Who boasted first ?

The believers who have now followed the radical grace would now boast about it. However, boasting radically to seek God's favour will only show that they are still very much like the worldly self seekers. Paul has just warned us from his words that all manner of boasting is from the flesh, whether it is done in the name of the laws or grace:

• 2Co 11:17-20 LITV  What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as in foolishness, in this boldness of boasting.  (18)  Since many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast.  (19)  For you with pleasure endure fools, being wise.  (20)  For you endure if anyone enslaves you, if anyone devours, if anyone takes away from you, if anyone exalts self, if anyone beats you in the face.

Hence, Paul would not like to boast neither would he want any of us to boast. He boasted only because the false ministers had boasted first. If you are the believers of grace and righteousness, it does not mean that you must boast until the believers of other churches who preach more on God's laws and commandments must 'bow in shame'. It does not mean that they have less righteousness of God just because they boast less than you:

• Luk 18:11 KJV  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Did Paul really boast ?

In fact, Paul did not receive less favour God compared with our modern preachers. If he were the modern preacher today, he could boast that he has more anointing, produced more millionaires, preached better, prospered more shops when he entered the shops, flew in first class aeroplane more often by God's super abundant grace, prophesied more accurately, cast out more demons, work more miracles, call on the name of the Lord more than others .. etc. But why didn't he boast about all these; instead, he would rather boast about his sufferings, infirmities, and lacks? something which our modern preachers would never do? or cannot do ?

• 2Co 11:22-31 KJV  Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.  (23)  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.  (24)  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.  (25)  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;  (26)  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  (27)  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.  (28)  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.  (29)  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?  (30)  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.  (31)  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.

Those who love to boast would say, "Oh, we have boasted like Paul too. We did not boast about how smart we are. We boast of our weaknesses. We boast of our inability to speak. We boast of our lacks. When we were poor, we stayed in small houses. We did not have much money. But now we have become rich. We have become multi-millionaires. We have big bank accounts. Money would just roll in effortlessly. We don't need to work hard, sweat like others, and become stressed. We 'sweat' with our mouths. Haha, we have now made more money than others. We have also made many poor preachers jealous of us.. Haha.. who says we cannot boast in the Lord. We boast that God's favours has come to us like magnets. Heh.. heh.. We have found favours even among the unrighteous. There is a transfer of wealth to the churches from the unrighteous. Even the casino has shown favour to us when we need a place. They gave us very cheap rental to use their premise for our Sunday worship, with the hope that our church members will eat in their restaurants, buy from their luxuries shops, and enter their casino. Well, we are the only church who have got such a great deal and fantastic offer. You won't find any churches who have got more favour than us. Haha .. we are so blessed because we are the righteousness of God.. We are the disciples whom Jesus love.. We can never fall.. we have no more future sins.. we have superabundant grace, disproportionate grace, irrational grace, weird grace, incredible grace, and radical grace.. We are boasting in the Lord. We are more humble than others because of this supernatural grace.. As He is humble, we are humble. As He is .., so are we.."
I will tell them, Wow, fantastic boasting and radical grace preaching. Full stop.

Paul knew why false ministers would like to boast

By the way, I have realised something. I now know why most boastful preachers can preach better than many others. They can talk the whole day without any script and cannot stop. That's because boasting is a form of additive and effortless 'exercise' for the brains and the tongues. Bragging about themselves or about their 'supernatural' favours can keep them going on and on while they would not just glory themselves; they would also entertain others too. Hence, they all may seem to enjoy it greatly. However, they will never want to know how the Lord or others think about them:
Luk 18:11-12 KJV  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  (12)  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess ....
I have a little feeling that Paul would only 'boast' about his sufferings, infirmities, lacks, or 'humility', not because he loved to boast, but because he did not want to identify himself with the arrogant false ministers, who boasted excessively or radically. He knew that the false ministers could boast more convincingly than him by always boasting in the name of the Lord or calling the name of the Lord in everything and in every justification. Yes, we may think that Paul could hardly hold on because the false ministers had boasted so much in God that he could only look on as more and more believers being snatched away from him, and he could not do anything. However, he was careful not to boast like the false ministers who knew how to boast with increased popularity and false righteousness. He would rather 'boast' differently:

• 2Co 11:12-16 KJV  But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.  (13)  For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  (14)  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  (15)  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.  (16)  I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little. (Hence, Satan would not just boast in the law of circumcision; he could also boast in grace, in righteousness, in prosperity, in favour, in good life, or in anything which shows that he is a minister of God or apostle of Christ)
• Mat 7:21-23 KJV  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  (22)  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  (23)  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Those who boast, Please don't feel offended because others can 'boast' differently 

If we are the believers of radical grace and behave like the Pharisees, we have not believed in the grace of God. We are still very much like the self-seekers. Please check if the motives of all our radical boasting is to exalt ourselves and shame others? If yes, it will only shame ourselves, it cannot save. Some may argue that this post has judged, shamed, and condemned people too. But I would think that only the boaster or those who like to boast should feel shameful. Paul would tell them, "You want to boast ? Then don't feel condemned when I start to boast."

• 2Co 11:15-20 KJV  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.  (16)  I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.  (17)  That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.  (18)  Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.  (19)  For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.  (20)  For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.

Do we need to confess it or boast about it radically?
Please think, if no one need to confess about their radical humility or that he is radically humble before God, no one should confess grace radically too. We should check our motive or the need to confess anything radically. If we are really blessed or favoured radically, why don't we bless other radically or give to others radically rather than confess it radically or boast about it radically (like the Pharisee in Luke 18:10-12 ) ?

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