Boast in God’s Grace

Read 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:1

The whole context of this portion of Paul’s letter is talking about the reason behind Paul’s change in travel plans and also the ways he wants them to address someone that is causing problems in the church. In this, Paul wants to share the way the his confidence derives from God’s work of establishing Paul’s ground for boasting publicly. We think boasting is bad, but Paul is sharing that he acts in this world with uprightness and sincerity.

“Uprightness” and “sincerity” here are pertaining to moral purity. Therefore, we know from Paul’s previous letters he considers humans fully as sinners. We are sinful in nature so therefore the presence of uprightness and sincerity does not come from Paul himself but can only be attributed to coming from God. It is the result of the transforming work of God’s Spirit in the lives of his “new creation”.
So it points to God’s grace. Let’s talk about grace. We don’t give enough attention to grace. We talked about grace but I am not sure if we fully grasp grace and live with a fully understanding of grace. If we did, I think we would truly be open to living a life of thankfulness to God that extends it to us and also lives that would be extending it to one another.

Paul’s point in verse 12 is that his outward behavior, rather than calling his ministry into question, actually confirms the grace of God’s call in his life. Therefore in Paul’s boast about his clear conscience, Paul is not engaging in the self-glorification and self-dependence that he himself so strongly condemns. However, he is boasting in one’s honesty and sincerity, or in any other evidence of God’s grace, is to boast or glory properly in what God has done in and through one’s life.

Examine your own life and see if you are living as one who boasts in God’s grace. What would it take for you to be able to boast in His grace? What are things that are hindering you from doing that?