Foundations of Truth

Guest (Male): Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the biblical teaching ministry of Dr. Timothy Mann. Our mission is to help you build your life on the unshaken foundation of God's Word. Rooted in Scripture, anchored in the grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, here now is Dr. Timothy Mann with part one of this two-part message from the Saved: Understanding God's Work in Us series.

Dr. Timothy Mann: We're going to pick up at the end of Romans 11, verse 33 through 36. The apostle Paul was writing, and he says, "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! For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him? For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen."

Ephesians 1, picking up in verse 3, reading down through verse 14. Ephesians 1, the Bible says, "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth—in Him. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory.

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." And we'll stop here, and this is God's Word, and it's rich.

Well, we're not there yet, but as we come closer to the final message of our Saved series, we're asking an essential question today. That question is this: Why did God save us? If you are a genuine believer, a follower of Jesus Christ, why did He call us? Why did He forgive us and redeem us and make us new and secure us for eternity?

Yes, He loves us. Yes, He is rich in mercy. Yes, He delights in rescuing and restoring. Aren't you thankful for that this morning? He delights in that. But the ultimate reason, the highest purpose behind it all is this: to the praise of His glory. Salvation is not about exalting us. It's not a stage for our goodness. It's not a stage for our decisions. It's about magnifying the greatness of God—His love, His grace, His wisdom, and His power.

The apostle Paul really captures this with breathtaking clarity in Romans 11:36 when he says, "For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things." How many things? All things. "To whom be glory forever. Amen." Everything—creation, history, redemption, and eternity—comes from Him, through Him, and for Him. Salvation is God's idea. It's God's initiative. It's achieved through His grace, and it results in His glory.

So that's our focus today as we begin to wind down this series. Not just understanding salvation, but responding to it through worship. We're about to explore for the next few minutes two very inspiring passages of praise—two doxologies, as they're called, that lift our hearts and our eyes to where they belong. The word doxology comes from Greek and it literally means "glory saying" or "glory speak." That's what doxology means: glory speak, glory speech, glory saying.

If salvation has taught us anything, it's this: God receives the glory. So let's lift our hearts. Let's ask the Lord to help us to lift our hearts and our minds today to see Him as the author and the perfecter, the finisher of our faith. We begin with the Romans 11 glory saying, the Romans 11 glory speak.

Romans 11 shows us the wonder of God's wisdom. In Romans, after 11 chapters of profound, rich theology covering human sin and justification by faith and God's mercy towards both Jews and Greeks, Gentiles, the apostle Paul doesn't end this section with more analysis or more teaching. Instead, what he does is he bursts forth into adoration. He doesn't just finish the section; he erupts with praise. That's why we call it a doxology: a burst of praise that's rooted in God's greatness.

Here, the apostle Paul in these verses gives us four reasons why only God deserves the glory for our salvation and why we should stand back and marvel at His wisdom. Why should we marvel at His wisdom? First of all, because His wisdom is unsearchable. Verse 33 says, "Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God." Salvation is not something humans create. It comes from God's infinite wisdom.

Who else but God would devise a rescue plan that centers on a crucified Savior and leads sinners into righteousness through grace? Who would have imagined that the worst event in history—the cross and the crucifixion of the perfect Son of God—would become the gateway to eternal life? The apostle Paul doesn't try to explain every detail; he marvels. Which is exactly what we should do. There are depths to God's wisdom that we'll never truly understand, but we can bow our hearts before them in reverent awe.

God also deserves the glory because His ways are higher. Verse 33 says, "How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" God doesn't follow human logic. He sees what we cannot see, and He acts with perfect justice and perfect mercy. His ways are not random; they're higher and better and wiser. Even the parts that we find hardest to understand, like divine sovereignty and human responsibility and grace and suffering, they're all part of a bigger story that will ultimately reveal God's glory and goodness in full.

He deserves the glory because no one can advise Him or repay Him. Verse 34 and 35: "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor? Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?" Let me just tell you something real quickly in case you didn't know it: God doesn't need your advice. He's not going to hire you as a consultant. He doesn't need your advice, and on top of that, He doesn't owe us anything.

