Romans 11-3 God's Plan for the Glory of the World#
Romans 11-3 God's Plan for the Glory of the World
(JP Text Group - Organized by Life Like an Eagle)
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for giving us this time to share your word together. May the Holy Spirit lead us to know your word more. Let us know your most beautiful plan for us. Let us stand firm in your truth. No matter what we encounter, please provide us with the wisdom we need at the moment. We are willing to experience your presence and goodness more. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
The topic we are sharing is called God's Plan for the Glory of the World.
Romans chapter 11, verses 25 to 36,
25 Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery (lest you be wise in your own opinion): that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob." 27 For this is My covenant with them, when I take away their sins."
28 Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake; but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, 31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown to you they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" 35 "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?" 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen!
Last time, we mentioned that Paul had great love for the Israelites. Although most of the Israelites did not accept Jesus as the Christ, God did not abandon them. They are like branches unwilling to remain on the olive tree, temporarily cut off, but as long as their hearts are willing to turn back and accept Jesus as their Savior, God will reattach them to the olive tree.
In verse 25, continuing from above, Paul says, "Brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery (lest you be wise in your own opinion)."
Many people often say that there are many mysteries in the Bible, but if it is always a mystery, why did God write it in the Bible? Mysteries will definitely be revealed; who will reveal this mystery? The Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit reveals these mysteries to His servants and speaks them through the mouths of preachers; this is what God does. What does "revelation" mean? The original meaning of revelation is that a lid is opened. When something is sealed, it is a mystery that others do not understand. When John was writing Revelation, God said, "Do not speak it out; you must seal it up until the day comes when the revelation will unveil everything."
Now it is the end times, and God's various mysteries are no longer sealed but have been revealed to us. The lid of revelation has been opened, and everything will be manifested in the end. In the past, when we looked at Jesus, it was like looking in a mirror, unclear and blurry, but now it is different; now we are almost face to face. Many things, Jesus has directly told us, and those who seek will find. Paul is a mouthpiece of God, revealing many mysteries that we did not understand in the past, and after God revealed them to him, he tells us. Therefore, Paul says, "I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own opinion."
What kind of mystery is this? It refers to the Israelites. It means that although some of the Israelites are hard-hearted. When reading the Old Testament, we see that the Israelites were indeed very hard-hearted, repeatedly sinning and forsaking God for 1500 years, constantly worshiping idols, unwilling to obey God's words. When Jesus Christ came, they also rejected Him.
When we see this, we know that the Israelites are hard-hearted. The mystery is that although they are so rebellious, so unworthy, and so opposed to God, God has not discarded them. This is what Paul has been emphasizing in these chapters.
So do not say, "I believe, but I waver; sometimes my faith is strong, sometimes it is weak, even doubting God and complaining to Him, frequently sinning."
Has God already abandoned someone like me?
How could God possibly like someone like me?
But look at the Israelites; how rebellious they were! They rejected God's blessings; they rejected life; they insisted on crucifying Jesus. Paul tells us that despite this, God did not abandon them but gave this grace to the Gentiles to provoke their hearts to turn back.
What does this mean for us? When you share the gospel with others, if that person does not accept it, we should not lose heart or get angry. It may be that the time is not yet right. We should not lower ourselves to beg others to believe; this is a blessing, a gift of God's grace. Even if they do not accept it, we can share it with someone else.
When the Israelites did not want it, God gave grace to the Gentiles. But God did not abandon those Israelites who had previously rejected Him. God's grace will not be wasted or idle; since the Gentiles are willing to receive it, God gives this grace to them. When the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, the Israelites will still be willing to turn back and accept it.
The mysteries that people did not know in the past are now revealed; what God hid in the past is now uncovered; Paul has explained these mysteries of the gospel to us, and the route of the gospel is as follows:
Starting from Jerusalem, to Europe, to Asia, and then quickly back to Jerusalem.
