The Revelation of the Gospel: A Journey with Paul

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So Paul now at the end, the real end, you know, the very end after all the other ends, comes to this beautiful doxology, verse 25 of chapter 16. After all these, you know, greetings to the various people in Rome that he knows and has met on his missionary journeys and have returned to Rome, He says now to him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began, but now made manifest, and by the prophetic scriptures made known to all nations according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith, to God alone alone. Wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. What a wonderful end to this book. There are some lovely thoughts we can think of in regard to it. One that reminds me of my early days as a Christian, when I used to think of God as keeping me from falling in the sense of never sinning or never falling into another habit or some addiction of one kind or another. But really that is not what it means. There will be sin and struggle in the life of a Christian, even though he overcomes many, many things. But this means, I believe, that he is able to keep us from falling away, from giving up and walking out on him. Now there are some, and you may be one of them, who has given up and walked out on God. But you’re listening to this program, aren’t you? And what does that imply? That God is calling you back. That God is finishing his work. That even though we fall off the wagon many times, God brings us back and puts us back into the wagon. To him who is able to establish you, to make you firm, to have you stand firm, according to the good news of the preaching of Jesus Christ. You see, God is able to do this because of the gospel. The gospel about Jesus Christ. God has sent his Son into the world, our Savior, in order to call and bring all the world back to him. He’s able to do it. All power has been given to him in heaven and on earth. And he has said in John 12.32 that when he is lifted up, that is on the cross, both here in the world and in the final judgment, he will be seen as one slain. On the throne of God itself, when the world sees that, they will be drawn to him. This preaching of Jesus Christ is according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began. Now this secret, this revelation is being revealed. It says the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began. Yes, Old Testament prophets have prophesied of it in part, and we have tried to discern, the prophets did, what that meant in their day. They were told it was meant for future days. And then finally, when Christ came, The revelation of that mystery is made known. It is no longer a secret. And Paul speaks about this secret in Ephesians chapter 1. Having made known, he says in verse 9, to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on the earth in him. So this is a fantastic mystery. It’s a fantastic revelation. It’s the revelation that is brought to us by the cross, that God will draw all mankind to him through the cross of Jesus Christ. And thus, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall take an oath that in the Lord alone is their righteousness and strength. In the final judgment, people are going to see how weak they are, how broken their humanity is, how ruined it is by sin, and they’re going to see the glory of God. And there will seem to be no connection point at first between their sin and God’s glory, except that they will see the one slain upon the throne like a lamb slain, and that will be the hope. that brings to their hearts this desire for mercy. It’s a marvelous, marvelous thing we’re talking about here. The destiny of the world, utterly amazing. So according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began, and Paul also talks about that mystery as Christ within you. Christ is the head of the whole body of believers and we are the body and he operates and works through us. And that is why he speaks of Christ within as the great mystery, because Christ is finally going to take into himself all humanity. This is why, as you recall, Paul said in chapter 14 of Romans, I mean chapter 11, sorry, for of him and through him and to him are all things. That is coming out from him, of him, and through him going through the atoning work of Christ and ending up to him again are all things. To God be the glory. And that is why Paul is able to speak about the people of God being in Christ and Christ being in them. So then he says, but now that is this great mystery that has been kept secret since the world began is now made manifest. It is unveiled. It is revealed, opened up. by the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all nations. See, that’s God’s purpose and intent. All nations shall know this. All the world. The glory of God will cover the world as the waters cover the sea. According to the commandment of the everlasting God, God has sent forth a command. He has sent it through Jesus Christ that all the world should become obedient to the faith. Now, what is that obedience to faith? Paul refers to it and has referred to it at the beginning of this letter. It’s not talking about commandment obedience. It’s talking about the obedience of faith. And what is faith? Faith in the fact that Christ has sacrificed himself as a substitute for us upon the cross. He is our substitutionary sacrifice so that in him we are already counted as judged. And then he rises from the dead so that in him we can be sure of our resurrection from the dead. This body, though it dies, will rise again. It’s amazing how far-reaching this belief and prophecy is. Job, considered one of the oldest books in the Bible, says in chapter 19, verse 25, For I know that my Redeemer lives. and he shall stand at last on the earth. And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another, how my heart yearns within me. What an amazing statement this is. Job 19, verses 25 to 27. It’s as if this man knew the gospel, as in fact he did, to some limited degree. He knew that he would rise from the dead in his real body, not in spirit form simply, but a real body. This is what we know, and this is what was established in Old Testament Scripture. Now, let’s read it again, verse 26, but now this mystery made manifest and by the prophetic scriptures made known to all nations according to the commandment of the everlasting God for obedience to the faith. You see, we are called to believe in Christ as our substitutionary sacrifice. We are called to believe that the blood of Jesus Christ, that is his death, cleanses us from all sin. We are called to believe that Christ is our righteousness, that the righteousness that all humanity has been seeking after by various rituals and pagan practices is has not been found in ourselves, but is now found in Jesus Christ, and he is our access to the Father. This is what obedience to the faith is. When we find ourselves struggling with sin, or overcome with doubt and discouragement and a sense of inadequacy, we are to lift up our hearts and say, But Father, I thank you that you are my righteousness. Your Son is my righteousness. Your Son is my wholeness. Your Son is my access to you. Your Son has given me his righteousness, imputed to me, charged to my account. I am no longer under judgment, dear God, because Christ has taken that judgment on the cross. That is the obedience of faith. Look to Christ and all he is for you and keep believing that and expressing it. That’s the obedience of faith, not whether you have overcome this or that and the other. Of course, when you look to Christ, you will become more obedient. You will overcome this, that, and the other that you haven’t been able to do before. But not all will be right. We will still be sinners, and we will look to Christ as the one who is our righteousness. And so then Paul finally says, To God alone wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. To God alone wise. How interesting. There is no wisdom outside of God. It doesn’t matter how much scientists tell you. It doesn’t matter how much evolutionists tell you or atheists recite to you. There is no wisdom outside of God. The person who does not have the wisdom to accept Jesus Christ is a fool. And he is walking around in his own conceit and walking around in his own supposed righteousness when there is actually none that he has. This is where Paul is bringing us. He is bringing us at the end of his book to the fact that God alone is our source of life, of wisdom, of salvation, of peace and of glory. Let not God be a side issue with you. Let him not be an adjunct to your moral life. Let him not simply be an addition, an assistance, a help. He is everything to us. There is nothing that is not from him that we receive. To him be glory through Jesus Christ. Do you see how knowledge of God is linked with knowledge of Jesus Christ? Jesus Christ said that no man can come to the Father except through him. Jesus Christ revealed… that to know him is to know the Father. If you are not sure of who God is, if you worry about whether he’s harsh, a judge, or cruel, look to Jesus Christ, for in looking to him, you are looking to God. Thanks for listening, everyone. Today, this is Colin Cook, and you have heard my program, How It Happens. You can listen to this broadcast any time of the day or night on your smartphone. Simply download a free app, soundcloud.com or podbean.com and key in How It Happens with Colin Cook. And would you please think of a donation? It would be so helpful. This is listener-supported radio. It costs $39 per 15 minutes, $200 for a week’s programs, and about $850 to $900 for a month’s programs. You can send your donation to FaithQuest, P.O. Box 366, Littleton, Colorado 80160, or make your donation online at faithquestradio.com. Thanks so much. I appreciate it. I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.