Romans Review 15-16 #56(2026.11.01)

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:02

Hi, if you're looking for greater hope, assurance, and confidence through the shifting sands of life, then join me on today's episode as we dig deep into the Bible to discover rock-solid truth for life and living from the God of the Bible. I'm your host, Scott Keffer. Hi, and welcome to today's episode. As always, for a deeper experience, you can go to the show notes and download the blank insight sheet Fill in the blanks along with the group. Depending on how you're listening to this, there will be a link to the episode website at beholdingbibeltruth.com, and a sheet with the answers is included as well. Enjoy today's episode. People ask, what, where, where and how do you get this? It is on YouTube. It's also on all the podcast, uh,

Scott Keffer [: 00:00:54

frameworks. You can go and search for the podcast, which is BeholdingBibleTruth.com. These 2 little squigglies, whatever you can use with your phone to get in there. So usually by Wednesday of the following week, if you want it with video, there's the video one. If you want on audio, so it's podcast or audio, so you can get on your phone or computer or whatever. Thank you all for supporting me, Lord giving the platform. So we're going through Gospel of Romans. Gospel, the gospel, the gospel.

Scott Keffer [: 00:01:30

So in 15 and 16, we're going to summarize them. It's been fun. Hopefully it's been encouraging for you to get summaries of Romans. So Romans 15 is about Christ, our example. Fundamentally, Christ, our example. And how in him we have unity, in him we have hope, and in him we have the gospel to all the nations. So he begins by saying, which is really a carry forward, right? We're here in 15 from 13 and 14. This is a carry forward about the weak.

Scott Keffer [: 00:02:01

So we looked at what, you know, how do we deal with the weak in terms of conscience about those things that aren't specifically commanded or commanded yes or commanded no? How do we think about those? So he says here to begin, in love, the strong ought to bear the weakness. right? The weaknesses of those without strength, without strength. So it's a reminder that there are, you know, chronological time in the Lord isn't the same as maturity in the Lord, that there are those who are stronger in the Lord and they will have a more settled conviction. So I put on there, our spiritual strength creates an obligation to serve, not a privilege to please ourselves. So he said each of us should please his neighbor for his good. And he said particularly to his edification. Edification, which is a picture of renovation. We are to be building up, building up, building up, building up, right? So the idea is we are to build up one another, therefore encourage one another.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:18

It says in 1 Thessalonians, build up one another. Jesus said, let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification, that it may give grace to those who hear, right? Grace. So we are to be building up one another. For even Christ did not Pleased himself. So then I thought, well, pleased himself. It wasn't just about himself. But he said, no, even more, he bore our reproach. He bore our reproach.

Scott Keffer [: 00:03:55

So in the one sense, I thought about how Christ came to serve the Father. My meat, my food is to do the will of him who sent me. That's one thing. That was obedience to the Father. Um, whatever the Father has, right? That's why Jesus said, if you see me, you've seen the Father, because I do the will of the Father. But even more than that, when he said Christ did not please himself, he said he bore our reproach. And he, he went back to Psalms where it says the reproaches of those who reproach thee Have fallen on me. He took my shame.

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:35

He took my reproach. What kind of God would do that? The God whom I have offended, the God whom I have reproached, the consequence of that reproach he took upon him. It's just stunning that he would do that. So he says, even as Christ—

Scott Keffer [: 00:04:57

so he's putting a context to the strong and the weak and why we should set aside liberty at times for the benefit of building up another. For Christ received our reproach. Then he talks about scripture. He says those things that were written in former times— what are those? When Paul is saying that, what is he talking about? Well, Old Testament. He's talking about the Old Testament.

Scott Keffer [: 00:05:23

So Paul says, right, because the New Testament is being written, literally being written, if you will. So he's saying those things that were written before time, so it was written for our instruction. But there's a so that. Remember I said pay attention? So that points, right, points to purpose, always points to purpose. So when you see that, it's the purpose behind it. So you look at Scripture, one of the purposes was so that, so that we would be encouraged, filled with courage, filled with courage, be strong and courageous. So one of the ways that he fills us with courage is his word. You can't— it's really hard to be courageous without his word, the strength of his promises.

