Read Judges 12, Ezekiel 1, and Romans 16.
This devotional is about Romans 16:25-27:
Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”
These verses are a benediction which is a fancy word for a blessing at the end of a religious service or, in this case, a book of the Bible. This is one of Paul’s longest benedictions which is fitting because Paul didn’t start and hadn’t been to the church in Rome. The purpose of the whole book of Romans is to explain the gospel to the church in Rome so that they might understand better the faith in Christ they had come to receive. So this benediction fits with that purpose. It is long for a benediction, but it communicates God’s work throughout all human history in just a few lines. If you want to know what the whole Bible is about, these three verses summarize it for you.
Paul’s first concern is to “establish” the church “in accordance with my gospel.” In other words, Paul affirmed the faith of the believers in Rome and he was joyful and grateful for their salvation. But, he wanted to be sure that their understanding of salvation was complete. If you don’t know fully what it means to be saved by Jesus, your faith may waver and you may struggle with assurance. That’s not good for the spiritual health and growth of any Christian, nor is it good for the health of the church.
But notice in verse 25 that Paul wants God to establish the church in accordance with the gospel. Again, verse 25 says, “Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel….” When Paul called it “my gospel” he didn’t mean he was the one who invented the gospel. Other passages of scripture, such as Galatians 1:11-12, tell us that Paul received his gospel directly from Christ himself. By calling “my gospel” here in Romans 16, Paul was setting it apart from others who were preaching a different gospel–not the gospel of Jesus but a gospel that tried to mingle Christ with religious works such as circumcision. Paul knew that his gospel was the true gospel because he received it by direct revelation from Christ himself. But, since it was the true gospel, it was God’s work that was saving people and establishing them in the truth. So, Paul started this benediction–this prayer–by asking God to establish these Roman believers in the true gospel of Christ.
The rest of verse 25 and verse 26 go on to connect the gospel to God’s entire work throughout the ages of time from creation through to eternity. Again, Paul wrote here in Romans 16:25-26, “Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith….” The gospel is “the message… about Jesus Christ” but that message was embedded in God’s revelation that we call the Old Testament. God’s intention to incorporate Gentiles into his plan is revealed in the Old Testament, but it is only discussed in passing. The fact that the Jewish Messiah King would die for the sins of all humanity–Jews and Gentiles alike–was not revealed until Jesus came. That’s what’s special about the gospel! Jesus died not just to redeem his people Israel. He came, died, and rose again to redeem them and us!
And how is that salvation for Jews and Gentiles alike activated? The end of verse 25 here in Romans 16 tells us: “…so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith….” Faith in Jesus is how people are saved–Jews and Gentiles alike. God saves us based on Christ’s substitution for us, but he applies that salvation to us when we turn in faith to Jesus to receive it. And the faith that saves us changes us so that we want to obey Jesus Christ. That’s what Paul means by “…the obedience that comes from faith.”
All of this is to the glory of God. The final verse in Romans 16–and all of the book of Romans, actually–says, ” to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen” (v. 27). You and I are not righteous enough to save ourselves. We are not clever or wise enough to find our way to the gospel and receive it. Only God could create a plan of salvation that starts with the Jewish race but saves people from every nation on earth. Only God could come in the person of Christ, die for our sins and rise again. Only God could send forth the gospel that Jesus saves sinners who trust in him and only God could transform your life when you heard the gospel, believed it, and started to want to obey Jesus Christ.
Paul ended this great letter of Romans by praising God for his saving grace to us in Jesus and how it is the all-encompassing plan that God has always had for bringing glory to himself. Take some time now, as you end this devotional time to thank God for the salvation he’s given to us in Christ. Take some time, too, to pray for one other believer that God would establish him or her deeper and more firmly into this gospel. May God be glorified in you, the redeemed, today in Jesus name. Amen.