law. It’s in Jesus.
Salvation is 0% because of me and 100% because of Jesus. As a result, I have nothing to boast of in myself, but everything to boast of in Christ. We cannot boast of anything we did to earn the righteousness of God. We can praise God for it. We can testify of the good news. But we don’t boast of ourselves. We boast in Jesus.
In Acts 13:39, Paul says something very similar. Through Jesus Christ, everybody that believes is justified, is made right with God, from everything the Law of Moses was not able to justify you from. In every area where the law is incomplete, Jesus Christ finishes the story. He is the fulfillment. He is the answer. Our righteousness is from God through His grace to us. It’s available because Christ sacrificed His life, and it is completely apart from the law.
If our faith is even a little bit in us, it is not completely in Christ. And if our faith isn’t completely in Christ, we’ve got some surrendering to do. We need to have an honest conversation with God. So today, if you’re gonna boast of anything, boast of Christ and what He did for you. Your faith in what He did for you brings a righteousness from God that is apart from your effort, your doing, your goodness, or your perfection. This is the good news.