so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:29-31
The passage above gives us two wonderful statements on the purpose of God. In context, they point to God’s overarching purpose in how (vs. 17-25) and whom (vs. 26-28) he saves. But as you look through the pages of Scripture, it becomes clear that this is in line with God’s purpose in all that he does.
That purpose? A) To eliminate all human-centered boasting in the presence of God and, B) to direct all boasting to the Lord. The word for “boast” means to take pride in, glory in, or to trust and put one’s full confidence in something.
It sounds crazy to much thinking in our world, but God’s purpose is to humble all human pride and self-sufficiency and self-reliance, and to direct us to boast and rejoice and rely on and be satisfied in him and him alone. God intends and desires for us to find him to be a greater, more satisfying, more worthwhile treasure than anything or anyone else.
And the ultimate means that God accomplishes this in us is our seeing and embracing “Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). All that Christ accomplished for us on the cross, all the benefits he brings us—taking away our sin and guilt, cleansing us, giving us his perfect righteousness and favor with God—are not merely for our benefit, but for our boasting.
In other words, God’s purpose is not merely to save you and give you eternal life, but to conform you into someone who boasts in the Lord, beginning now and into eternity. That’s what God is up to in all that he has done, and is doing.