Scott Keffer [: 00:06:15

And he gave us those promises. And I remember when I was, I was praying, you know, the one promise he gave us from Psalm 41:1-3, particularly 3. And I said, Lord, I don't command you because that's not appropriate. I don't command this verse, but I stand upon it. I stand upon this verse, right? I stand upon it. So the, the word gives us Encouragement, right? So that you would be encouraged and have hope. And have hope. And then he reminds us, where does it come from? It is God who will give you perseverance and encouragement.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:05

When I— when I first came to Christ, when God called me to himself, My mom was still living, and my friends at the time said, what is he doing? My mom said, don't worry, it's like vitamins. So, you know, he gets really excited. But, and so I was the, I was the guy who started a book, never finished it, started an airplane model, didn't finish it, started things, didn't finish them. That was me. And I remember saying to the— I mean, 2 things I said to the Lord. If you don't do this, I, I know I won't do it. I, I mean, I'm off. You know, you better be a shepherd to me because I'm going over the hill.

Scott Keffer [: 00:07:40

And the second thing is when I met Jim Leckie, who was a strong believer at the time, I said, Jim, I need help because I won't, I just won't stay. I won't, I won't stay with that. And that's when he introduced me to, uh, to Lee Twombly. And that was Dave Goode at the time. Dave Goode is one of the founders of the chapel. And that's when John Monroe came and we were sitting at Big Boy and we were talking about that. But God did that. And he reminds us here, it's God who does that.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:10

It is God who gives you perseverance and encouragement. God gives it to you. Aren't you glad? Yes. He gives it to you. Does he have enough courage to give? Does he have the power to, to, to, to give you to persevere? It's— it is God who does that. And then he says, with the same mind, and he says that mind comes from the Lord, according to Christ Jesus glorified with one voice.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:39

Who should we glorify? The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Scott Keffer [: 00:08:54

And so I remember the first time I heard that, I thought, wait a minute, Jesus Christ, you are God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:00

You are Lord.

Scott Keffer [: 00:09:01

You're the Lord Jesus Christ. How can you have a God? He's the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, because the Lord Jesus Christ is both divine and he's human. So God the Father is his God and Father, if you will. And as a result of that, in Christ, he is our God and our Father. The reason I can be secure is because in Christ I've been adopted and placed in Christ, which means God the Father is my God and my Father. And it's a reminder that they're both— it says in Revelation, now to him who sits upon the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever. God the Father sits upon the throne, and he gives that throne, if you will, That right to his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And so I remember myself because it's not that he's not— he's not just Jesus.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:06

Not just Jesus. He's the Lord Jesus Christ. And he sits upon a throne with God the Father, who is my God and my Father. So he says, blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we pray, who do we pray to? Jesus. Our God, our Father who art in heaven. Who is that? The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just remember, we have intimacy with him, but at the same time we have honorable intimacy.

Scott Keffer [: 00:10:39

Honorable, right? Honorable intimacy. Does that make sense? Because the Son honors the Father. We honor It's just a reminder, when we, when we pray, we pray through the Lord Jesus Christ, and sometimes we pray to him, to the Father. So when I'm beseeching God the Father for best health, I'm asking the Lord Jesus Christ, intercede. Well, he's already interceded, but I could say, intercede, intercede, intercede, right? Intercede. Intercede. You imagine The Son intercedes because he is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's in the place of honor.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:21

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. So he says, as a result of that, accept one another. So there's a unity that comes, just as Christ has also accepted us. And so he's now tying it together. To whom does this matter? What the Lord Jesus Christ has done. To whom did it— first he says Christ became a servant to the circumcision. Who's that? To Jews. Why did he do that? To confirm God's promises.

Scott Keffer [: 00:11:55

Remember we went through the section, right, 9 through 11? What, what about Israel's disobedience and unbelief, and how do we figure that out? But Jesus Christ confirms the promises to the fathers, right? To Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God's faithfulness to Israel. We looked at it, 9 through 11. And then the second is to the Gentiles, and the Gentiles to glorify God for his mercy. Remember, he said there are, there are those who are Born Jews and those who are born Gentiles, right? And then there is the, the called. Called. Born Jews, born Gentiles, the called. Called, the called, the called.

