“Now to Him that is of power…to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.”
{Rom 16:25-27}

To conclude this extraordinary treatise the apostle Paul hearkens, one last time, to where the power and wisdom of the son and daughter of God comes from. The power and wisdom of the son and daughter of God is of God and for God through Jesus Christ. It is the power of God through Jesus Christ by His word and is able to stablish us – to establish and build up, to plant and bear fruit. Surely, by the end of Paul’s masterful exposition to the Romans, they are to know not to trust in the flesh. They no longer live in the flesh and they are to no longer walk in the flesh as ones that live in the Spirit they are to walk in the Spirit. God, our Father, by the hand of Tertius dictating the teaching and understanding of Paul sets forth a threefold accord setting forth God’s power to stablish. The power of God to save becomes the power of God to them that are saved. The foolishness of God in the Cross becomes the wisdom of God, wiser than men’s wisdom. The establishing doctrines of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ become the stablishing and building up power to abide in us. As Paul brings his letter to a close, he ends where he began placing significant emphasis on whom the wisdom and power belongs – God.

As Paul evidently set forth Christ crucified before the eyes of the Romans not only to be saved but those that are saved shows the glory of God. God’s glory is through Jesus Christ; yea, through Christ being our power and wisdom. The saints are to learn that God’s glory plan is not only through Jesus Christ, but Christ being made our wisdom and power which works the glory of God. The saints are His inheritance, a calling that is designated as His calling. The son and daughter of God are entirely dependent upon “Him that is of power to stablish you” and “God only wise” to not only learn of His purpose, but to take intimate part in His glory.

According to Paul’s gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery it has been granted to us to partake in His glory as it concerns eternal life, delivering the creature from the bondage of corruption in the heavenly places, and do so by the redemption of our body. Yet, “Him that is of power” is able to do more. He is not only works in us to will and to do of His good pleasure but to have that work in us being profitable in His calling of us concerning His purpose.

In other words, with Paul’s final words concerning God’s power and wisdom along with the glory that stems from it we are exhorted one last time to “prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” for “we know that all things work together for good to them that loved God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” and such “fruit [is] unto holiness, and the end everlasting life”. With such provision and purpose we would be fools to not access, reckon, yield, mind, walk, present, and prove all of God’s grace to us for His and our glory. We would be foolish not avail ourselves of Christ and in turn avail ourselves of the same ole corrupt, vain, worthless provisions of the world. Let’s not be fools knowing that are labor in the Lord is not in vain!

Look Up,

Josh Strelecki, Pastor-Teacher