Boasting Excluded
A Sermon on Romans 3:27-31
Originally preached April 5, 1957
Scripture
27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also …
Sermon Description
Merely knowing the truth will not save anyone. The Jews are a vivid example of this desperate condition as they often they prided themselves as God’s chosen people and thus did not need Paul’s teachings. However, Paul shows that boasting in works or heritage will do nothing in terms of one’s salvation. Salvation is open to all people, yet there is nothing that one actually does that merits salvation; it is truly only by the work of the Lord. It may seem that Paul has been repeating the same statements several times in the previous chapters of this epistle, and Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones adds that this is because the message is crucial and because of sin, the truth does not always appear right away to those who are listening. In this sermon on Romans 3:27–31 titled “Boasting Excluded,” Dr. Lloyd-Jones also shows that all are guilty of boasting. Sometimes a Christian may say that their faith or works are the reason they receive salvation, but that is wrong. One’s faith is merely the instrument by which they receive salvation, and their works are merely the outward expression of the work of the Lord. The Christian should be very mindful that their faith is not only intellectual or a belief; it must be a true element of trust and commitment in their lives.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul goes on to make three further points after expounding on the doctrine of atonement.
- The first point is that God's way of salvation through Christ's blood leaves no room for boasting. Boasting is excluded.
- The word "boasting" is one of Paul's favorite words. Boasting was the central trouble of the Jews and unregenerate men.
- Paul asks if there is any vestige of boasting left after understanding the doctrine of atonement. Boasting is turned out of court once and for all.
- Paul clarifies that boasting is excluded not by the law of works but by the law of faith. "Law" here means principle. Boasting is excluded by the principle of faith, not works.
- Some wrongly teach that God first gave the law of works, then replaced it with an easier law of faith. But this does not exclude boasting and does not establish the law.
- Paul reinforces that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law. Our works in response to the law do not come in at all.
- Faith is the instrument of salvation, not the cause. We are not justified because of faith but by faith. Faith links us to Christ's righteousness.
- We must not boast of faith. Faith is not righteousness but links us to Christ's righteousness. Christ's righteousness, not our faith, saves us.
- James 2:24 says "a man is justified by works and not by faith only." But James and Paul do not contradict. They had different objectives.
- James was dealing with those who said faith but meant mere belief. He shows belief is useless without works, like saying "be warm and filled" without giving what is needed.
- James argues against separating belief and committal. Mere belief does not save. Faith means belief, trust, and committal.
- Paul asserts faith has nothing to do with works of law. James asserts faith means more than mere belief. They agree but have different emphases.
- Rushing people into decisions based on mere belief is misguided. Mere belief does not prove one is in the kingdom or has living faith. Signs of living faith and fruit of the Spirit must be seen.
- In summary, boasting is excluded in every way. We are justified by faith apart from works of law. Faith links us to Christ's righteousness which alone saves us.
Sermon Q&A
Questions About Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Romans 3:27-31
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say is the first characteristic of God's salvation in Romans 3:27-31?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the first characteristic of God's salvation in Romans 3:27-31 is that it excludes all boasting. As he states, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded." This is a key characteristic because salvation is by faith and not by works, which means humans have nothing to boast about in their salvation.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the seeming contradiction between Paul and James on justification?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that there is no contradiction between Paul and James. They were addressing different problems and different audiences. Paul was showing that works under the law don't contribute to salvation, while James was confronting those who claimed to have faith but showed no evidence of it in their lives. James was dealing with "believism" - people who merely gave intellectual assent without true commitment. As Lloyd-Jones puts it, "They're both saying the same things, but they're looking at it from different angles."
What are the three characteristics of God's salvation described in this sermon?
The three characteristics of God's salvation that Dr. Lloyd-Jones identifies in Romans 3:27-31 are: 1) It excludes all boasting, 2) It is a way of salvation that is open to both Jews and Gentiles (distinctions are abolished), and 3) It asserts and establishes the law rather than making it void.
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say polemics and argumentation are necessary in Christian teaching?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones defends polemics and argumentation because: 1) The Scriptures themselves use these methods, 2) Sin makes it necessary to state truth both positively and negatively, 3) It helps clarify the truth and refute error, and 4) It addresses real difficulties people have. He criticizes the modern tendency to avoid doctrinal arguments, saying: "if you hold that view...you are criticizing the apostle Paul. You're saying that he is wrong. You're criticizing the scriptures."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones teach about the true nature of saving faith?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones teaches that saving faith is more than intellectual assent. He explains that "faith is never something isolated or alone" and should never be divorced from its object - Christ and His work. Faith has several elements: 1) Awareness of truth, 2) Belief and acceptance of that truth, and 3) Commitment and abandonment to that truth. He emphasizes that "faith is nothing but the instrument or the channel by which this righteousness of God in Christ becomes ours. It isn't faith that saves us. What saves us? The Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect work."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones refute the idea that salvation is just a change from the "law of works" to the "law of faith"?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones refutes the teaching that God replaced the difficult "law of works" with the easier "law of faith." He calls this interpretation "tragically wrong" for two reasons: 1) It contradicts verse 31 where Paul says faith establishes rather than voids the law, and 2) It turns faith itself into a work, which reintroduces boasting. He states, "If you say that the difference between the old and the new is this...Now I'm simply asked to believe...Well, thereby you are turning faith and belief into a work."
According to Lloyd-Jones, why did Paul add verses 27-31 after his climactic statement about the atonement?
Lloyd-Jones suggests several reasons why Paul continued his argument: 1) The greatness and importance of the subject demanded clarity, 2) Sin makes it necessary to state truth both negatively and positively, 3) Paul was addressing real difficulties in the minds of his readers, especially Jewish Christians, and 4) The apostle knew the importance of argumentation and polemics in establishing truth and refuting error.
What warning does Dr. Lloyd-Jones give about rushing people into "decisions" in evangelistic meetings?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones warns against rushing people into decisions by merely getting them to assent to doctrinal propositions. He says, "I would not venture to say that any man is in the kingdom of God until he gives some manifestation of the fruits of the spirit, until he shows certain signs that he has a living faith." He gives an example of someone who was told "you're in the kingdom" just for intellectually agreeing with facts, which Lloyd-Jones says is insufficient for true conversion.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.