Scott Keffer [: 00:12:55

So he says the, the Jews, the Gentiles, and then, and now Jews and Gentiles. Now Jews and Gentiles glorify God together. These here who are the called glorify God together, which is not completely surprising because we're Gentiles. We live in the age of Gentiles. Mostly Gentiles are coming to Christ, so we forget Unless you have studied the Old, you don't fully understand the New Testament till you understand the Old Testament that we've been grafted in. And so the idea that Jews and Gentiles would do this together is completely almost anathema if you're Jewish. Like, what? The Jews, right? The Gentiles are unclean. So this idea is what? Jews and Gentiles would glorify God together with one voice.

Scott Keffer [: 00:13:58

So his faithfulness to Israel, his mercy to the Gentiles. Then he says, like a blessing, may the God of hope— the God of hope. So when you go to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you remember he's gracious. Compassionate. He's the God of hope. It's absolutely critical that we understand his character, his character, because his character is a part of his sovereignty, and his providence is driven by his character. He's gracious. He's compassionate.

Scott Keffer [: 00:14:38

He's the God of all hope. May he fill you with all joy And peace. Hey, pray that for me. May the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, in believing, in believing. Isn't that cool? Why? There's a so that. Why? So that you may overflow, overflow. Overflow. And spill over in hope, right? Your hope would overflow, pouring out by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Scott Keffer [: 00:15:27

So you put that together and say, this is what the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. So who initiates it? God the Father. Who does it come through? The Holy Spirit. That's actually through the Lord Jesus, come through the Holy Spirit, kind of like from him and through him and to him are all things. Oh, that's what he said in Romans 11. See, that's the, that's the foundation which he pushes forward into 12 through 16. So we see it. You're saying this is how it's carried out.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:00

This is how it outflows. Then he says Paul has a gospel ministry, and he says it's Christ working through him. Same way, he's— you're empowered in your life, you're empowered through with hope, and you're empowered in ministry. He says, to me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given. Really, Paul, what was it to do? To preach. To the Gentiles. So each of you could say, hey, to me, the very least of all believers— you could say all saints because we're all saints— to me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given. What grace? To— verb— to whom? To serve, to lead, to guide, to teach, to help.

Scott Keffer [: 00:16:52

That's a verb. Spiritual gifts are verbs. Spiritual gifts are verbs. So Paul just said, I know what God's called me to, to verb. To who? It's to preach to the Gentiles. Does that mean he didn't do other things? No, he did at times. So that the Gentiles would become an offer acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Well, who does that go to? It goes to the nations.

Scott Keffer [: 00:17:25

This goes to the nations. Paul says to preach Christ, to Christ where he has not been named, which is what the Lord Jesus said. The Lord Jesus said, which is— Go, go. Go make disciples of all the nations. And see, all the nations means any and every, right? Jews, Gentiles. All the nations means every kinds of people. There's, there's, there's no culture that's off limits to the gospel. And God has, God has called and chosen among all the nations.

Scott Keffer [: 00:18:15

For thou wast slain and did purchase with thy blood men from every tribe, tongue, people, nation. Which also informs to me how we give, how we give. So we give to the local church, we give beyond the local church. Our beyond the local church needs to encompass the heart and passion of the Lord Jesus. So part of our— so part of our giving, praying needs to be nations. Now the chapel gets it, so they're, you know, local, national, international, same way. But we give, right, the tithe to the church, and we give beyond that to other ministries, right? The gospel to the nations. And so he says Gentiles who share in the spiritual blessings should also minister To Jews.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:10

He talks about that there. And then he finishes with pray. So Paul's dependence on prayer. He would pray for protection, for fruitful service, for boldness, for God's will. He'd pray for all of those. And so in Ephesians, he says, pray on my behalf. Underline it. Pray on my behalf.