This is exactly what Paul tells us, and it is also the route mentioned in Acts 1:8. This is God's mystery. Now it is no longer a mystery because it has all been revealed. As long as you believe in Jesus Christ, when you see God's work, you will know that God's word will indeed be fulfilled soon.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
The Holy Spirit will guide people to understand these mysteries of the gospel and will empower people to preach the gospel and testify to its power.
When the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, then all Israel will be saved.
What does this refer to? The gospel began in Jerusalem, circling the globe, and when it returns to Jerusalem, the number of Gentiles will have been fulfilled, and at that time, the eyes of the Israelites will be opened to accept Jesus as the Christ.
What is the number of Gentiles? Some say that Revelation records a total of 144,000 people; the number of Israelites is unknown, but the total adds up to 144,000. What does this actually mean? It is (7000 + 7000) * 1000, which means complete plus complete, multiplied by complete. God hopes that the gospel will spread throughout the earth, allowing people to receive this blessing.
The phrase "when the fullness of the Gentiles comes in" has various interpretations, but we know there must be a specific number; we just do not know what that number is. When this number is fulfilled, the door of grace will close. This means that the age of grace will eventually come to an end. While the door is still open, we should hurry to preach the gospel and tell more people this good news.
It is like when the door of Noah's Ark is still open, people can enter the ark. Once the door is closed, it will be too late. So we are in the best time now; God does not look at your behavior today. As long as you are willing to accept God's Son, Jesus Christ, the blood of Jesus can cleanse you and wash away all your sins. But when the number of Gentiles is completed, at that time, God will take His church away, and the Israelites will be revived. We will all participate in the Lamb's wedding feast, as mentioned in Revelation. By that time, everything will have ended. When that time comes, it will truly be too late.
I will explain this with two examples: one from the Old Testament and another from the New Testament. The example from the Old Testament is Genesis, which is the source of many things. In Genesis, there is a man named Joseph, who is a very special person, a foreshadowing of our Jesus Christ.
Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brothers, among the Gentiles. What Jesus Christ experienced is quite similar to Joseph. He came into the world to save his brothers, but his brothers did not want him and sold him into the hands of the Gentiles, killing him.
Later, God favored Joseph, and he became the prime minister of Egypt. Because of Joseph's wisdom, all of Egypt was blessed. During the years of famine, Egypt did not suffer loss but became the supplier for the whole world. Jesus Christ is among the Gentiles today, and His grace is filling the Gentiles. The Gentiles are blessed because of Jesus.
Of course, although Joseph was in Egypt, he did not forget his brothers. When his brothers came to find him, they recognized each other. This is a very important foreshadowing, foreshadowing Jesus Christ entering among the Gentiles, uniting with them, just as Joseph married an Egyptian.
When his brothers turned back, Joseph accepted them, and they recognized each other as brothers. Another very important thing is that after the brothers recognized each other, they lived in the best land of Egypt - the land of Goshen. We have shared before that even in their rebellious state, in their impoverished condition, they became such a great blessing. How much greater will the blessing be when they turn back and accept the Lord Jesus! These mysteries have already been revealed. So we must believe one thing: the Israelites will one day turn back and be saved.
In verse 26, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob."
This does not mean that all the Israelites will automatically be saved. It means that the vast majority of them will accept Jesus. Right now, it is a very small portion, but at that time, almost their entire family will turn back and believe that Jesus is the Christ, and then this will fulfill what is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob." When can people's sins be removed? When people believe in Jesus.
When you believe in Jesus, this Deliverer who comes out of Zion can remove all your sins.
In verse 27, "When I take away their sins, this is My covenant with them."
This is the privilege of the Israelites. If they accept the Lord Jesus now, that Deliverer who comes out of Zion, Jesus Christ, will remove all their sins. In the Old Testament, sins were only covered; in the New Testament, that Deliverer who comes out of Zion will remove their sins.
What does "remove" mean? It means no longer existing, as if it has been wiped away, with no trace left. This is the covenant that the Lord Jesus made with them and with us, which is a covenant of grace, an eternal agreement made with us by Jesus with His blood. Whoever accepts the Lord Jesus, Jesus will establish such a covenant with him, to remove all his sins.
