The Christian's One Boast

October 22nd, 2026
by Lance Waldie

1 Corinthians 1:29-31 …so that no man may boast before God. 30 But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Paul wrote what he wrote in order to clarify, beyond any doubt, that God and God alone is responsible for the salvation of all believers. Salvation from the penalty of sin is of God, from God, and all glory for our salvation must go to God. Although many wise and intelligent people have come to faith in Christ through the centuries, none come to faith because of their wisdom, intelligence, or social standing. God’s grace alone is responsible for the salvation of His elect children—His chosen ones, “so that no man may boast before God” (v. 29). If man had anything to do with his salvation, he would have something for which to boast. But he has nothing.

Though speaking directly to the Corinthians in v. 30, Paul’s words are for all Christians (cf. 1:2) when he says, “But by His doing”—solely God’s work, “you are in Christ Jesus.” Credit for salvation is clearly to be given exclusively to God through “Christ Jesus.” This is why the oft-repeated phrase is as it is: We are saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. It is by “His” doing—God’s work alone that Christians have repented of their unbelief.

In the second part of v. 30, Paul elaborates on “Christ Jesus,” saying, first, that He “became to us wisdom from God.” This is the first of four descriptions Paul gives in this verse of the believer’s sufficiency in Christ. That Christ “became” to us is assurance to believers of an event that has already transpired, indicated by the Greek aorist verb. The verb entails something about which Christ did for believers in the past. In this case, He became “to us the wisdom of God.” Based on Paul’s argument in this context (vv. 19-31), “wisdom of God” is that which transcends worldly wisdom which in and of itself is unable to lead an unbeliever to saving faith. So, the “wisdom of God” is a gift from God that enables an unbeliever to become a believer in Christ. Christ Himself has thus become to believers our wisdom—the wisdom of God (cf. Col. 2:2b-3).

Second, Christ has become every Christian’s “righteousness” (dikaiosunē). This term speaks of the quality of being upright in one’s standing before God. Though all sin and fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23), through faith in Christ one is justified—declared righteous by God (Rom. 3:23-28). Christ is therefore the Christian’s “righteousness.”

Third, Christ has become every Christian’s “sanctification” (hagiasmos). This term means “to be set apart; to be holy.” In Christ, and in Christ alone, is a believer set apart from unbelievers. Over time, this set-apartness grows, matures, and becomes morally distinct. Hence, the term “sanctification”—the ongoing process of become more and more dedicated to Christ who Himself is our sanctification. He alone is the believer’s holiness. Nothing else.

Fourth, Christ has become every Christian’s “redemption” (apolutrōsis)—the “release of payment.” If every Christian owes eternal death as the wages of sin (Rom. 6:23), then Christ’s payment for sin on the cross means that He is our redemption. So, on the cross we see Christ’s death on our behalf. What we owed God in death, Christ paid. He is thus our redemption.

With all of this being true, and with man having nothing for which to boast before God regarding his salvation, Paul quotes Jeremiah 9:23, saying that if a person should boast, he should only boast in knowing the Lord God: “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things” (Jer. 9:23-24).

Paul’s point? No one is to glory in man. Paul, Apollos, and Peter have no more of Christ than any other believer. There should thus be no divisions in the church around men (1:10-11).

Food For Thought
By declaring believers in Christ “righteous,” God has saved us (past tense) from the penalty of sin. Through our spiritual maturity in Christ over time—our “sanctification,” we are currently (present tense) being saved from the power of sin. And because of the promise of God to bring about our full “redemption,” we will one day (future tense) be saved from the very presence of sin. Paul leaves every Christian with nothing for which to boast except what Christ has done in and through them. All glory belongs to Christ alone. Now our only boast is that we know Him.