Scott Keffer [: 00:19:35

Who's asking? The Apostle Paul. So he's saying, pray for me, pray for me. What should you pray? That utterance may be given to me for the opening of my mouth to make known the boldness— with boldness the mystery of the gospel. People are confused. Well, that's what I should ask God to do. So I— my boldness, that I, I share the gospel with boldness. No, that's not what he's praying. He's praying that God would empower me to carry out the calling that I have.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:08

What's my calling? Preach. That's my verb to the Gentiles. So he's saying with boldness I would preach. Everybody get that? So what should you pray for? With boldness, right? God empower your verb.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:25

That I would serve, that I would help, that I would lead, that I would So we get it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:30

That's so you convert that prayer to you. He's saying the bold— with boldness, make known with boldness. So he says, pray on my behalf.

Scott Keffer [: 00:20:41

I think the hardest— but now we're talking— the hardest thing when you're, when you're broken or struggling like we are is that it feels like, ah, it's too much on me. You know, people always ask me, how are you doing? How are you doing? How are you doing? You think, oh, how are you doing? You know, or I'm praying for you. Well, let me pray for you. You know, it feels weird. You know, just feels awkward. Well, Paul didn't have a problem with that. He said, hey, pray for me. Pray for me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:04

Pray for me. Pray on my behalf. Pray on my behalf. So I'm asking you to pray on my behalf. So what do you need prayers for? What do you need prayer for? Ask people to pray. Be okay to pray. Ask for prayers. Ask people to pray.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:22

Hey, pray for me. Hey, pray for me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:26

And pray for me. That's why, you know, we have a discussion often with Josh, who's converted to Catholicism. I said, so I have no idea whether you can pray to the saints in heaven. I have no idea whether you can. I have no idea. You maybe you can. I don't know. I really don't know.

Scott Keffer [: 00:21:44

But if you could, So if I had the option, would I pray for the children, or would I pray for the Son, or would I pray to the Father through the Son? So if I, if I had the option, who am I going to pray for, the Lord Jesus Christ or somebody who's saved and in heaven? I just figured I'm praying to this, to the Father through the Son. Through the Son. I don't know whether you can pray through the saints. I don't know.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:13

Doesn't make sense to me. But I don't know, I don't see it in scripture, but a lot of people do.

Scott Keffer [: 00:22:18

So through this, a lot of people were praying for Beth, right, to somebody, a saint, uh, for healing, which was fine. But I just asked the Lord Jesus. He's at the right hand. Seems to me that's who I'm, I'm asking to pray for me. And then you all. And so I'm going to be somebody who When somebody needs prayer, you would come to, not because a lot of people say, I'm gonna pray for you, and that means they want to, but they may or may not do that, right? Which is oftentimes if somebody asks me, I pray right on the spot. Because one, I might forget, likely forget if I don't have a sticky note. Right.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:01

Either— I mean, that's just me anymore. I said, why do you put things everywhere? It's because I'll forget, you know, I gotta stick them in my path. Otherwise I just forget stuff, you know. All right, Romans 16, over on the other side. So this is the gospel lived out. This is the gospel lived out. We're going to talk about servants, sound doctrine, God's glory. So he talks and he names people in this chapter.

Scott Keffer [: 00:23:29

Sister Phoebe was a servant— underline— of the church. What does that mean? She worked in the building. No. Well, there wasn't a building. There wasn't a building, right? And so some of what you may call do, and some of you may be called to do things that happen here. And the call all, all the time is, okay, come here and do things here. But serving the church doesn't mean serving the chapel. It means serving the Church of Jesus Christ.

Scott Keffer [: 00:24:04

And you can do that, you're depending on your ministry and your calling, depending on your verb and the subject to whom you, you carried out. She's a servant of the Church. And then he has, uh, uh, Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers. Workers, servant workers, those have certain meanings to them, huh? Workers mean those who Work. Yeah, it's not a trick question, right? That's why he says your gift should be employed. It's the same work as put to work, right? And he said they, those 2, um, risk their own necks. Risk their own necks. And the good thing about where we are— I don't know if it's a good thing or not good thing— we don't have to risk our necks.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:00

We don't risk our necks. Um, believers around the world in different places literally risk their necks. So then Paul goes through faithful servants, workers, fellow laborers. It's a family of faithful servants. Family. And you know, when, when, if you, if you study the Old Testament, sometimes you get tired of names. You say, why, where are all those names at? I can't even pronounce the names. If you get, you get the chapters, you think it's just names, names of people, right? Does God know my name? Yes, he does.

