Why is doctrine so important? What’s the big idea of it anyway? Glory. God’s glory. God’s glory alone. Doctrine should always lead the believer to a deeper reverence of God’s glory and a higher ascribing Him glory. Throughout Romans and all of Biblical Christianity we see that doctrine is critical, but it is also purposeful. Doctrine is to be affirmed and applied by faith leading to a transformed life that glorifies God. The very root purpose of doctrine and life itself is doxology or the giving glory to God. Doxology comes from two different Greek words. One being “doxa” which means glory and the other being “logos” being word or speech. Therefore, a doxology is the speaking or ascribing of God’s glory. Perhaps you may have grown up singing what is called the doxology which goes as follows, “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” If your doctrine doesn’t drive you down to your knees in deep doxology to the Lord, then you aren’t doing doctrine right. The doctrine that is in your head must sink into your heart by faith so that you may humble yourself and honor the Lord in giving Him glory for who He is.
As we wrap up our study of Romans 12-16, Paul closes his letter out, not with a typical benediction, but instead with a climactic doxology of praise to God. Many of Paul’s letters contain benedictions at the end of his letters which act as a blessing upon the reader, but here and in the opening of Ephesians it is that of doxology. The book of Romans stands as a Mount Everest of transformational truth of the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ regarding the incredible plan of redemption of sinners. The gospel, grace, and glory of God stand as a three-strand chord of the Christian life from start to finish. Today, we will study Paul’s second great doxological passage within his letter (the first being Rom. 11:33-36). Paul closes his letter and says in Rom. 16:21-27, “21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. 25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: 27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” In this passage we see the same theme of the gospel, grace, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul can’t help but reflect on these truths and stop to glorify the Lord. This is also the bookend of the book which opened up with these very same themes in Rom. 1:1-17. Both the opening verses of Romans and the closing doxology found in today’s passage of study can stand alone as a summation of the truth packed within this letter. Ultimately, the gospel, grace, and glory of the Lord Jesus Christ is the full display of the word, work, wisdom, and worthiness of God. Today, we will see the ministry of grace, the mystery of the gospel, and the majesty of His glory.
First, we must see the ministry of grace in Rom. 16:21-24 which says, “21 Timotheus my workfellow, and Lucius, and Jason, and Sosipater, my kinsmen, salute you. 22 I Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute you in the Lord. 23 Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” Paul’s companions that are with him and serve closely with him are mentioned. Paul’s companions are listed in Rom. 16:21-23, but his greatest companion is the grace “of our Lord Jesus Christ” in 16:24. Paul and his ministry companions knew that all of life was dependent upon the grace of God. They all recognized that it was grace that saved them and set them apart for the sake of the gospel. God’s grace is his unmerited favor, but it is also the work of God in our life that saves, sanctifies, and sustains us until glory. In 2 Cor. 8:9 we see another definition of grace that is helpful as Paul writes, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” The acronym for grace has been said to be “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” Grace was not just the theme for Paul’s life, but it is our story and song as believers as well. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is our greatest companion as well. Paul had covered the ministry of God’s grace which spans the entirety of the Christian life in Rom. 3:24; 5:21; 6:1,14,15; 11:5,6. It was God’s grace that was sufficient to sustain Paul through service of the gospel and sufferings for the gospel in 2 Cor. 11-12. Notice though that the ministry of grace in this passage deals with how God’s grace provides and preserves our salvation while also promising to us the continual presence of God in our life. The believer is never alone for the grace of God is with us. It is grace that acts as the promise of God’s presence and provision in our life. From justification to sanctification to the restoration of Israel and to the glorification of all believers in Christ we see the grace of Christ woven throughout it all. Grace is indeed “of” Him or else it isn’t grace. Furthermore, it is “of our Lord Jesus Christ” who is now seated upon a throne of grace acting as our Great High Priest making intercession for all believers and inviting each saved soul to come confidently to His throne of grace to receive all that is needed from and in Him (See Heb. 4:14-16). This truth of the ministry of grace is important to establish before going further because it is the ministry of grace that reveals the mystery of the gospel and the majesty of the glory of God. It is the ministry of grace that works within Paul and each of us to then be overwhelmed by God and give glory to His name.
