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by Katie Erickson

“Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith — to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.”

Well readers, we’ve made it - the end of the book of Romans! I hope you’ve enjoyed this year-long journey with us. I know I personally have learned a lot more about Romans through writing these blog posts, so I hope reading them has helped you grow in your faith as well.

Paul ends this lengthy letter in a very fitting way - with a doxology. A doxology is simply praise for God, coming from the Greek word “doxa,” meaning glory. Paul wouldn’t have written this letter if not for the life and work of Jesus Christ, so praising God is a fitting way to end it.

This doxology contains many elements that Paul has written previously in his letter to the Romans, especially early on. In this blog post, I’d like to walk through these and make some of those connections.

“To him who is able...”
Romans 1:4, “and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”

“...to establish you…”
Romans 1:11, “I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong.”

“...my gospel…”
Romans 1:1, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God.”
Romans 1:9, “God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you.”
Romans 2:16, “This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

“...with the revelation… but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings…”
Romans 1:2, “The gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures”
Romans 1:17, “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 3:21, “But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.”

“...all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith…”
Romans 1:5, “Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.”

“...only wise God…”
Romans 3:29-30, “Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.”
Romans 11:33-36, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths 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 them? For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

Do you see how this doxology connects with a lot of what Paul has previously written in Romans? The gospel had been a mystery, but now it has been revealed. Paul has used many quotations from the Old Testament to link the Scriptures that they had at the time with Jesus and God’s plan for the salvation of His people. The purpose of all this is so that all people “might come to the obedience that comes from faith” (Romans 16:26).

This whole letter, and thus our year of blog posts about it, has been about giving God glory by helping people understand what God has done and is doing here on this earth. For that, God deserves all the glory! Amen.!

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