Scott Keffer [: 00:25:36

Where's my name? My name's written in the Book of Life if I, if I'm one of his. And he says, right, he says, lift your eyes on high, see who's created these stars. The one who leads forth their hosts by number, he calls them all by name. He's got billions and billions of names. Your name is not lost in the midst of this. So although every name is not written here of faithful servants during his time, the point is it's written in his book. And it's written in the journal of God's working over generations. You are known by him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:13

And many uses over and over of in Christ Jesus, in the Lord, beloved in the Lord. What's he talking about? Everything he talked about in, in, in 5, particularly 6, right? And 6, union. 7, 8, all of that union with Christ. In Christ Jesus, we are in Christ Jesus. We are— we have our feet in the sovereignty of God, and we are placed in the Lord Jesus Christ. See, it literally says in Colossians, we are seated with him in the heavenly places. We're seated with him. Doesn't feel like that on a regular basis, does it? Because that's the reality.

Scott Keffer [: 00:26:59

That's who we are. That's our identity. We've been adopted and we are seated at the right hand of God the Father. That's a place of access. It's a place of intimacy. It's a place of blessing and favor. We are in Christ. So he reminds us, in matters of Christian liberty, exercise grace.

Speaker C [: 00:27:22

Those— I didn't find a matters list. Do you want to create one?

Speaker D [: 00:27:25

Thank you.

Speaker C [: 00:27:29

Didn't find a matters list. Do you want to create one?

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:32

Uh, no, thank you. Yeah, thank you.

Speaker C [: 00:27:35

I will not then.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:36

Yes, you will not then. Is that the stupidest thing in the world, that your phone talks to you now and it doesn't talk to you when you want it to talk to you?

Speaker D [: 00:27:47

Nothing to us.

Scott Keffer [: 00:27:55

What was it in there? Yeah, no, at least— all right, so matters of Christian liberty, exercise grace, and in matters of biblical truth Exercise discernment. Exercise discernment. So he says, what does that mean? Keep your eye, be on the lookout. What does that mean? Keep your eye, be on the lookout. What does the— what does the guard do on the wall? Be on the lookout. Be on the lookout. Be on the watch. For those who cause dissensions and hindrances.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:42

Contrary. Contrary. What's Gnosticism? New knowledge. Got new revelations from the Lord. The Lord spoke to me. People say, Lord spoke to me about you. I said, well, good. Appreciate it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:28:59

No, I do appreciate that. Let me know. And because if he spoke to you about me, that means it's important. So it means he's going to speak to me. So I'll just wait for him to speak to me, which should be helpful. Dissensions, hindrances. So that's division, stumbling block, right? So he says to Timothy, do what? Guard it. Guard it.

Scott Keffer [: 00:29:26

Stand guard over the doctrine. Stand guard over the doctrine. Which is, again, it, it's challenging because godly men and women can have differing views on exactly what doctrine is. So it's kind of clarity on what the, what the, the, the, um, kind of the core stuff is, and then what, what's the ancillary stuff. The core stuff. That's why I say when, when you're not sure Run to the core. What's the core? Run to the core. Into the core.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:10

And that's the key on doctrine, because it says false teachers will come and they will serve their own appetites, not our Lord Christ. Evil men and What's an imposter? Fake. Pretend. Pretender. An imposter. It's hard to tell sometimes. Imposters proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. We had the last time we went— was it the last time we went to Romans? Had a guy in who was just— we were over there and he was, um, uh, he would have been an Arminian, which means he believed you could lose your salvation.

