To Him Be The Glory Forever
Romans 11:33-36
May 6, 2018
As you know, we are studying the fifth and final of the SOLAS.
We are looking at SOLI DEO GLORIA
Namely that redemption (as in all things) is for the glory of God alone.
And thus far we have really made 2 main points.
1) God does all things (including redemption) that He might make His glory known.
• This includes even the hard to understand things of life like the fall or suffering
or the hardening of Israel.
• God ordained all of those things that He might reveal who He is and His glory.
2) The fact that God is passionate about revealing His glory is a blessing to us since there is no greater gift God can give us than a revelation of Himself.
• God is not egotistical when He purposes to make His glory known, rather God
is blessing us by allowing us to know the greatest good that there is.
Consider a person with a fine singing voice who refuses to sing.
We’d say they are robbing us of the enjoyment of their talents.
Well in an infinitely greater way, this is true for God.
• The greatest joy we can have is in a revelation of the glory of God and
therefore God must make Himself known to bless us.
Well tonight we’re going to look at a great summation passage
That I think ties all of these SOLAS together under the banner of SOLI DEO GLORIA.
It is Paul’s doxology of praise
At the end of the theological section of his book.
• To fully grasp the weight of this doxology one would really need to have just come through a study of the first 11 chapters of this book.
• It is theological depth to say the least.
• Obviously we haven’t done that, even though many of the doctrines we have recently studied came from this marvelous book.
While we may not be able to readily pull up all the doctrines of Romans,
Simply think about where we’ve traveled in the last several months.
SOLA SCRIPTURA and the marvelous reality that God would choose to make Himself known.
• Had He not done this, we could not know Him
• Be God spoke!
• He gave us specific revelation in regard to His salvation
SOLA GRATIA And here we examined all of those precious doctrines of grace.
• That man is totally depraved
• And yet God by grace alone chose to save some
• He awakened them from the dead
• He granted them faith
• He effectually called them
• He atoned for them through Christ
• And He secured them in His salvation
SOLA FIDE Which of course is the means by which we are justified.
• God did not make salvation a checklist of human labors and accomplishments.
• There was no intellectual or physical test that had to be passed.
• God so ordained that faith alone would bring justification and to make matters even better it was a faith that He first granted to us.
SOLUS CHRISTUS
• Christ first lived a righteous life satisfying the righteous requirements of God.
• He then died a sacrificial death by which He satisfied the fury of God’s wrath.
• He then offers to cover us in His righteousness that we might stand before God justified in spite of what we are.
And now we are discussing the depths of SOLI DEO GLORIA
It’s been quite a journey.
And one that LEADS TO THE SAME DOXOLOGY that Paul records here.
NAMELY THAT THE WISDOM OF GOD
TO CONSTRUCT AND THEN CARRY OUT A PLAN
SO GLORIOUS AS REDEMPTION,
MOST CERTAINLY MAKES HIM WORTHY OF ALL GLORY.
As Paul contemplated the tremendous sovereignty of God,
It led him to FIRST marvel at the wisdom of God
And THEN to glorify God because of it.
Tonight we’re going to do the same.
First we’ll consider God’s wisdom, and then we’ll glorify Him for it.
3 realities about God’s wisdom.
#1 BEYOND HUMAN ABILITY TO CAPTURE IT
Romans 11:33
“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”
And what a picture he paints for us.
He could have simply said, “Oh, the depth of the wisdom of God’
He could have said, “Oh, the riches of the wisdom of God”
But he implied that God’s wisdom and knowledge
Is a treasure beyond calculation.
Add up all the gold, add up all the silver,
Throw in all the diamonds on earth,
And the treasure does not measure up
To “the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!”
Notice that Paul lists both “wisdom” and “knowledge”
“knowledge” seems to imply what a person knows
“wisdom” is what you do with what you know.
GOD EXCELLS IN BOTH CATEGORIES
He knows everything and always acts perfectly as a result.
God knows the answer to every riddle,
He knows the sum of every equation,
He knows what to do in every situation,
And He is never wrong, and He never makes a mistake.
God’s wisdom and knowledge are true riches.
No wonder the Psalmist said:
Psalms 119:14 “I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches.”
No wonder Solomon prayed:
1 Kings 3:7-9 “Now, O LORD my God, You have made Your servant king in place of my father David, yet I am but a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. “Your servant is in the midst of Your people which You have chosen, a great people who are too many to be numbered or counted. “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of Yours?”
GOD’S WISDOM IS A DEEP TREASURE.
And then look at what Paul says next:
“How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”
God’s wisdom is certainly like a treasure,
But unlike gold, or silver, of diamonds,
It is not a treasure that mankind can simply go find.
It is beyond human ability to find it.
In fact the word for “unfathomable”
Is a word that refers to footprints that are untrackable.
• His wisdom cannot be found in school…
• His wisdom cannot be gained through experience…
• His wisdom cannot earned through hard work…
I know a person that loves to tell me, “Wisdom comes with age”.
That is absolutely NOT TRUE.
Experience comes with age, but not necessarily wisdom.
