“to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” Romans 16:27
These are the final words the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Rome. Paul taught the saints many wonderful things in this epistle. It’s wonderful to note how he couldn’t but break into doxology as he concluded the letter in magnificent praise, giving all glory to the blessed eternal God; the great and awesome God to whom be all glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. We should pause, break out in praise ourselves, and meditate long and hard on the rich truths in verses 24-27.
As Paul ascribes glory to God in verse 27, notice the divine attribute he also speaks of- that being divine wisdom. What is true about God and His wisdom? Consider this:
- Our God is the only wise God, or as the Westminster Confession of Faith teaches us, He is “most wise” (WCF 2.1), using this verse as the proof text. The one, true and living God alone is wise and receives all praise and adoration for His wisdom.
- Considering His eternal decree, God ordained whatsoever comes to pass by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will. (WCF 3.1)
- Like goodness and His other attributes, God is the definition of wisdom. We can’t know wisdom apart from Him.
- God’s wisdom is very deep. God is all knowing. He is also all wise. God’s wisdom is so deep that His judgments are unsearchable. (Romans 11:33)
- His wisdom is so deep that no one has been, is, or ever could be His counselor. (Romans 11:34)
- Paul told the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that Jesus is the “wisdom of God”. To the Greeks, Christ and His gospel were foolish, to the Jews a stumbling block. However, to those who are called, Jesus is the power and wisdom of God. John Calvin commented on that verse, “We obtain in Him an absolute perfection of wisdom, inasmuch as the Father has fully revealed Himself to us in Him, that we may not desire to know any thing besides Him.”
- All of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Christ. (Colossians 2:3) In Christ all fullness dwells. In Christ is the fullness of wisdom. How wonderful it is that these treasures aren’t hidden from us, but are for us, in Him!
- God gives wisdom generously to those who lack it and ask for it. (James 1:5) This will be the subject of another devotion.
Beloved, I encourage you to ponder the great wisdom of our God. We could spend our entire lives in study and meditation on the infinite, perfect wisdom of God and not scratch the surface of it’s depths. Our God is so awesome and glorious! How wonderful and gracious He is to condescend to us, to reveal Himself to us, that we can know Him more and more! Come, let’s sit at the feet of Jesus in His Word. By His grace, let’s seek to learn from the treasures of His wisdom. Let’s spend much time in prayer and praise to the One who alone is wise!