Obedience Leading to Faith…

Romans 1:5-  Through Him (Christ) we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; (Nasb)

Romans 16:25-27-  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, which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, leading to obedience of faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever.  Amen!

Apostle Paul begins and ends his letter to those in Rome concerning His calling and ministry having to do with the obedience of faith, or “obedience leading to faith!”  He opens the letter by saying, “Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart unto the gospel of God…”  This “grace and apostleship” was by the authority of Christ setting him apart from his mother’s womb and calling him through His grace, or His empowering ability by His own sovereign act!  He set him to be the “apostle to the Gentiles.”  (Gal. 1:15,16a; Romans 11:13)

How could he have obedience for or leading to faith?
He has three “accordings” found in Romans 16:27:

1)  according to my gospel (given him by Christ Jesus) and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (testifying to the gospel of the grace of God- Acts 20:24)

2)  according to the ‘revelation of the mystery’ , (That which has been hidden, but now made known, or manifested by the prophetic scriptures- Col. 1:26)

3)  according to the commandment of the eternal God.  (who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,- 2 Tim. 1:9,10)

May the Father lead you in obedience of faith…

JB