Should Christians be Proud?


Romans 15:14-22
14I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.
15But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.
18For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed,
19by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;
20and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation,
21but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”
22This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.

I pray there are times in your life when you walk away from a task, a project, a meeting, a class . . . and think, “That was cool. God really gave us some great stuff there. I did a good job.” As Christians I think we spend a great deal of time putting ourselves down and thinking about how we’re wretched sinners without allowing ourselves to go the other way. Sometimes, it’s okay it be proud of what you’ve done in and with the Lord.

If it’s okay for Paul to express those feelings than I’m going to go with it too. “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.” (Verse 17) It's a tightrope that we walk – giving all the glory to God while recognizing that He is working through us. It is our hands that are accomplishing the goal. It’s okay to feel pride in a job done for God. Maybe if we spent more time in the neighborhood of proudly working hard for God rather than the “wretched sinner though I be” neighborhood, people might be drawn to the faith a little more. Yes, we are wretched sinners. I won’t deny that and I won’t even stop talking about it. But I think it’s time to spend an equal amount of time being proud of the fact that God gives me worthwhile things to do that bring Him glory. It doesn’t make me great. It makes God great. I’m with Paul, “In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.”

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