Read Romans 16
To the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 16:27
The closing benediction reflects his special ministry to the Gentiles.
The “mystery hidden for long ages past” that Paul writes about in
verse 25 has to do with God’s program of uniting believing Jews and
Gentiles in the one body, the church (Eph. 3). This was Paul’s special
message. It was because of this message that the Judaizers persecuted
Paul, because they wanted to maintain Jewish privileges. Both Jews
and Gentiles in the Roman churches needed to know what God’s
program was. Some of this program Paul had explained in chapters 9
through 11.
Christians are established by the truth, which explains why Paul
wrote this letter: to explain God’s plan of salvation to Christians so
they would be established, and so they would share the truth with the
lost. After all, we cannot really share with others something we do not
have ourselves.
Our own study of Romans should make us more stable in the
faith and more excited to share Christ with others. And the result: “to
the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ!”
Something to Ponder
If you wanted to encourage your church with a benediction of what
God is able to do, what would you say to them?