Romans 16:25 - Meaning and Application

Here the apostle ends his letter with a solemn and beautiful praise to the blessed God. He wants everything to come back to God in glory, since all things are from him and through him. It is as if Paul pours out his soul to the Romans in worship, choosing to make praise the close of his letter, just as it was the aim of his life.

Paul then gives a description of the gospel, which comes in as a side thought. He has just spoken of it as the means by which God’s power establishes believers, and as the rule that guides that strengthening: “to establish you according to my gospel.” Paul calls it “my gospel” because he preached it and took great joy in it. Some think he means only the teaching he has given in this letter, but it more likely includes all the preaching and writing of the apostles, with Paul as one of the chief workers. Through their word (John 17:20), the word entrusted to them, God makes this gospel known.

The gospel is the preaching of Jesus Christ. Christ preached it himself, and it began to be spoken by the Lord (Hebrews 2:3). He was so pleased with his work of saving us that he would be the first to announce it. Or, if we look at it another way, Christ is the main subject of the gospel. The whole message centers on Jesus Christ and him crucified. “We do not preach ourselves,” Paul says, “but Christ Jesus the Lord.” Plain preaching of Jesus Christ is what strengthens souls.

The gospel is also the revealing of a mystery that was kept hidden since the world began, and now is made known through the writings of the prophets. The heart of the gospel is a mystery. Our rescue and salvation through Jesus Christ, in its plan, way, and results, is truly a great mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16). This shows how noble the gospel is. It is no common idea invented by human wisdom. It is the wonderful work of God’s eternal wisdom and counsel, with a depth and height beyond full human understanding. Even the angels want to look into it, and they cannot reach its bottom. Yet God has made enough of this mystery clear to bring us to heaven, if we do not carelessly ignore so great a salvation.

This mystery was kept secret since the world began. It was hidden in silence from eternity, as some understand it, meaning it came from the eternal purpose of God’s love. Before the foundation of the world, the mystery was hidden in God (Ephesians 3:9). Or, if read as “since the world began,” it was hidden through all the Old Testament times in the types and shadows of the ceremonial law and in the prophets’ dark predictions. Those prophecies pointed to Christ, but people could not fully see their end (2 Corinthians 3:13). It was hidden even from the Jews in many ways, and far more from the Gentiles, who sat in darkness and had no true knowledge of it. Even Christ’s own disciples, before his resurrection and ascension, understood the mystery of redemption only in a confused and incomplete way.

But now it has been made clear. The veil is torn away, the shadows of evening are gone, and life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel. The Sun of righteousness has risen on the world. Paul does not claim that he alone discovered this truth. He means that it is now made known to many others. It is made known by the Scriptures of the prophets because the event itself gives the best explanation of their words. Once the promise has come true, the meaning becomes plain. What the prophets wrote was often dark in their own day, but now their writings are clear in themselves, and through them this mystery is made known among all nations. The Old Testament does not only receive light from the New Testament, it also gives light back to it. If the New explains the Old, the Old also helps explain the New. In that way, the prophets speak again now that their prophecies have been fulfilled before many peoples, nations, and languages (Revelation 10:11). Christ now appears as the treasure hidden in the field of the Old Testament. All the prophets testify about him (Luke 24:27).

This mystery is manifested according to the command of the everlasting God. That means it comes from God’s eternal purpose, counsel, and decree, and also from the commission given first to Christ and then to the apostles when the time was right. They received their charge from the Father to preach the gospel. If anyone asks why this mystery was kept hidden so long, and why it is made known now, the answer is the will of God. He is sovereign and does not owe us an explanation of all his ways. The command of the everlasting God was enough to support the apostles and all gospel ministers in their work.

Paul also calls God the everlasting God very strongly. God is from everlasting, which means that even though he kept this mystery hidden for so long and revealed it only lately, he planned and prepared it from eternity, before the world was made. The promises and covenants written in Scripture are only copies of the covenant between the Father and the Son from eternity. Those written words are the copy; that eternal agreement is the original. God is also to everlasting, which means his truth and power continue forever. We must never expect a new revelation, but rest in this one, for it is according to the command of the everlasting God. Christ in the gospel is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The mystery is made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. Paul often points out how wide this revelation is. Once, God was known in Judah alone, but now Christ is salvation to the ends of the earth and to all nations. The purpose is also important: it is for the obedience of faith. People are to believe and obey it, receive it and live by it. The gospel is not given just to be discussed or argued about, but to be submitted to. The obedience of faith is the obedience that comes from the word of faith (Acts 6:7) and is produced by the grace of faith.

Here we see what true faith is, faith that works in obedience, and what true obedience is, obedience that comes from faith. We also see the goal of the gospel, which is to bring us to both. The gospel is meant to form a believing heart and a obedient life together.

Then comes a doxology, a word of praise to God, who owns this gospel. Paul gives glory to him forever, acknowledging that he is a glorious God and worshiping him with deep reverence. This is what it means to praise God, to give him glory forever. We should long to join the holy angels in this work, where we will do it forever.

Notice the content of this praise. In thanksgiving, we focus on God’s gifts to us. In praise and worship, we focus on who God is in himself. Two of his chief qualities are named here, his power and his wisdom.

First, his power: he is able to establish you, that is, to make you firm and keep you steady in the faith. This takes nothing less than divine power. When we think about how ready believers are to fall, how hard their spiritual enemies work to bring them down, and how shaking the times can be in which they live, only almighty power can keep them secure. God’s power at work to establish his people is worthy of our praise, as Jude says, "To him who is able to keep you from stumbling" (Jude 1:24).

And when we give God glory for this power, we should also take comfort from it. Whatever our doubts, struggles, and fears may be, our God, whom we serve, is able to establish us. See (1 Peter 1:5) and (John 10:29).

Second, his wisdom: "To God only wise" (Romans 16:27). Power without wisdom to direct it, or wisdom without power to carry it out, would both be useless. But God has both, and both without limit, so he is a perfect being. He is the only wise God, not the Father alone apart from the Son and the Holy Spirit, but Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons and one God, wise in a way no creature can match. Compared with him, even the wisest human being is like a wild donkey’s colt, and even the angels are said to have folly in comparison with God.

He alone is perfectly and unfailingly wise. He alone is wise from himself, because he is the source and fountain of all created wisdom, the giver of every light of understanding that any creature has (James 1:17). With him are strength and wisdom, and both the deceived and the deceiver are under his rule.

The praise also comes through Jesus Christ. Some read it this way: "To God only wise through Jesus Christ." In Christ, God is shown to the world as the only wise God, because Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God. Or, as the verse may be read, glory is given through Jesus Christ.

All the glory that rises from fallen human beings to God, so that it is accepted by him, must pass through the Lord Jesus. Only in him are our persons and our actions pleasing to God. So we must speak of his righteousness, and of his alone. As he is the mediator of all our prayers, so he is, and I believe he will be forever, the mediator of all our praise.