No — no one can merit heaven by works, and therefore boasting is excluded.
Scripture says that if Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had reason to glory — but not before God (Romans 4:2). Romans 3:27 asks, 'Where is boasting then? It is excluded,' and Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is not of works, 'lest any man should boast.' Les Feldick adds a vivid picture: a works-based heaven would be full of people constantly telling what they did to get there, which is exactly what will not happen.
Romans 4:2 — Uses Abraham as the test case: even the great patriarch could not boast before God if his justification were by works.
Romans 3:27 — Asks directly, 'Where is boasting then?' and answers that it is excluded by the law of faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9 — Gives the doctrinal reason: salvation is a gift received through faith, not of works, so no one can boast.
The Bible puts the question of boasting in unmistakable terms. In Romans 4:2, Paul takes Abraham, the most honored Old Testament believer, and says: 'For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.' Abraham could have boasted before other people if his achievements had earned God’s favor, but he could never stand before God and recite what he had done. Romans 3:27 narrows it further: 'Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.' Boasting is not merely discouraged; it is excluded because faith — not law-keeping — is the principle on which justification rests. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains the design of salvation: 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.' The entire arrangement is structured so human performance can never become a source of pride.
Les Feldick hammers home the same truth with a memorable picture: 'Wouldn't heaven be an awful, boring place if you had to stop every five seconds and listen to somebody tell you everything that they did to get there?' If works were the basis of salvation, every redeemed person would be reciting his own achievements for all eternity, and people would cross the golden street to avoid hearing the same stories again. Instead, Les says every believer will only be able to claim the same thing: 'I'm here for one reason — the finished work of the cross. Faith plus nothing.' With that one claim, there is no room to brag. Les applies this to Abraham as well. Abraham became a great man known throughout history, but he could not boast one word before God. If Abraham had been justified by works, he would have had something to glory in before other people, but not before God. While waiting for the promised heir, Abraham failed and fell flat on his face, so even the great patriarch has no résumé to present. God will never allow anyone — not even Abraham — to say, 'Look what I've done for You.' We have nothing that we did not receive by grace, so why should we glory as though we had anything to do with it?
Scripture makes Abraham the test case. Romans 4:2 says: 'For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.' Les Feldick points out that Abraham was a great man known throughout all history, yet he could not boast one word before God. Even Abraham failed while waiting for God's promise, so he had nothing to offer God except his own failure.
Romans 3:27 asks, 'Where is boasting then? It is excluded.' Les explains that the law of works would actually bring boasting in, but the law of faith and grace leaves no room for it. The moment a person says 'faith plus works,' boasting has a place again; keeping salvation entirely a gift is what silences every bragger.
Les Feldick points to Romans 3:20 and explains that the law gives 'the knowledge or the understanding of our old Adam.' The law was never intended to give anyone a meritorious record; instead, it reveals the problem of the old Adam and drives a person to mercy rather than merit. That is why the law cannot be the platform for boasting.
Les is direct: faith plus works would bring boasting right back in. He says, 'Uh-uh. Because then again, what are you going to be able to do? Boast. Then you can brag.' The only way to keep boasting out is to keep the work entirely on God's side — the finished work of the cross — and leave the believer with faith plus nothing.
Les Feldick uses this illustration across multiple lessons: if we could get to heaven by works, heaven would be 'the most awful place on earth.' You would constantly listen to somebody tell you everything they did to get there, and you would cross to the other side of the golden street to avoid hearing it again. It would be boring for all eternity. But that is not how heaven will be, because every believer will only be able to claim the finished work of the cross.
God’s Promise to Abraham: Understanding Genesis 12 & 15
anywhere. He is just everywhere known. And here's what God says in verse 2, or Abram does first. And he said, Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless? Now see how human he is? Now you want to remember, he's a man of over 80, and God's promising on posterity of people.
Boasting Excluded in Romans 3:27
Les explains that Paul asks 'Where is boasting?' and says it is excluded. He connects this to the coming chapter where Abraham could not boast if he had been saved by works.
'Not of Works, Lest Any Man Should Boast'
Les connects the phrase 'not of works, lest he should boast' to the truth that no one can say their own works got them into heaven, and uses the illustration of heaven being boring if everyone told their works.
Abraham Could Glory Before Men, but Not Before God
Les points out that Abraham had much he could boast about in human history, but he could not boast one word before God — showing that justification is never by works.
Heaven Won't Be Full of Boasters
Les asks 'Where is boasting?' and explains that the law of faith and grace excludes it; a works-based heaven would be the most awful place because people would constantly tell what they did to get in.
Faith Plus Nothing Leaves No Room to Brag
Les attributes 'not of works, lest any man should boast' to the fact that salvation is a gift received through faith, and says 'faith plus nothing' is the only claim every believer has.
Even Abraham Could Not Brag to God
Les emphasizes that a man as great as Abraham, who waited patiently and even failed while waiting, could never say 'look what I've done' before God — so no one else can either.
We Have Nothing That We Didn't Receive
Les applies 1 Corinthians 4 to believers: everything we have we received by grace, so to glory in it would be glorying in something we had nothing to do with.
Romans 4:2: For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.
Shows that Abraham's possible boasting is limited to human praise, not a standing before God.
Romans 3:27: Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.
Provides the Bible's direct answer that boasting is excluded by the law of faith.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Explains that salvation is structured as a gift precisely so no one can claim credit.
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
Shows the law reveals sin rather than providing a basis for self-congratulation.
1 Corinthians 4:7: For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
Underlies Les's point that every believer has only received by grace, so there is nothing of our own to boast about.
Only before other people. Paul says if Abraham were justified by works, he would have reason to glory, but not before God. Abraham had a great human reputation, yet he could not brag about his accomplishments to God, because his justification was not earned.
Les Feldick says that in a works-based heaven, everyone would constantly tell you everything they did to get there. You would cross the street to avoid hearing the same story, and it would be the most awful place possible. Heaven is free from boasting because every believer's claim is the same: the finished work of the cross.
God designed salvation to be a gift received through faith so no one could claim credit. If even a single work were required, a person could boast, but grace and faith leave no room for anyone to say their actions got them in.
Watch the Teaching: God’s Promise to Abraham: Understanding Genesis 12 & 15