The great Savior Jesus Christ will personally turn the Israelites back. At that time, the Israelites will experience a transformative revival. Of course, this passage does not describe how the Israelites will be revived. It tells us that when that Savior Christ appears, He will cause the Israelites to turn to Him.
When Joseph's brothers first went to see Joseph, they did not recognize him. Similarly, when the Israelites first saw Jesus, they did not recognize Him as the Christ. Until the second coming of Christ, He will actively reveal to them "who I am," and at that time, they will begin to recognize each other.
Brothers and sisters, we must understand this mystery: when that day comes, the majority of the Israelites will turn to Jesus Christ, and Jesus will remove all their sins, just as He removes our sins. Thank and praise the Lord. Today is the time for us to receive the grace of Jesus Christ. As Gentiles, do not miss this opportunity; God's grace is upon you. As long as you are willing to accept it, Jesus will also remove your sins.
In verse 28, "Concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sake; but concerning the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers."
Why are they called enemies? The gospel is good news; the gospel is Jesus. As for Jesus, they are enemies because of you. "They" refers to the Israelites. As the Israelites, why are they enemies? Because they rejected God.
The Bible also tells us that to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. When people reject Jesus Christ, they become enemies of Jesus Christ. So in terms of the gospel, in this matter, they are like enemies because salvation comes from Zion, but they do not accept it.
Psalm 14:7, "Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord brings back His people, Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad."
But God has given salvation, and they do not want it.
Isaiah 59:20-21,
"The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," says the Lord. "As for Me," says the Lord, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the Lord, "from this time and forevermore."
This is God's prophecy to the Israelites. A Redeemer will come, referring to Jesus Christ. He will turn people away from transgression. And He will establish a new covenant with the Israelites, giving them the Holy Spirit, and God's words will no longer depart from them and their descendants. This means they can receive salvation at any time.
There is also a promise that He will be with them forever, forgiving their iniquities and not remembering their sins. The New Covenant is different from the Old Covenant. The New Covenant is Jesus and the work accomplished by Jesus on the cross. All of this is done by God. As long as people accept what the Lord Jesus has accomplished, they can receive this salvation. God no longer gives us the law of Moses but the Holy Spirit.
The role of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of everything Jesus Christ has said to us and to empower us to overcome sin and problems. God places the Holy Spirit in people's hearts to help them know God and experience His great power. So if people reject the words of Jesus, there is no Holy Spirit in their hearts, and sin cannot be cleansed.
As for the election, they are beloved for the sake of the fathers.
Election can be understood as an invitation. God has prepared salvation for all humanity, but it starts with the Israelites. God first gives salvation to them, hoping that through them, this blessing will be passed on to the world. In this regard, they are beloved. Although the Israelites did not act according to God's will, after receiving this salvation, they looked down on the Gentiles. But God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. Through a portion of the Israelites, the gospel was still spread to all nations.
I want to repeat this: I hope all brothers and sisters can understand this truth: in terms of the gospel, the Israelites chose to reject it; they chose to forsake God, forsake the Son of God, which is the same as forsaking God. In this sense, according to the Ten Commandments of the Old Testament, if you do not accept me, I will not accept you. This is one of God's commands in the Old Testament. If you worship other gods, you will surely die. But in terms of election, God does not treat us according to our attitude towards Him today but according to His mercy and love.
Today, many people still live under the Old Covenant, fearing God and not daring to approach Him. Although they are sons, they live like servants. They always think that if their behavior is good, God will bless them and be pleased with them. Brothers and sisters, look at the Israelites, and you will understand. The Israelites rejected Jesus, insulted Jesus, persecuted Jesus, and even killed Jesus. But what did God do?
God said, "As for election, for the sake of your fathers, you are still My beloved." They were under the Old Covenant, and God loved them so much. How much more will He love you? You are God's beloved child, bought with the blood and life of Jesus. Because of Jesus Christ, you are loved by God. The Father delights in you because of Jesus.
