In Romans 16:25-27 we finally arrive at the final words of Paul to the Romans. Some introductory comments can be made regarding these final words.

First, the final words flow out of, and are wrapped within, the fourfold benediction that leads us to the end of the book in stages. The benediction is like four arrows pointing successively higher as we get closer and closer to the literal end of the book. When the letter ends we find ourselves on our knees with our eyes fixed toward heaven: toward Him, toward the one who is able, and toward the only wise God. So in light of all that has been said, to Him who is able to establish you, to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ. Amen! Thus, benediction flows into doxology.

Our theme today is this final doxology and we will cover it in three ways: 1) it is a matter of deep emotion, 2) it is a matter of personal promise, and 3) it is a matter of gospel history.

1A. The doxology is a matter of deep emotion

As Paul grabs for highlights he sees himself running out of time and space at the same time that his feelings are stirred to the depths of his very being. We have seen emotion before in Paul. He shows us that the Christian life is packed with emotion. It comes out here in the structure of these final words. There are a number of things to observe here.

a) First, there is a significant gap between 25a and 27a though it is a single sentence. This is definitely a long and complicated sentence. It is made even more complicated by the fact that there is a kind of pause at the opening and a delay before the thought is presented. He starts to make a point then introduces a number of parenthetical points before he gets to the main point.

b) Second, it is not only complicated and parenthetical, it is actually an incomplete sentence. Paul begins to offer praise to God in something like the following manner: "to the one who is able to establish you, let us give Him all glory." But he fails to complete the sentence with a verb. He literally says, "to the one who is able to establish you….glory forevermore through Jesus Christ." There is no verb (be).

c) Not only does Paul leave off a verb but he adds a relative pronoun that seems out of place: "to the one who is able…to the only wise God…to whom glory." A natural way for this to flow would have "to Him" rather than the awkward "to whom."

d) Furthermore, this "to whom" is placed right after reference to Christ: "to the only wise God through Jesus Christ to whom (be) glory." Is the glory to the only wise God or to Jesus Christ? If it were to Christ then verses 25-26 would be totally cut off from the doxology and left hanging in mid air. Thus we have "to the one who is able to establish you…to the only wise God through Jesus Christ to whom (namely to the only wise God) glory (that is be glory). So most translations leave off the relative pronoun (to whom). Thus Moo simply says that the relative pronoun is added because Paul "lost track of the progress of the sentence" (941).

Thus, most commentators feel that Paul is so caught up in this effort to stir up praise to God by highlighting the many veins of thought covered in the book that he forgets to complete the sentence. Murray states that "It is obvious that glory is being ascribed to God and we must not think so pedantically as to require neatly finished syntax [the relationship of words in sentences, clauses, and phrases]. Paul's heart is filled with adoration and what we might regard as broken style doe not interfere with the worship expressed" (II, 243).

There is an odd encouragement here to know that Paul lost track of what he was saying so it is not surprising that we lose track of what he is saying. It is kind of reassuring to know as a reader who often loses a train of thought that the writer does too! This is also an amazing testimony to the human side of the divine book of Scripture. God has given a revelation of Himself in human thoughts, words, and emotions so that we may know Him all the better. What a gracious Lord who takes us by the hand to lead us to Himself!

Paul is engaged in an act of worship. He gets carried away in worship as he seeks to pack everything in the book of Romans into a very small suitcase. Things are left hanging out. It is not neat and tidy. But everything that is needed is squeezed together so tightly that when you open the suitcase, everything jumps up at you all at once. It is almost like a "jack in the box."

That is the way I picture the closing doxology. It is like taking everything in your entire wardrobe and trying to put it into a single suitcase. It can't be done so you keep packing and sifting, packing and sifting. Finally you can close it by sitting on it long enough to set the locks. If you could step back and see what you did, you would see things hanging out here and there. Still, you finally got what you wanted into that small space and you closed it with a smile.

Why does he try to pack so much into the suitcase? It is because he is stirred up emotionally. Paul is a man of deep passion as we have seen in his warning in this chapter (16:17-19) and in his heart's desire for Israel (9:1-5; 10:1). He has a passion for sinners. He has a deep love for the saints. He has great passion and deep love for God and therefore for sinners.

