Written on 25 August 2025.

The Levelling Work of God and Christian Boasting

In the New Testament, there is a clear theme that God acts as the great leveller among men. No person has reason to glory in themselves or in their works, because salvation is entirely of God. Attempts to compare oneself with others as being "better" or "less guilty" fall under the condemnation of Scripture. This principle applies to anyone who would exalt themselves above fellow believers by appealing to their own sufferings, works, or supposed lesser sins.

The Pharisee and the Publican

The Lord Jesus Christ gave a parable that speaks directly to this matter:

Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
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. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Luke 18:10-14, KJV)

Here the Pharisee exalted himself by comparing his life to others, but it was the humble publican who was justified before God.

No Flesh Shall Glory

Paul explained that God deliberately chooses the weak, the base, and the despised so that none can glory in their own merit:

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
That no flesh should glory in his presence. (1 Corinthians 1:27-29, KJV)

This is the divine levelling — pride is stripped away so that only Christ is exalted.

The Bringing Down of the Proud

Mary’s song in Luke also testifies that God overturns human hierarchies:

He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. (Luke 1:51-52, KJV)

This principle is repeated elsewhere:

God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. (James 4:6, KJV)

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6, KJV)

Application

When a Christian emphasizes that they have only committed "lesser" sins (such as petty theft or carrying a weapon) and have avoided "greater" sins (such as sexual offenses or murder), this risks falling into the same trap as the Pharisee who boasted that he was not like "other men." The gospel levels all men before God. Romans 3:23 declares: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Therefore, attempts to exalt oneself by saying, "I am persecuted, I preach the gospel, I live a Christian life, and others are worse than me," are contrary to the spirit of the New Testament. It is Christ alone who saves, not our comparisons, and God will humble the proud so that all glory belongs to Him.

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