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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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FINAL DOXOLOGY
(Romans
16:24-27) 7/12/09 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I.
THE GRACE OF
GOD (24) A.
We come to the
“final” doxology in the epistle to the Romans. It is found in vs. 24 and is the
third short benediction at the end of this epistle. The other two were found
in Ro 15:33 and Ro 16:20b. This particular short benediction is suspect
because it is not recorded in the earliest Greek Manuscripts, including the
Codex Sinaiticus (<sī-nē-IT-i-cus>; Document a - Aleph;
the oldest complete Bible written in Greek uncials - C. 340; now online
digitally, www.codexsinaiticus.org).
B.
However, the
thought behind this benediction is certainly consistent with Pauline
literature as well as Pauline theology. The concept of grace has been
thematic throughout Romans (1:5, 7; 3:24; 4:16; 5:2, 15, 17, 20, 21; 6:1, 14,
15; 11:6; 12:3, 6; 15:15; 16:20, 24). 1. Grace is viewed in salvation and sanctification (Ro
1:7). 2. Grace is viewed in justification (Ro 3:24; 5:17, 21;
cp. Key verse Ro 1:16-17 - Justification by faith alone). 3. Grace is viewed in a System opposed to the Law
System (Ro 4:16; 6:14; 11:6; ) 4. Grace is viewed in an inheritance (Ro 5:2) 5. Grace is viewed in Christ (Ro 5:15, 17) 6. Grace is viewed in forgiveness of sins (Ro 5:20; 6:1) 7. Grace is viewed in spiritual gifts (Ro 1:5; 12:3, 6;
15:15) 8. Grace is viewed in spiritual enablement (Ro 16:20b,
24) C.
Whether written
in the original or not, the believer only stands upon the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ. II.
THE SANCTIFICATION
OF GOD (25-26) A.
Paul now breaks
into doxology (doxa - glory and logia - to speak) about God
and His magnificent redemptive plan (25-26). 1. Paul directs the doxology to God, which is truly the
only place a doxology can be directed. God is the (literally) “one who is
able to establish you.” Only God can establish a believer through the Word. 2. To “establish” (sterízō) means to “make firm” with the original idea of
supports or props. Here it means that God is able to make the believer
mature, grounded, firm, strong, and unmovable in the faith. a) A believer who is established in the faith is one
who is strengthened by the Lord (1Pe 5:10) and protected from the evil one
(2Th 3:3). b) Believers can encourage and strengthen the hearts of
one another (Ro 1:11; 1Th 3:2). c) Believers are to be
continually established in the truth of His Word (2Pe 1:12). 3. Paul first tells us that the “gospel” (euaggélion - “good news”) teaches us that God establishes the believer. The
theme of the book of Romans is “The Gospel of God” (Ro 1:1) or “God’s Gospel
of Righteousness.” Though the heart of the gospel is simple (Ro 10:9, 13),
the gospel covers much more and affects every aspect of the Christian’s life.
Note what has been learned from just the outline of Romans: Sin, Salvation,
Sanctification, Sovereignty, and Service. It could be said that the gospel
contains everything the believer needs for life and godliness. “GOD’S GOSPEL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS” I.
INTRODUCTION
(1:1-17) II.
SIN: RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPOVERISHED (1:18-3:20) III.
SALVATION: RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPUTED (3:21-5:21) IV.
SANCTIFICATION: RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPARTED (6-8) V.
SOVEREIGNTY: RIGHTEOUSNESS INSURED (9-11) VI.
SERVICE: RIGHTEOUSNESS IMPLEMENTED (12-15:13) VII. CONCLUSION (15:14-16:27) 4. The “Preaching of Jesus Christ” is synonymous with
preaching the gospel because Christ’s Person and Work is the focal point of
the gospel message. Maturity is being established in the Person and Work of
Christ. a) Christ’s Person - Ro 1:4; 10:9; 14:9; b) Christ’s Work - Ro 3:24; 5:1, 21; 6:4; 8:1, 10, 17,
34, 39, 10:4, 17; 13:14; 15:5, 7, 8, 18; 16:27). 5. The believer is established by God through what God
revealed about the mystery in Christ. A mystery (mustếrion - something formerly unknown but now revealed) is a truth of God which “has been kept secret (sigáō - to keep silent).” What
exactly was that mystery? It was the revelation that God has offered the
gospel to the Gentiles (Ep 3:4-6, 9;
6:19; Co 1:26-27). B.
God has now “manifested” (vs. 26 - phaneróō - to make visible or clear)
that mystery (Ro 16:26) through the writings of the apostles and prophets (Ep
3:5; 2:19-20). 1. How was the mystery manifested? It was manifested
through the Scriptures of the prophets. The “Scriptures” (graphế - writings, Scripture,
Eng. “graph”) refer to writing of
God’s Word. Scriptures are not man’s words but God’s words (2Pe 1:20-21; 2Ti
3:16). Through the Scriptures God’s communicates His revelation, which was
unknown at times even to the prophets themselves (1Pe 1:10-11). The prophets proclaimed
that Israel was to be a light to the nations and bring them to God
(Is 42:6; 49:22; 54:3;
60:5; 62:2; 66:19). In this epistle,
Paul also quoted some of the prophets regarding the salvation of the Gentiles
(Ho 1:10; 2:23; Is 1:9; 10:22-23). Even from the
beginning of the epistle Paul writes that the gospel has been given to Jews
and Gentiles (Ro 1:16). 2. All of this was in accordance with God’s divine
purpose and therefore He gave a divine “commandment” or decree. God’s divine
purpose is the basis for all that God does, including man’s salvation and
glorification (Ro 8:29-20). The sovereign and “eternal God” excludes
man’s merits and emphasizes His divine prerogative (Ro 9:11). The believer is established by knowing the truth the
sovereignty of God. It is a major factor for a believer accepting God’s will
into the details his life (Ro 8:28; Ep 1:11). 3. God has a sovereign plan to take from all nations a
people that he can call His own. He sovereignly is leading them to the
“obedience of faith” (a synonym for salvation cp. Jn 6:29; Ro 1:5). III.
THE WISDOM OF
GOD (27) A.
Paul crowns
this marvelous letter with praise to the only wise God, the God of Jews and
of Gentiles, the God of all creation. One may wonder why he does not say, “to the only powerful” or “only
loving” or “only gracious” God. He has much to say
about those divine attributes in his letters, including this one. Perhaps he
calls attention here to God’s wisdom in order to emphasize that only an
infinitely wise mind could have designed and accomplished such a plan of
redemption. B.
In his letter
to the Ephesian church, Paul testified, “To
me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the
Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the
administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God, who
created all things; in order that the manifold wisdom of God might now be
made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the
heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He
carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph.
3:8–11). Paul revealed this same sentiment in the great doxology of
Ro 11:33-36, especially concerning God’s sovereign plan for Jews and
Gentiles. C.
It was through
Jesus Christ that God supremely revealed not only His great grace but also
His great wisdom. To Him, therefore, be the glory (dóxa - praise, honor, and glory) forever.
Amen. |
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