Second, we must see the mystery of the gospel in Rom. 16:25-26 which says, “25 Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, 26 But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:” Here, Paul turns his attention completely to this great doxology of praise to God for the transformational truths of the gospel and grace of Jesus Christ. The mystery of our salvation by the gospel of Jesus Christ was a hidden mystery in the Old Testament but now is manifested and revealed under the New Covenant in Christ’s atoning work for sinners. The Old Testament is filled with anticipation and prophecy but could not be fully understood until the coming of Christ into the world. Gal. 4:4-7 says, “4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.” Heb. 1:1-4 says much the same, saying, “1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: 4 Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” The work and wisdom of God is mysterious to the heart of man, but God has revealed much to us in and through His word. By the scriptures we are able to see the mystery of the gospel that saves both Jew and Gentile alike, uniting them together with and in Christ to the glory of God. The gospel is what Paul has believed and preached throughout this letter. The gospel is his ministry and purpose. This gospel that has been revealed through “the preaching of Jesus Christ” and stands as the heart of the Christian life. As Paul begins this doxology with “now to him,” he then ascribes glory to God for His “power to stablish you according to my gospel.” Now, Paul is not preaching his own gospel, but he is so closely associated with the fullness of the message that is for Jew and Gentile. Paul has preached the fullness of Christ’s gospel throughout the world. He was set apart by God for that very purpose. God alone has the “power” (innate ability and authority) to establish believers through the gospel. This was Paul’s very purpose of writing and wanting to go to Rome as seen in 1:11. It is the gospel that is able to “stablish” you. The gospel provides for us spiritual stability and strength. To “stablish” is the word “sterizo” which means to stand firmly upright and in place, to be fixed, and confirm in one’s mind. The gospel provides the stability that you need both doctrinally and practically. The gospel is an anchor that keeps us from drifting off into false teaching or immorality. Those who are without Christ and have not believed the gospel of Jesus are unstable, unsure, and absolutely unable to have hope in this life. However, those who know Christ can rest in the gospel to be stable, sure, and steadfast in faith. The gospel doesn’t just save, it sanctifies and stablishes us (See 1 Cor. 15:1-4; Rom. 5:1-2). We must understand that Jesus is the substance and subject of the gospel. All true preaching and praise have Christ as the subject. The gospel is the revelation of God’s grace and glory in the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This mystery of the gospel that Paul speaks of reminds us that our salvation is the work and wisdom of God, not ours (See 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5). The gospel is God’s “Plan A.” It is in the gospel that we receive God’s grace, and He receives His glory.
Third, we must see the majesty of His glory in Rom. 16:27 which says, “To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.” The more we are concerned with God’s glory the less consumed we will be with self. We must be gospel fueled, grace filled, and glory focused as we live by faith in this present world. As Paul ponders the mystery of the gospel revealed through the preaching of Jesus Christ to the world and the ministry of grace that has saved and united both Jew and Gentile together in Christ, he can’t help but give glory to God for His work and wisdom. God’s wisdom is seen in the person and work of Christ most clearly for who else could have or would have planned our salvation in this way? Who would have put Jew and Gentile together? Who could wisely foresee and ordain the restoration of rebellious Israel at the coming of Christ? Who else could wisely save sinners by grace through faith? Paul had already stopped to praise God for His infinite wisdom and indescribable work in Rom. 11:33-36 which says, “33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! 34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? 35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? 36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” There is no wisdom outside of God and there is none infinitely wise but Him. In His wisdom He has chosen to save us by His grace through the gospel for our good and His glory. God’s glory is the primary focus of redemptive history. Everything in our life is for the glory of God. Paul expresses this and we see this simple, yet profound doxology in the phrase, “to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” All things are indeed “of Him, through Him, and to Him,” so that through the person and work of Christ, God would be glorified for His wisdom, power, and majesty. This is precisely what we see in the description of the praise that is given to the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 5 and it is the focus of eternity past, present, and future!
The gospel, grace, and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ is the doctrine that drives us to this great doxology that should be the very motivation of our life. Everything in our hearts, home, and church should be for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. How could we keep from singing His praise? Why would we not rest in the gospel? Why are we still unstable? As we bring this study to a close we must ask firstly, do you know Christ? Have you received Him by faith in the gospel? Are you trusting in Christ alone for your salvation? Repent and believe the gospel! His grace alone can save you and sustain until glory! Dear Christians, are you rehearsing and resting in the gospel? Do you know of the grace of God that is presently with you and working in your life? Is the glory of Christ your motivation and mission? I want to leave you with the words of Charles Wesley from his hymn, O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing, “1 O for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise, the glories of my God and King, the triumphs of his grace! 2 My gracious Master and my God, assist me to proclaim, to spread thro’ all the earth abroad the honors of your name. 3 Jesus! the name that charms our fears, that bids our sorrows cease, ’tis music in the sinner’s ears, ’tis life and health and peace. 4 He breaks the power of cancelled sin, he sets the prisoner free; his blood can make the foulest clean; his blood availed for me. 5 To God all glory, praise, and love be now and ever given by saints below and saints above, the Church in earth and heaven.”
Amen.
Grow With Pastor Joe 
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