In verse 29, "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable."
What does this mean? Because God never changes, His grace and His calling do not change. God called the Israelites; He promised Abraham, saying, "I will bless you and your descendants." So when God says it, He will surely do it. This is our God. Since He has spoken, He will accomplish it. Therefore, when you read the Bible, you should look at what God has said to you, then hold tightly to this promise, believing that these promises will surely come to pass in your life.
If today you are troubled by insomnia, then read a verse from the Psalms: "The Lord loves, and He will give him peace." When you read this verse, hold on to this promise and say, "Lord, I am loved by You, so You will surely give me peace." Thank the Lord!
Always remember, what you are holding onto is not something else, not the pastor's words, "Don't worry, just pray hard, and you will naturally fall asleep." That is a human method; sometimes, the more you pray, the more awake you become. The important thing is that you are holding onto God's words, holding onto His promises.
When people know God's grace, they will humble themselves. It is not that we are good enough for God to love us and choose us, but that God is good. He knows our problems and is still willing to love us. God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. He loves you and will love you to the end!
In verse 30, "For you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience."
In the Old Testament, Gentiles did not know God and were disobedient, while the Israelites knew God and became His chosen people. Later, the Israelites forsook God; they rejected Jesus and killed Jesus, which we all know. This shows that they were also disobedient. But because they rejected the gospel, God turned the gospel to the Gentiles. Because of their disobedience, salvation came to the Gentiles, allowing them to obtain mercy. This also shows that it is not that the Gentiles are better behaved than the Israelites, but that God's grace has come upon the Gentiles.
In verse 31, "Likewise, they also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown to you they also may obtain mercy."
Whether it is us or the Israelites, we are all disobedient. Our behavior is not good enough to deserve God's mercy. But because God is a merciful God, He is willing to give His blessings to us. When we are willing to receive the grace of Jesus Christ and accept His salvation, we also obtain mercy.
When the Israelites see God blessing the Gentiles, they may say in their hearts, "Lord, how can You do this? They are under the law and behave much worse than we do. First, they do not keep the Sabbath; second, they do not offer sacrifices. You bless them so much and show them grace." The purpose of God doing this is to let the Israelites understand that God's mercy is not based on human behavior but on faith. People are justified by faith and receive God's blessings by faith.
In verse 32, "For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all."
What does this mean? Is God intentionally putting us all in disobedience and then showing us grace to demonstrate how merciful and loving He is?
One person once gave a testimony. She said, "Many people preached the gospel to me before, but I just did not believe. However, a while ago, I got cancer, and I believed in the Lord, and God healed me. I know that if God had not given me this cancer, I still would not have believed." God used this cancer to make her believe in Him; thank the Lord.
Brothers and sisters, when you hear someone talk about Jesus like this, what do you think? This person believes that God gave them this disease to make them believe in Him. If you do not believe, He will let you die and remain in pain until you believe in Him. If you think this way, it is wrong. Disease is not given by God, but God can use these bad things to let us experience His great power.
What is the role of the law? It makes people aware of sin. When people live under the law, it shows their disobedience and corruption. If there were no law, how would we know that people are disobedient? We would not know. If a country has no laws, sin is not sin. When the law appears, when people violate the law, it reveals their disobedience.
According to Moses' law, when people sin, they should die. The Bible tells us that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The Bible also tells us that everyone has to die, and after death, there is judgment. According to God's law, this is the result that people should receive.
Because of people's disobedience, it does not show God's unfairness but people's sin. How do we obtain mercy?
How does God do it? Through the Lord Jesus Christ, God no longer places our sins, the results of sin, or the punishment of sin upon us. To fulfill His justice, God placed our sins upon Jesus. Jesus shed His precious blood and paid the price for our sins. God must punish evil; otherwise, it would be unjust. However, we do not face this punishment; it falls upon Jesus, who did not sin.
In this way, we really have nothing to boast about compared to the Israelites. It is not that we are better than the Israelites. Under the law, we are all in disobedience. We are just not under the law but under the grace of Jesus Christ, so we have become a group of people who have obtained mercy. Thank the Lord!
