Page 78 - Romans Student Textbook.doc

His point to the believers in the Roman churches is clear, whether they come from a Jewish or Gentile
background they all come from a background of disobedience to God and are only in His church because
of His choice to shown them mercy through the person and work of Jesus Christ. They are not saved
because they are special in any way but are saved by the grace of God for the purpose of showing the
glory of God to a watching world by the way that they show the love of God alive in them in their
relationships with one another. It is to correct them for not doing so that he is writing to them. That is
why he has established the foundation of a common understanding of God’s wondrous salvation from
which to give them specifics about how to relate properly to one another in the church and then to the
world in which they live in remainder of the letter. Before he went on to the instructions, though, he took
some time and space in his letter to praise the Lord for his glorious salvation.

God’s glory is displayed by the inscrutability of His wisdom, knowledge, character and actions. (11:33-36)

God’s glory is what matters most. But God’s glory is beyond our capacity to understand completely. It
cannot be known exhaustively by God’s image bearers but some of it can be known truly because God has
revealed it to us. We see but bits and pieces of who God is and what He had done, and it astounds us. As
he finishes his exposition of the wonder of our salvation in Jesus Christ, Paul expressed that wonder this
way.

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and
how inscrutable his ways!

‘For who has now the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’
‘Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’

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For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

Hanukkah in the New Testament – God’s salvation in troubled times
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39YQx98T-so

98 Romans 11:33-36, ESV.
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