He wasn't responding to our merit; He wasn't responding to our initiative. In fact, everything about salvation from start to finish is a gift of His mercy. We didn't climb up to God; He came down to us. We didn't write the story; He did. It all points to His glory, not ours.

He deserves all the glory for salvation because all things are from Him, through Him, and to Him. Here's the summary of salvation and also of creation: "Of Him." He's the source. Salvation started in His heart. "Through Him." He is the means. Salvation was accomplished through Christ. "To Him." He is the goal. We are saved for His glory. He created you, He redeemed you, He saved you, and you were redeemed for Him.

Imagine an incredible musical performance. Each section fills its role. Every instrument contributes to the music. Then comes that very final, impactful chord that brings it all together. Romans 11:36 is the final chord in this section of Romans. All of redemptive history, all the way from Genesis to Revelation, is a symphony culminating in the glory of God. "To whom be glory forever. Amen."

The apostle Paul here didn't just write theology or even Scripture, although it is. He didn't just write theology; he worships. That's our call as well. If salvation has become routine for you, perhaps it's time to stop analyzing and start adoring. Or if salvation has become familiar to you, maybe it's time to stop taking it for granted and start thanking God from your heart again. Let your heart say again, "Oh, the depth! How unsearchable! To Him be the glory!"

Don't lose the wonder. You might know the doctrines, but do you still feel the awe? Let the glory of God inspire fresh praise in your heart. For those of you who struggle with this, let me just say to you: you don't need to understand everything to worship God. Just remember: God saved you, He holds you, and God will complete what He began for His glory and for your good.

If you are not saved, I mean if you are not a genuine follower of Jesus, you were created for God's glory. So come to Him in repentance and genuine faith. Be reconciled to God. Find your purpose in the one who gave everything for you.

This is not our only doxology today. If Romans 11 inspires us to marvel at God's wisdom, then Ephesians 1 encourages us to worship God for His grace. This is all about the glory of God's grace. The apostle Paul starts this letter not with instructions, but with praise, lifting our eyes to recognize the incredible blessings reserved for those who are in Christ—that is to say, for those who are saved. This is one of the most beautiful doxologies in all of Scripture. The Holy Spirit through Paul wants us to understand that salvation is lavished on us not because of who we are, but because of who God is.

This passage reveals the heartbeat of the gospel: Salvation is by God's grace, through Christ, and for His glory. First of all, we see we are blessed in Christ—blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. Again, the apostle Paul starts with praise. Everything that follows then is based on this truth: God has already blessed us holy and richly in Christ.

I need you to know these are not material blessings. He's not talking about temporary blessings. These are spiritual blessings. These are eternal blessings: things like forgiveness and adoption and peace and hope and the Holy Spirit living within us. These are blessings that can never be taken away and can never fade over time. We have them all in Christ, and not through our effort, not through our status, but through our union with Jesus through faith in Christ.

We were chosen in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. This verse often prompts questions, but it's intended to humble us and guide us to worship because before we ever knew God, He knew us. Before we were born or did anything good or anything bad, God had a plan to rescue and restore. God chose to set His love on those who would come to Christ, not because of what we would do, but because of His mercy. This phrase in Scripture is not about speculation; that's not the point. It's about celebration. It reminds us that salvation is not a reward; it's a gift in Christ. No one is beyond the reach of God's grace.

We're adopted as His own, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself. God didn't just save you from sin; He brought you into His family. He's not just some distant deity; He's a loving Father. You are not merely forgiven; you are claimed. This is the relational blessing of salvation: adoption. You now belong. You are His, and He'll never disown you.

It was according to His will and pleasure. God didn't save you reluctantly. He didn't save you grudgingly. He wasn't forced to do so; He wanted to. Your salvation is not fragile. You're not hanging on by a thread if you're saved. It actually rests on God's joyful purpose. He delighted in making you His.

All of this is to the praise of His glory, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. This refrain repeats through Ephesians 1 three times in the passage that we read. Why did God save us? Ultimately, to the praise of His glory. Not to showcase our worth, but to magnify His grace.

We have redemption and forgiveness through His blood. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. