Articles
To God Be The Glory - Romans 16
To God Be The Glory - Romans 16
The Gospel is God’s power to save all who will believe (Rom. 1:16)
Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the word of God. (Rom. 10:17)
At the end of this doctrinal discourse on our salvation, Paul summarizes saying: “32 For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 34 For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? 35 Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? 36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. “ (Rom. 11:32-36)
Then, the section on how believers are to conduct themselves in this world (12:1 – 16:24). That is followed by this short ending.
Romans 16:25-26: (25) Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, (26) but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith;
God is able not only to save us initially but is able to establish us: but that also is connected to this revelation. In 16:25-26, Paul uses three phrases that all describe the Word of God: 1) The gospel and preaching of (about, concerning) Jesus Christ; 2) the revelation of the mystery; and 3) the Scriptures (writings) of the prophets.
I agree with McGuiggan “It seems to this writer there is no justification for making these prophetic writings Old Testament scriptures. Paul claims, in Ephesians 3:3, he had this mystery revealed unto him. He claims in other ages it was NOT made known AS it “is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets” (verse 5). “*
This making known / manifesting of the mystery is according to the commandment of the Eternal God, that is, it is God’s will and purpose that it be so. The purpose of this revelation is to lead us ‘to obedience of faith’ (see Rom. 1:5; 2:8; 6:17-18; 10:3, 16; 15:18; and 16:19).
Anyone who comes to the understanding of how great a thing God has done for us and is now doing for us through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus can only exclaim: “To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.” And all the saints and the host of heaven say: Amen.
Hugh DeLong
*Jim McGuiggan, The Book of Romans, William C. Johnson, Inc., 1974, pg. 202.