And Paul packs so much in here so when we open it we will be stirred up to glorify God in worship and in life for all the things in this suitcase are ours in Christ. That brings up the next point of personal promise.

2A. The doxology is a matter of personal promise

The word of praise is to the one who is able to establish you. It interests me to note that when Paul fixes our eyes on the Lord in this way that he wants us to see Him in a personal way. Thus there is reference to you in the midst of doxology. God and the gospel have a direct bearing on the Romans and with them on us. We are reminded that He is the God who is "for us"

The doxology is not rooted personally in a mere general way. He is for us so that nothing and no one can stand successfully against us. Thus when Paul says He is able in this way for us he is telling us that all that God purposes and intends to do will in fact be done for us (cf. having a purpose without the ability to perform it and having ability but no purpose). We ought to read some passages in the book that are implied.

a) We are reminded of God's providence that states His purpose for us of ultimate and final good: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28). Not that all things are good in themselves. But no matter what, God has the set and determined purpose to work it for our good. To personalize it, God has the set and determined purpose to work all events, experiences, and circumstances of your life to good for you. And the doxology nails it down that what God purposes for you He is able to accomplish.

b) He reminds us here of what has been said regarding the purposes of God that are rooted in His electing love: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31). He is for you; so no one can stand against you. Now what supports the claim that God is for us? It is supported in eternal, immutable, unbreakable love that is the fountainhead of the stream that flows into glorification (Rom. 8:29-30). "Foreknow" (v. 29) means to love beforehand; it is much richer than simply knowing something ahead of time. It refers to personal and intimate love. The personal dimension of the doxology at the end of the book reaches back to times eternal in which God set His love upon us. In love He set out His plan to make us brothers and sisters with Christ. This He is able to do in His effectual call by which He brings us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. In this way he justified you so that no one can lay any charge against you that will stick. And the language is so strong that your glorification in the future is stated as a fact of the past. Thus, glorification is something that God determines for you and as the doxology says, He is able to establish you.

Thus we have a personal promise in this doxology and as we pick up on what that means we cannot help but give thanks and praise to the one who is as He is and who purposes as He purposes efficaciously for us.

The "you" has to be converted to "we" and "us." It also has to be converted to "me" when each of us absorbs these great truths in their personal bearing. All that is compacted into this doxological suitcase is here for me.

It is the purpose of the uniquely wise God of creation and providence. His purposes do not always seem wise to us from our perspective. But when we step out of our narrow minds and recognize that the billions upon billions of facts of history are being directed by His wisdom then we can rest in our failures and limitations. God is my rock. Such knowledge as He has is too wonderful for me; it is high and I cannot attain unto it. But there on the rock of wise holiness, on the rock of holy wisdom, I stand. I shall not be moved. He has said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee, so that I may say, I shall not fear what man shall do unto me. Thus Paul says:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his pathe beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. (Rom. 11:33-36).

What a marvelous thought that when I awaken in the morning, I can say, "O, Lord, I am still with you." Why do these words fly into my heart immediately upon waking up? It is because the Lord is there; it is because the Lord is with me that I can immediately say, perhaps, day by day with some surprise and always with a sense of unworthiness but always with a sense of being loved by the Lord. Now I know the purpose of every fact of creation and history. Now I know the great end beyond all ends. I am here to glorify God. This is what I must live for; this is why I worship coming at points in time to say with all my heart: "glory to the bleeding Lamb, and glory to God in the highest!"

I look at His works of creation even marred by sin and corruption and there I see the beauty, majesty, and glory of God. And I must say, "O Lord you are great and greatly to be praised. And how marvelous it is to know that in your greatness, you have set your love, power, and wisdom to work in my behalf."

And a special way that He works in my behalf is in gospel promise. I am so thankful that my salvation (salvation to me as to you) does not depend on me one iota or one wit past present or future. We learn that from the marvelous sovereignty of grace. If it did I would be discouraged to despair and hopelessness. But I have hope in the God of all hope and here on the rock of His love is where I find overflowing hope. Hope looks to the future. The future is secure in the one who is able. My personal future and your personal future is secure in the one who is able. To Him be glory.

3A. Doxology is a matter of gospel history

What does he highlight in order to ground this final praise to God? With respect to God he highlights His ability and His unique wisdom. These are like slices of bread that form a sandwich. What is in the middle of the sandwich? The gospel is in the center. Paul packs some highlights about God and the gospel into the final doxology of Romans. The gospel pertains to us and it distinctively manifests the power and wisdom of God. There is a convergence of how we are blessed with why God is to be praised.

