Righteous Boasting and Confronting Others with Scripture
Righteous Boasting and Confronting Others with Scripture
The concept of righteous boasting is rooted in biblical teachings, where believers are encouraged to boast in the Lord and their faith, rather than in themselves [11]. According to Aquinas, boasting is considered a vice when it involves speaking of oneself above one's true worth, but it can be virtuous when directed towards glorifying God [7].
In the biblical context, righteous boasting is associated with confidence in one's faith and the power of prayer. James 5:16 states that "the prayer of a righteous one has great strength, having been made effective" [4]. This verse highlights the importance of living a righteous life, which is characterized by obedience to God's law and a commitment to justice and righteousness [5].
Confronting others with Scripture is also a key aspect of Christian conduct. Proverbs 31:9 instructs believers to "open your mouth, judge righteousness, and defend the poor and needy" [1]. This verse emphasizes the need to speak out against injustice and to defend those who are vulnerable. In the New Testament, 1 Peter 2:12 encourages believers to "have your conversation honest among the Gentiles" so that others may glorify God [2, 3].
The early Church Fathers also addressed the issue of confronting others with Scripture. Augustine argued that Christians should not be deterred by the criticisms of others, but rather should continue to proclaim the truth of Scripture [6]. Calvin similarly emphasized the importance of standing firm in one's faith, even in the face of opposition, and of using Scripture to confront others with the truth [10].
In Jewish tradition, the Babylonian Talmud provides insight into the complexities of confronting others. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi's encounter with a heretic illustrates the need for caution and discernment when engaging with those who challenge the legitimacy of Scripture [9].
The Reformed tradition has also contributed to the discussion on righteous boasting and confronting others with Scripture. Calvin's Institutes emphasize the importance of humility and the need to avoid self-righteousness, while also affirming the value of standing firm in one's faith [8, 10, 12].
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 31:9 (LEB) — Open your mouth, judge righteousness, and defend the poor and needy.”
- King James Version “[KJV] 1 Peter 2:12 — Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
- I Peter “I Peter 2:12 (KJV) — Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
- James “James 5:16 (LITV) — Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous one has great strength, having been made effective.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness — Is obedience to God's law -- De 6:25; Ro 10:5; Lu 1:6; Ps 1:2. God loves -- Ps 11:7. God looks for -- Isa 5:7. Christ Is the Son of. -- Mal 4:2. Loves. -- Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9. Was girt with. -- Isa 11:5. Put on, as breast-plate. -- Isa 59:17. Was sustained by. -- Isa 59:16. Preached. -- Ps 40:9. Fulfilled all. -- Mt 3:15. Is made to his people. -- 1Co 1:30. Is the end of the law for. -- Ro 10:4. Has brought in everlasting. -- Da 9:24. Shall judge with. -- Ps 72:2; Isa 11:4; Ac 17:31; Re 19:11. Shall reign in. -- Ps 45:6; Isa 32:1; Heb 1:8. Shall execute.”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. I.--HOW THE PRETENSIONS OF THE MANICHAEANS ARE TO BE REFUTED. TWO MANICHAEAN FALSEHOODS. (part 1): I. ENOUGH, probably, has been done in our other books [2] in the way of answering the ignorant and profane attacks which the Manichaeans make on the law, which is called the Old Testament, in a spirit of vainglorious boasting, and with the approval of the uninstructed. Here, too, I may shortly touch upon the subject. For every one with average intelligence can easily see that the explanation of the Scriptures should be sought for fro”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Boasting, Art. 1: Article: Whether boasting is opposed to the virtue of truth? I answer that, "Jactantia" [boasting] seems properly to denote the uplifting of self by words: since if a man wishes to throw [jactare] a thing far away, he lifts it up high. And to uplift oneself, properly speaking, is to talk of oneself above oneself [*Or 'tall-talking' as we should say in English]. This happens in two ways. For sometimes a man speaks of himself, not above what he is in himself, but above that which he is esteemed by ”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 66: itself prohibits us from transferring the peculiar properties of the one to the other. In the confusion of a twofold grace, which Osiander obtrudes upon us, there is a similar absurdity. Because those whom God freely regards as righteous, he in fact renews to the cultivation of righteousness, Osiander confounds that free acceptance with this gift of regeneration, and contends that they are one and the same. But Scriptures while combining both, classes them separately, that it may the better display the manifold grace of God. Nor is”
- Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 105b.9: The Gemara relates: There was a certain heretic who was in Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi’s neighborhood who would upset him by incessantly challenging the legitimacy of biblical verses. One day, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi took a rooster and tied it by its legs and sat and waited. He said: When that moment of God’s wrath arrives, I will curse him. When that moment of God’s wrath arrived, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi dozed off. When he awakened, he said: Conclude from the fact that I dozed off that it is not proper conduct to curse even the wicked, as it is written: “Punis”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 69: declares, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance?” ( Mt. 9:13 ). If sinners alone are admitted, why do we seek admission by means of fictitious righteousness? 6. The thought is ever and anon recurring to me, that I am in danger of insulting the mercy of God by laboring with so much anxiety to maintain it, as if it were doubtful or obscure. Such, however, is our malignity in refusing to concede to God what belongs to him until most strongly urged that I am obliged to insist at greater length. But as Scriptur”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 23: is 152 elsewhere contrasted with our “own righteousness” ( Rom. x. 8 ; Phil. iii. 9 ); and because it is declared to be the righteousness of Christ ( Rom. v. 18 ), which is ( Rom. v. 19 ) explained by his “obedience,” and in Romans v. 9 and elsewhere declared to be “his blood.” This righteousness of Christ is the righteousness of God, because Christ is God; because God has provided, revealed, and offers it; and because it avails before God as a sufficient ground on which He can declare the believing sinner righteous. Herein lies the savin”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 75: him for the use of it? By no means. He shows the perpetual efficacy of a pure and pious prayer, that we may be induced in like manner to pray. For the kindness and readiness of God to hear others is malignantly interpreted, if their example does not inspire us with stronger confidence in his promise, since his declaration is not that he will incline his ear to one or two, or a few individuals, but to all who call upon his name. In this ignorance they are the less excusable, because they seem as it were avowedly to contemn the many ”