Paul closes his letter with a liturgical doxology that easily lends itself to a formal worship setting. As much as the letter is a tightly woven piece of logic, so too one finds a structural symmetry to the text that contributes to its overall cohesiveness. Paul’s final thoughts bear a striking similarity to his introductory comments. For example, he speaks of imparting a spiritual gift to strengthen you 1.11 / Now to him who is able to strengthen you 16.25; he describes the good news as the gospel of God in 1.1 / my gospel in 16.25; this gospel was promised beforehand 1.2 / the mystery kept secret for long ages 16.25; through the prophets 1.2 / now disclosed through the prophetic writings 16.26; to bring about obedience of faith 1.5 / to bring about the obedience of faith 16.26. Between the opening and closing of the letter Paul defends his thesis that the righteous shall life by faith (1.17) and that God is at work to bring about the obedience of faith (16.26).
STRENGTHENED BY MY GOSPEL (16.25)
At the very heart of Paul’s doxology is the revelation of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. This good news fulfills the ancient prophecies about the coming Messiah. Preaching Jesus Christ is essential to salvation: But how are they to call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? (Romans 10.14-15). Hearing the proclamation that Christ’s death is a propitiating sacrifice that satisfies God’s just requirement for man’s sin (Romans 3.21-26) is a necessary precursor to salvation. Everyone who confesses Jesus Christ is Lord having, believed in his heart that God raised him from the dead, will be saved (Romans 10.9-13). The gospel is the culmination of God’s plan of salvation. It was a mystery kept secret for long ages, but it was God’s plan all along (cp. 2 Timothy 1.8-10). The thread of the gospel is woven throughout the Old Testament, but it was only fully understood in the life, death and resurrection of God’s Son the Messiah.
The gospel is a source of strength for Christians. Salvation is not a consequence of good deeds, it is applied to the life of the believer by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. Moreover, God assures the believer of his salvation by taking up residence in his heart through his Spirit (Ephesians 1.13; cp. John 14.26; 16.7). The dramatic effect of the gospel in the life of believers is described by Paul in his prayer for them that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all (Ephesians 1.17-23; cp. 1 Thessalonians 5.23-24). Such is the power of the gospel.
THE RELIABILITY OF SCRIPTURE (16.26a)
Though the Old Testament prophets anticipate the coming Messiah and God’s deliverance, the means of his salvation was obscure to all. Paul declares that this is no longer true. Of course, no one can claim to be utterly ignorant about God: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made so they are without excuse (Romans 1.18-20; cp. Psalm 19.1-6). Even a very cursory understanding of the cosmos ought to produce a sense wonder and awe at the majesty of God’s power (Job 26; 38-41). Natural revelation, however, is not enough; it is wordless and though it may lead the contemplative person to deduce God’s existence, even eliciting a sense of wonder, without propositional revelation there can be no salvation (cp. Psalm 19.7-14). God intervenes in history and his supreme intervention was in the sending of his Son (Hebrews 1.1-4).
The Bible may, in part, be understood as progressive revelation. When Paul says that the complete details of salvation had been kept secret for long ages but are now disclosed, he is not saying that nothing was known about God’s plan of salvation, only that it was incomplete. God was setting the stage for his final act of redemption. At just the proper time God sent his Son: But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons (Galatians 4.4). Just as the prophets wrote the sacred word predicting the coming Messiah, so too the New Testament writers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to set forth in Holy Writ the content of the gospel. The careful reader notes Paul’s stress on the importance of Scripture: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3.16-17; so too Peter 2 Peter 1.19-21). Peter makes the following observation about Paul: And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures (2 Peter 3.15-16).
Paul understood his words and letters to be a revelation from God: Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual (1 Corinthians 2.12-13). Also note his comment to the believers at Thessalonica: And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers (1 Thessalonians 2.13). Paul writes in the tradition of his prophetic predecessors in accordance to the command of the eternal God. It is not arrogance that prompts Paul to write, If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized (1 Corinthians 14.37-38), but confidence that the very word of God is being spoken through him. So too the reader should understand the Roman epistle to be the word of God even though it is through the hand of his amanuensis Tertius.
THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH (16.26b)
Paul opened the epistle with a gospel summary statement: Jesus is the Christ prophesied in Scripture as a descendant of King David according to the flesh, but the Son of God in power according to the Spirit. He was resurrected from the dead and is the living Lord from whom Paul received grace and his apostolic call to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations. Paul ends his letter where he began it: reminding believers that the obedience of faith is what Christian living is all about. It is through the obedience of faith that one glorifies God. Christians are strengthened through obedience. The gospel strengthens believers. Defining the gospel is the centerpiece of Paul’s epistle (chapters 1-8). Without the proclamation of the gospel no one will ever believe (Romans 10.9-15). But believing, that is, saving faith, invariably results in conformity to Christ: For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers (Romans 8.29; cp. 12.1-2). The purpose of the gospel is to produce a people who live in conformity to Christ. This is Paul’s own goal expressed in Philippians 3.10. It is the substance of Titus 2.11-14: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
The doctrine of the gospel is outlined in Romans 1-8; the obedience of faith is outlined in chapters 12-15. Consider this definition of obedience: Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality (Romans 12.9-14). When Paul’s letter is properly understood the doctrine of justification by faith alone is accompanied by the obedience of faith. Every man is a condemned sinner (Romans 3.10); his justification is procured by faith in Jesus’ atoning work (Romans 5.1). By faith he is united with Christ and there is no longer any condemnation for sin (Romans 8.1). The righteous obedience of Christ is imputed to believers (Romans 3.21-26; 4.6, 11; 5.19). It is God’s grace (the righteous obedience of Christ) working in the life of the believer that produces the obedience of faith.
Grace reigns through righteousness and this leads to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 5.21). The natural byproduct of that faith is obedience. Everyone who lives according to the Spirit puts to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8.13; cp. Galatians 5.16-26). The person who claims to have faith in Christ but continues in his or her old pattern of living does not have saving faith. Saving faith does not produce perfection, but always produces a new life in Christ (Romans 6.4; cp. Philippians 1.6; James 2.17)