Why should we glorify God? What is here that stirs up Paul in a summary way but passionately to lunge forward in worship? What is here that should stir us up likewise? Why the passion with broken syntax?

It is because of the gospel. The closing is packed to the brim with gospel theology. Paul wants to end the book not only where he began but also where he has been all through the book.

So what does Paul tell us that stirs up such passion for praise?

a) First, Paul calls it "my gospel." This is historical. It is the gospel entrusted to Paul as an apostle (1:1, 5). This is the gospel given to Paul and the apostles by Christ by a special commission that they testify with eyewitness testimony to the Lord. This is the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). The conscience is bound to no man or organization. The conscience is not bound to the authority of the church. Instead, the church is bound to the authority of the apostolic word of the gospel. This is the simple word that crushes the Roman Catholic view. As Calvin says, the Catholic view has it backwards.

b) Second, we learn that the theme of Romans is the gospel. On a thoughtful reading of these words compressed within the sandwich, we have to become convinced that the theme of the book of Romans is the gospel. Since Luther it has been common to immediately identify the theme of the book as justification by faith. This is a major subject of the book that relates however to the larger theme of the gospel. Paul opened the book by stating that he is not ashamed of the gospel and it is the gospel that reveals a righteousness from God (Rom. 1:17a). This righteousness is given to undeserving sinners. For Paul says, we know that the law has been given "so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God" (Rom. 3:19). That is why "no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin" (Rom.3:20).

But something has taken place in the history of redemption so that "now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify."

How is it received? It is received by faith in Jesus Christ (Rom. 3:22). It is open to all with no difference between Jew or Gentiles. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But there is a way back from paradise lost to paradise regained: it is found in the gospel of justification by grace through redemption through Christ the sacrifice par excellence (Rom. 3:24-26, that he may be just and justifier). How can the guilty be declared not guilty and that be true and just? It is because guilt refers to liability to punishment. The punishment was truly endured on our behalf by Christ on the cross. It is true that we are not subject to punishment; Christ bore our punishment in His own body. In that way justice was served completely and fully. "Oh, the wisdom of God that is graciously displayed in the work of Christ." Praise God from whom all blessing flow through the marvelous work of Christ our great high priest.

c) It is a hidden but now revealed gospel. How can it be hidden in the OT when the OT revealed it? Hidden and mystery refer to the fact that what was promised was not yet manifested in time and history. Hidden and mystery refer to hidden in promise waiting for the manifestation in history. That realization has come. Christ has come. He is the one that stands at the center of the gospel proclaimed (the message preached concerning Jesus Christ, Rom. 16:25). He is in the center of the gospel of God (Rom. 1:1) that includes the promise in times past and the realization in Christ of the lineage of David who is the son of God (Rom. 1:2-4). The stricken and smitten one is "David's son yet David's Lord." He is son of man and son of God.

d) It is a for all nations gospel (Rom. 16:26). It is to be preached in all nations to Jew and Gentile alike. With the coming of Christ and thus the coming of the kingdom, the nations are given the strong arm of judgement but the outstretched hands of God.

e) This gospel to the nations is by the command of the eternal God (16:26). It reaches back to eternity to God's eternal counsel and purposes. And it is God who commands that the message of Christ be preached to all nations.

f) This gospel is an obedience of faith gospel (16:26). It is not an anti-law or antinomian gospel. It is that the law might be fulfilled in us who walk by the Spirit and not after the flesh (Rom. 8:4). We are not justified by the law but we are justified by faith. And this is an obedient faith, a faith that is committed to obey the Lord's every command beginning with the simple ritual command of baptism (cf. Rom. 6:1-4, 17).

Conclusion

Therefore, to him who is able be glory through Jesus Christ forever, Amen. We must take these final words to heart and from there to one voice in glorifying God (15:6). And in turn from there we are moved in our heads, hands, and feet. We must be moved to have our heads studying, our hands working, and our feet walking-running in the way of God's commandments. We live under the authority of our loving Savior. And we have a goal in every thought, act, and step. Our goal is the goal of goals: in whatever we do we seek to do all to the glory of God.