Romans Doxology

What We Learn of God

He Is Able

To strengthen us according to the gospel.

What does that mean?

The language Paul uses indicates that God uses the gospel as the means by which He strengthens us.

He defines the gospel as specifically, the “preaching of Jesus Christ.”

How does God strengthen us through the gospel?

By cleansing us from our sin. Sin is not an anchor that holds us down. Anchors are useful tools. Sin is a disease that saps our strength. even our very life. It leaves us small and weak.

By rightly relating us to God through Jesus Christ. We are relational beings. When our earthly relationships go awry we find our strength drained. A right relationship with God brings life and vitality.

By indwelling us with the Spirit of God. He takes us from being blind beggars to believers living in the light confident in the Savior who bought us.

By giving us hope.

By giving us purpose.

By making us holy.

By giving us community.

By making us like Christ.

By adopting us into His family.

By giving us an eternal home in heaven.

God did that, He is able.

He is able to save you to the uttermost. He is mighty to save.

He is able to:

Speak and put the stars in place.

Draw us to Himself

Orchestrate His will.

The same hand that carved out the oceans and put mountains in place holds you and keeps you. He is able.

He is Sovereign

The Scriptures progressively reveal God’s plan. The concept of the Messiah builds from Genesis until it crescendos in the Gospels.

This progressive nature of revelation is described by Paul as a mystery. Something previously unknown but reveled by God.

The full nature of the gospel was unknown in the O.T.

God had to reveal Himself to us. We didn’t find Him He found us.

The point is this is was by His command that the gospel has been revealed to us.

He is Eternal

Jesus is eternally begotten of God. He eternally proceeds from the Father. Which is to say that while being the Son of God there was never a moment in all eternity where Jesus was not. His existence as God is a fact of all eternity.

God is the fact of eternity. Which means His perception of time is fundamentally different than ours.

We should take care that our view of God does not limit Him on the basis of time.

God doesn’t look into the future. He is already there.

Time is His creation and it is subservient to Him.

He is Wise

He is the perfect application of all knowledge.

Have you ever been in a scenario where you know what do, but you just don’t know how to do it?

God has never been there. He knows just what to do and just how to do it.

We get upset with God because we often desire to do His will but we want to do it our own way.

God deeply cares not only what you are doing but how you do it.

This is wisdom the correct application of knowledge.

Correctly applying knowledge first and foremost requires and understanding of who God is.

It is knowing that He is able, sovereign and eternal.

Knowing these things we can clearly see that the correct application of this knowledge is the fear of the Lord.

He is Worthy

All of these truths about God lead us to a fundamental fact. He is worthy of all the glory and honor we could ever give to Him.

v. 27 answers the question that v. 25 leaves hanging.

“Now to him...”

Now to him, what?

Before answering that question Paul reminds us of some of who God is and then brings about the answer, “now to Him, glory, glory forever, glory through Jesus Christ.”

The great mystery of the gospel of Jesus Christ is effective to bring God glory.

What We Learn of Ourselves

We Are Weak

Just accept it.

If God is strengthening us it is because we need strength.

Your problems are not so great that they cannot be overcome by the strength that God gives to those that are his.

We Are Ignorant

Just accept it.

If God had to reveal something to us it is because we are ignorant.

There is nothing that you need to know about God that is not revealed in His Word.

We Are Lost (without God’s intervention)

Just accept it.

The Holy Spirit is the one who convicts us sin. Without God’s self revelation the gospel would forever remain a mystery.

Outside of Christ we are in the darkness and we are too short to reach the light switch. We need a Father or an older brother to turn on the light for us.

We Are Drawn

Just accept it.

God is the one who commanded that the mysteries of of Christ be disclosed. When God revealed Himself He did so that we might know Him.

The Bible is not too hard to understand.