The wisdom of God is beyond the search of the human mind.
No human anywhere can simply get it on his own.
IT IS BEYOND HUMAN ABILITY TO CAPTURE IT.
1 Corinthians 2:14 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”
1 Corinthians 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
TURN TO: JOB 28
Such is God’s wisdom.
WE CAN’T FIND IT, BUT IT IS AVAILABLE.
Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Which is of course the same thing that Job just said.
God gives wisdom to those who fear Him.
James gives more insight into this mystery.
James 1:5 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
Paul adds a little more insight.
1 Corinthians 2:9-13 “but just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.”
God’s wisdom is beyond human ability to find, it only comes through:
Fearing God – Seeking God – Trusting God
Wisdom is God’s, and only He can give it out.
Beyond human ability to find it
#2 BEYOND HUMAN ABILITY TO COMPREHEND IT
Romans 11:34
He is quoting Isaiah 40:13
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?”
Is there anyone here who could actually think
They have God’s mind figured out,
So much that they could actually give God advice about something?
Look at Isaiah 40
Isaiah 40:13-17 “Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has informed Him? With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding? And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge And informed Him of the way of understanding? Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales; Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust. Even Lebanon is not enough to burn, Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before Him, They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.”
The insinuation is this:
That even if you could find the storehouse for God’s wisdom,
Even then it would be too lofty for you to understand.
It is so far above us, that apart from God’s help,
Even if you could find it, you couldn’t understand it.
Deuteronomy 29:29 “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law.”
Remember what David said:
Psalms 139:1-6 “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.”
God said through Isaiah:
Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Paul asked, “Who has known the mind of the Lord?”
And the obvious answer is NO ONE.
Not only can we not find God’s wisdom on our own,
But we cannot comprehend it on our own either.
His wisdom is that much higher than us.
Notice Paul’s second question.
“or who became His counselor?”
Now that is a great question.
In other words, who gave God advice?
Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.”
But that is not the case with God.
He doesn’t need your advice.
Remember what Paul told the Athenians on Mars Hill?
Acts 17:24-25 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things;”
In other words, God does not need your advice,
For His wisdom is totally superior to yours.
WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM GOD?
Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
What a tragedy that people don’t tap into the resource
Of God’s wisdom for their daily lives.
Look at what Solomon said:
Proverbs 2:1-12 “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you, To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things;”
It is God’s lofty, unfathomable wisdom, explained to you,
Given to guide you in all your ways in life.
No wonder Paul called it “riches”.
God’s wisdom is beyond human ability to find
God’s wisdom is beyond human ability to comprehend
#3 BEYOND HUMAN ABILITY TO CLAIM
Romans 11:35-36
“Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again?”
In other words, who does God owe for teaching Him all the stuff He knows?
Who taught God that God should give Him credit?
Paul told the Galatians:
Galatians 6:6 “The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him.”
And so the question here is, “Who does God need to share with?”
And the answer: No One.
No one taught God, and therefore no one is worthy of God’s glory.
Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.”
God’s wisdom is for God’s glory not yours.
John MacArthur wrote:
“The supreme benefit of God’s redemptive plan, both for Jews and for Gentiles, is to bring them salvation and eternal life. But the supreme purpose of that plan is to glorify Himself. His preparation of heaven for the saved and of hell for the unsaved is to display His glory. The surpassing purpose of every created being and thing in the universe is to glorify God. All other divine intentions are subservient to that supreme and ultimate goal. In the words of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” (MacArthur, John; The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series, Romans 9-11, Moody Press, Chicago, Ill. 1994; pg. 124)
His wisdom is not given to gain you fame and fortune.
His wisdom is revealed to gain Him glory.
Notice what God said to Israel:
Isaiah 48:1-11 “Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are named Israel And who came forth from the loins of Judah, Who swear by the name of the LORD And invoke the God of Israel, But not in truth nor in righteousness. “For they call themselves after the holy city And lean on the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is His name. “I declared the former things long ago And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them. Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. “Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron sinew And your forehead bronze, Therefore I declared them to you long ago, Before they took place I proclaimed them to you, So that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them, And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’ “You have heard; look at all this. And you, will you not declare it? I proclaim to you new things from this time, Even hidden things which you have not known. “They are created now and not long ago; And before today you have not heard them, So that you will not say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’ “You have not heard, you have not known. Even from long ago your ear has not been open, Because I knew that you would deal very treacherously; And you have been called a rebel from birth. “For the sake of My name I delay My wrath, And for My praise I restrain it for you, In order not to cut you off. “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another.”
Did you catch what God said there?
I revealed My plan to you so you would give Me glory.
God’s wisdom is for His glory.
Isaiah 43:11-13 “I, even I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. “It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the LORD, “And I am God. “Even from eternity I am He, And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?”
“it is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed…”
That is why God mocked the idols of Israel
Isaiah 41:21-24 “Present your case,” the LORD says. “Bring forward your strong arguments,” The King of Jacob says. Let them bring forth and declare to us what is going to take place; As for the former events, declare what they were, That we may consider them and know their outcome. Or announce to us what is coming; Declare the things that are going to come afterward, That we may know that you are gods; Indeed, do good or evil, that we may anxiously look about us and fear together. Behold, you are of no account, And your work amounts to nothing; He who chooses you is an abomination.”
