The idea of ‘boasting' in English carries negative or prideful connotations. This is the furthest thing from Paul's mind here.
“boast” is from a Gk word that has the idea of 'good glorying' or 'rejoicing'. To boast is to exult in.
Whether a boast is sin or virtue depends on who is being praised, self or God.
There are only two religions in the world: The religion of Human Achievement; and, The religion of Divine Accomplishment.
The former, initiated, inspired and promoted by Satan. The latter, initiated, inspired and promoted by God.
One appeals to the flesh, prompted and excited by the father of lies and deception. The other, appeals to the heart, prompted and illuminated by the Holy Spirit of truth.
Wherever he went, Paul “determined to know nothing…except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).
In his letter to the Philippian church Paul renounced all his personal religious achievements (Phil. 3). His boast was limited to Divine Accomplishment alone. His boast was in the Cross.
The supreme symbol for our faith in Divine Accomplishment is the Cross of Jesus Christ.
To understand the profundity of this Divine Accomplishment, Paul discloses its depiction to us in our passage:
1. The Means: The Cross (v14); 2. The Mirror: A New Creation (v15); 3. The Measure: The Canon (v16); 4. The Marks: A Caution (v17); 5. The Miracle: Our Celebration (v18)
We will be discussing the first two: The Means and The Mirror.
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