One day, many Gentiles will preach the gospel to the Israelites (in fact, this is already happening). In the past, the miracles that God performed among the Israelites, these years, Gentiles have been experiencing God. The blind have received sight, the sick have been healed, the dead have been raised. The things recorded in the Bible have come upon the Gentiles, and we do not keep the Sabbath, nor do we keep the Ten Commandments, nor do we bring cattle, sheep, or doves to offer sacrifices, because Jesus Christ is our eternal sacrifice.
When people tell this message to the Israelites, they will think: "Yes, these Gentiles have never kept our laws, do not even know our statutes, yet God treats them so graciously. What is the reason?" Then you tell them, "Because Jesus is the Christ; He is the Messiah you have been waiting for. When He comes, He will remove all the iniquities of Jacob. When He removes our sins, this is the new covenant He makes with us."
When you tell this message to the Israelites, and they accept it, God's mercy will also come upon them. Thank and praise the Lord! This is God's wisdom; this is God's grace.
God's plan for the world is truly wonderful. God will never say, "If you do not believe in Me, I will slap you to death!" God gives grace to others. When you see how God blesses others, if you are willing to believe, He will still accept you and wait for you to turn back! Look at our God; how wide, long, high, and deep is His love! He has infinite wisdom!
In verse 33, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!"
Oh, the depth! At this moment, Paul is exclaiming, "Oh, how deep!" God's abundant wisdom and knowledge. Who could have imagined that God would save the Israelites in this way? Who could have imagined that God would not abandon the Israelites? When we think about it, in the presence of God, we really count for nothing, and we have nothing to boast about, yet God loves us so much.
Do you lack wisdom? Pray to God; He will place His mercy and wisdom upon you. Do you need revelation? Pray to God; He will let the Holy Spirit reveal more about Christ's grace to you.
Just like Newton, he was a Christian. You say many people have been hit by apples, but why did Newton discover the "law of universal gravitation"? After being hit by an apple, perhaps the Holy Spirit inspired him to think, "Why does the apple fall down?" Once the Holy Spirit inspired him, he might have understood, "Oh, why didn't I think of this before? So many people have been hit, yet no one thought of it."
So today, God will also give you inspiration. Make full use of the Holy Spirit within you; God will make you a person who contributes to the world in this era! Because He has abundant wisdom and knowledge. If you think the Israelites today are already smart enough, then the wisdom and knowledge given to you by the Holy Spirit will be smarter than the Israelites.
His judgments are unsearchable. Do not try to guess what methods God will use to fulfill our prayers and requests; it is very difficult for us to understand. For example, if someone tells you that Jesus will return in the year XXX AD, do not believe it. No one knows the exact date of Jesus' return; it will be accomplished suddenly by God one day. Since God does not want to tell us, we should not know. Knowing that date may become a burden for us; if you know it, perhaps some people will do nothing. Therefore, God's plan is glorious. Since we do not know this date, we should take advantage of today to tell more people the gospel.
John 3:12 "If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?"
When that day truly needs to be known, Jesus will surely let us know. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit can search all things. Although God's plan and judgments are unsearchable, it does not mean that there is no way to understand them. It means that if you rely on the Holy Spirit, you can understand all things!
God wants His children to know. You are God's child today, so you are willing to pray, read the Bible, and let the Holy Spirit guide you to understand God's will and how to prepare to welcome the Lord's return.
The world does not understand; they say, "When a person dies, it is like a lamp going out; when the eyes close and the feet kick, everything ends." You cannot think that way; you know it is not like that. Eternal judgment is the real conclusion because God has already told us. This is the mystery of the world. And how do you tell the world how to avoid future judgment in hell? Believe in Jesus Christ.
In verse 34, "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" (Romans 11:34)
Who knows the mind of the Lord? Today, we should not say, "Lord, who can understand Your heart?" By saying this, you are pushing everything onto God. God wants you to understand His heart. What is the purpose of Paul speaking so much? It is to help you understand the Lord's heart. What is God's heart? Despite people's rebellion and unworthiness, God still has not given up on humanity. This blessing is always there; as long as people are willing to turn back and receive it, they can obtain it.