Scott Keffer [: 00:30:55

So he hung in there as long as he could until his head finally exploded. He stopped. But he— but the reason I bring that up is because it was in conversations with him that I began to think, because you gotta ask, what do you— what is it that you believe in? And then for what did you teach? And he was— some other people were letting him run their class. He was being asked because he was well studied. And he was very thoughtful about the way, but clearly, um, to me, that's a core— that's a core doctrine, right? That's a core doctrine. Can you— can you be unsaved? Can you be unadopted, right? Can you be unborn? Can you be unchosen? Can you be unpredestined? You just run through that. That's a core— that is a core doctrine. That is a key and a core doctrine, right? Because that's the core of how are you saved.

Scott Keffer [: 00:31:58

So then he says, in application of this, be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. Be wise in what is good. In Hebrews, he talks about solid food is for the mature. Who, because of practice— underline practice, practice, practice, practice— have their senses trained to discern good and evil. Practice, practice, training. discernment. How do we practice discernment? How do we get trained on discernment, be able to discern good and evil? So he says, be wise about that, what is good. And then he reminds us, he's now starting to sum up all things.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:03

Well, things are hard, aren't they? We have, we have, uh, an adversary who prowls about, doesn't he? But he prowls about like a lion. He's not a lion. He prowls about like a lion. You know why he's not a lion? Because there is a lion. He's the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. So the, the adversary prowls about like a lion. But he's not a lion. But the fact is, he can, he can wreak, right? What's he do? He does DAT stuff.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:39

D-A-T. Deception, accusation, temptation. That's how he gets us. Deception, accusation, temptation. He does DAT stuff. D-A-T. So he does. But he's down here and he's operating here.

Scott Keffer [: 00:33:56

Under the providence of God. So it reminds us the God of peace will crush Satan under his feet. In one moment, he's just tying the end of Romans back to the beginning of time in the garden when Adam fell. What was the promise? He shall bruise you on the head, you shall bruise him on the heel. He shall bruise you on the head, right? The, the, the judgment is, hey, he'll bruise us on the heel for a time, and then the Lord will crush us. We'll crush him. The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, and they will be tormented Day and night, forever and ever. For greater is he within us than he is in the world.

Scott Keffer [: 00:34:58

And the end of his days— so he says, here's the end, God's going to crush Satan. In the midst, it's good to remember that God is able. God is able. He's able. He's able. He is able. I remember It's not my ability, it's God's ability. Not my ability, God is able.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:19

What is he able to do? Establish you. Establish you. Really? In what way? According to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ. Means to strengthen, make firm. Favorite verse in Jude. Now to him who is Able. There's the able again. What's he able to do? Keep you from stumbling and to make you stand where? Right.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:56

In the presence.

Speaker D [: 00:35:57

Wow.

Scott Keffer [: 00:35:59

In the presence. To make you stand in the presence of his glory. Think about that. You're going to be able to Get to the sun. Think about the, the, the physical sun, 10,000 degrees on the surface. You can't get within 4.5 million miles in a craft now that isn't consumed by both the power, the heat, the light, the energy, all of that. He said you're going to stand in the presence of his glory and not be consumed. In fact, not only not be consumed, you're going to stand in the presence of his glory.

Scott Keffer [: 00:36:37

Blameless? Me? Oh, wait a minute, what about on the cross? Blameless with great joy. You got to be kidding me. With great joy? I'm standing in his presence, I'm not consumed, the favor of God is rushing over me. I'm going to be In his presence, blameless with great joy. To the only God our Father, through Jesus— the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, he finishes, before all time and now and forever. That's what he's able to do. Our Lord God, thou hast made the heavens and the earth by thy great power. Nothing is too difficult for thee.

Speaker E [: 00:37:27

See nothing like him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:28

What's that?

Speaker E [: 00:37:29

When we see him, we'll be like him.

Scott Keffer [: 00:37:31

We'll be made like him. We'll be in his— think about— we'll be in the presence of his glory and we'll be blameless. What? What? But then he says the mystery once kept secret is now manifested through the gospel. The mystery. Mystery. Not as in can't be found out, but as in former times it was hidden. Mystery. Former times hidden.