I think you see God’s point.
I am the only wise God, and I deserve glory for it.
That is Paul’s point here as well.
No man can claim credit for God’s wisdom.
If He has it, it is only because God revealed it to him.
1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
And then Paul closes with a great verse.
And I want to look at this verse
AS THE FINAL SUMMATION of all that we have studied.
(36) “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things, To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
Now think about that statement.
It is Paul’s way of validating the wisdom of God.
• Do you want to grasp God’s great wisdom?
• Do you want to see how much credit God gets for salvation?
That credit is seen in the fact that
It all came from God and through God and to God.
CONSIDER THESE THINGS.
“For from Him…are all things”
“all things” is obviously a broad scope.
So certainly we look at things like creation.
• We know creation came from God, it certainly didn’t come from man.
• We’ve read Genesis 1 and seen that oft repeated phrase, “Then God said…”
John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”
Certainly creation came from Him.
So does JUDGMENT
• Who else was the source of the flood?
• Who else rained fire on Sodom?
• Who else destroyed Pharaoh’s arm in the sea?
• Who else toppled Jericho?
• The same God who will burn this entire world with fire.
Judgment comes from Him.
But more than that,
We worship because REDEMPTION COMES FROM HIM!
As we said, God dwells beyond time and space, there is no possible way could have ever traveled to find Him.
• God had to take the initiative.
• God had to make Himself known.
And He did, He gave us His word
Deuteronomy 30:11-14 “For this commandment which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach. “It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross the sea for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?’ “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it.”
We recognize then the exclusivity and authority and blessing
Of this word which God revealed.
We shouted SOLA SCRIPTURA!
We don’t look to our own intellect or traditions or logic or edicts.
We run to God’s revelation as the guide for salvation, it came from God.
But even when God revealed Himself,
He also revealed a standard which condemned us to the core.
• His Law revealed that He was righteous, we are not.
• His Law revealed that all we seek is only evil continually.
• And we did not have the capacity to seek God or choose God or even desire
God.
We were dead in our trespasses and sins.
We couldn’t seek God and even if we could, we wouldn’t have.
Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)”
And we cried SOLA GRATIA
Salvation came from God.
He made us alive and gave us a desire for Him.
But even then, we were in trouble, for who of us could do enough good to ever undo the evil of our hearts?
• How many hours of penance would be required?
• How many works of suffering would be needed?
• How many religious deeds would suffice?
And God said, “None!”
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
And we proclaimed SOLA FIDE!
All God requires is faith, and it is the faith which He first gives.
And you see why we say that redemption is “From Him”
It most certainly wasn’t from us.
But Paul also said that
“through Him…are all things”
Well that’s also true of things like creation
• Which God made apart from any human aid.
• We didn’t even arrive until day 6 when most everything else was already created.
Certainly it’s true of judgment.
Paul wrote:
Acts 17:31 “He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
But more than all of those things we understand that REDEMPTION COMES THROUGH HIM!
For not only did God initiate redemption,
He also accomplished it.
• We saw how God became flesh and dwelt among us.
• How this Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life on earth perfectly obeying every
single command God had ever given. (Active Obedience)
• We saw then how this Jesus then died on a cross as a sinner to suffer wrath
which He did not deserve. (Passive Obedience)
We read:
2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
And we recognized that in this wonderful doctrine of imputation,
God treated Jesus as though He had lived my life
So that He could treat me as though I had lived His.
And at the top of our lungs
We sang SOLUS CHRISTUS!
It is not about what Christ did in me, but what Christ did for me.
This Christ did not come to make us righteous,
He came to be our righteousness.
Redemption came “through Him”
It most certainly didn’t come through us.
And because those first two are true Paul then said:
“and to Him are all things”
True of creation? Yes
Psalms 96:11-13 “Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; Let the sea roar, and all it contains; Let the field exult, and all that is in it. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy Before the LORD, for He is coming, For He is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness And the peoples in His faithfulness.”
True of judgment? Yes
Philippians 2:9-11 “For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
But even more than that, it is certainly true of redemption.
REDEMPTION COMES TO HIM
The sole purpose of redemption is that
We might know God and glorify Him forever.
Have we not seen the heavenly scene?
Revelation 5:8-14 “When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.”
• When we see that God alone initiated salvation (from Him)
• When we see that God alone accomplished salvation (through Him)
• Then we certainly proclaim that God alone gets the glory for it (to Him)
Which is what Paul said:
“to Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
And here rests the church!
We persistently, and continually, and unashamedly, and passionately sing with the loudest and highest and strongest voice; SOLI DEO GLORIA
He has done it all!
• It was His wisdom that conceived it
• It was His grace that confirmed it
• It was His word that revealed it
• It was His Son that accomplished it
It is His church that recognizes it forever and ever!
(READ PSALMS 145-150)
SOLI DEO GLORIA