Who has become His counselor? Of course, we should not try to be God's counselor. Do not say, "I have an idea; it must be better than Your method. Just slap the Israelites and then resurrect them. If they do not believe You, they will believe You instantly!" Perhaps the Israelites would believe you in an instant, but do not give God random ideas because human methods are always incorrect; God's methods are the best.
What we need to do is obey God's words. God has recorded the best life principles in the world in the Bible, including principles for raising children, handling interpersonal relationships, loving one another, managing families, and managing businesses. Everything is in there. What you need to do is let God's words become your standard and then act according to God's words, thus participating in God's glorious plan. Amen!
In verse 35, "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?"
This is a rhetorical question. Everything God gives us today is not because we have done something for Him first; it is not that we have given God something first, and then God repays us. Everything we have is received freely from God, including your life, everything you own, your health, your children, your family, your good mood, and your peace every day. Everything is God's grace given freely. The only thing we can do is understand God's heart, understand His glorious plan, and thank the Lord.
Do not keep saying, "Lord, I owe You!" How can a person not owe? Do not think, "Lord, I do not owe You anything; I have done enough for You, and You should repay me." This is all wrong. The Lord does not owe us anything because we have never given God anything first and then expected Him to repay us. Everything we have is given to us freely by God.
Just like the Israelites, God is willing to give them Jesus, willing to let them receive eternal life, but the Israelites do not want it; they insist on keeping the law. As a result, God says, "Alright, since you want to keep the law, then you must keep it all!" Because God is just and righteous, He cannot go against Himself!
We are different. We know we are unworthy, so we say before the Lord, "Lord, knowing that I am unworthy, please add Your grace to me, grant me Your healing, because Jesus is my sin offering. I believe You will bless me because of Jesus. I receive Your health, and that is all." We do not give God anything first and expect Him to repay us; rather, God gives us everything, and we are unable to repay even a little bit.
In verse 36, "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To whom be glory forever. Amen!" (Romans 11:36)
What does "of Him" mean? It means coming from Him. Everything comes from Jesus Christ. Then it says "through Him." Today, everything operates normally because God uses His powerful word and His power to uphold all things. If God does not uphold it, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter... these operations would be chaotic. Because God uses His power to uphold everything, all things continue to operate normally. So remember, wherever you go, you must rely on Him because everything is in the hands of Jesus Christ.
Finally, it says "to Him." Everything comes from Him and ultimately returns to Him. This is our God; He is the beginning, and He is the end. He is also the present; He is the end of everything, the creator of everything, and the manager of everything. This is what Paul wants to tell us.
This mystery is that we should not think of ourselves as very smart, able to figure something out. We should not think we are better than the Israelites. No, we are just as hard-hearted and disobedient. It is only that God is willing to give us His grace because we accept His Son and are willing to receive His grace freely. Because everything comes from Him, operates through Him, and ultimately returns to Him,
So in verse 36, "To whom be glory forever."
The original text does not have the word "may"; it is "glory be to Him forever." This is what we must remember: no matter what you have done for God today, you say, "Lord, I preached the gospel today; glory be to God. I prayed for someone, and he was healed; glory be to God. Today I have a healthy body; glory be to God. My child came first; glory be to God." Because everything comes from Him, relies on Him, and returns to Him, we give all the glory to God. Everything we have comes from Jesus Christ. God accepts you, heals you, blesses you; everything comes from Jesus Christ, relies on Jesus Christ, and ultimately returns to Jesus Christ. Amen!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank You and praise You for giving us the gospel, renewing our thoughts and minds, letting us understand Your plan for the glory of the world, and being able to participate in Your glory. Thank You for granting us this salvation, allowing us to experience Your goodness. We can only lift up this cup of salvation and praise Jesus Christ for what He has done for us. Thank You and praise You, all glory be to You. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!