Scott Keffer [: 00:38:00

The mystery of Christ. What is it? That Gentiles, you and me, Gentiles by birth, are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body and fellow partakers of the promise. Where are the promise? We're the promise. How do we get connected to the promise of Abraham? How do we get connected? Through the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what the gospel is— all nations. So he finishes with the obedience of faith, the obedience of faith among all nations. So at the end here in Romans 16 goes back to Romans 1 where he says, Paul says, I've received grace and apostleship. What is that grace and apostleship for, Paul? It is to bring about what? The obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for his name's sake, among whom you were also called.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:10

of Jesus Christ. So he begins by saying it's the obedience of faith to the Gentiles. He ends with the obedience of faith to all nations. So he's summing them up together. He's grabbing both bookends. And he's saying it's to the Gentiles, but it's all nations. There's no one who's excluded. No, no, no, you know, um, uh, culture that's excluded.

Scott Keffer [: 00:39:37

And it's the obedience of faith. It is the obedience that flows from faith, not the obedience that produces faith. It's the obedience that flows from faith, because the faith is a gift from God himself. Then he finishes where all things should finish. Amen. To the God who is sovereign, the God who's providential, the only God through Jesus Christ, be glory forever. Glory forever. So he says in Timothy, now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God.

Scott Keffer [: 00:40:30

So the King James, you remember, it says eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God. They add wise God, but it's literally the only God, although either is appropriate. The only wise God be honor and glory forever and ever. Forever and ever. So C.S. Lewis used to say, but before, when he was, uh, when he was on the, uh, process of coming to Christ, he would say, look, he would just say, do the Psalms. It would say, glorify, glorify the Lord, glorify. He said, I always felt like it was an old woman saying, you know, like, put praise, you know, shower praise upon me.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:12

He said, I didn't get it. He said, then when he came to Christ, he thought, it is the completion. He said, if you see a sunset, What should— what happens automatically? Wow. If you see something amazing, it's glorious. The completion. It's the completion of understanding the character of God. It's the natural completion. Wow.

Scott Keffer [: 00:41:39

We understand. We see a great play, right? Somebody, somebody does something amazing physically. We clap. Right? We hear a symphony, we clap. He said it's the completion. The glory is the completion of recognizing the character and nature of God. Glory forever and ever. And so it goes back to Romans 11, for from him and through him and to him all things.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:06

But it also sums up everything, all of this stuff. For from him, through him, and to him are what? Glory. It's glory. It's glory of God because he is the most glorious thing. The glory of his Son because the Son is the most glorious thing. So God reveals here his righteousness, right? It's the revelation of his righteousness he's talking about. He justifies the ungodly, unites them to Christ, gives his Spirit, and sovereignly accomplishes his purpose. He transforms us, transforms us through his grace.

Scott Keffer [: 00:42:43

He establishes us and calls us to the obedience of faith. And that's where he ends, with the glory of God and a reminder of what we've been called to. So Romans 15:16, write down something that spoke to you, something that struck you, something you were reminded of. We're going to get Every day in your life, right? Yeah. Well, joy and peace and believing, joy and peace and believing. And you think about that, when do you need that most? In dark times. In dark times, it's a great prayer to say, you're the God of hope. Hey, I need, I need your joy and peace and believing.

Scott Keffer [: 00:43:29

And the biggest, I think, challenge when people go through dark times is you feel like, I haven't been faithful enough. Oh, I only call on the Lord when he needs me, or all that stuff. Yeah, that may— all that may be true, but that doesn't change his faithfulness, and that doesn't change your need for him, and that doesn't change his willingness to respond. He's the God of hope, and he will give you joy and peace in believing. Yeah. And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, and may he bless you, may he keep you, may he cause his face to shine upon you, may he lift up his countenance And grant you his shalom deep in your soul, that you may walk as his child. Bless you and keep you. Amen.

Scott Keffer [: 00:44:17

Thanks for listening. I hope you have greater hope, assurance, and confidence in your life, and a deeper trust in the God of the Bible and his Son Jesus Christ. Until next time, may the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. And may the Lord lift up His countenance on you and give you His peace, His shalom, in your soul and in your life. Until next time, may God bless you and keep you. Thank you.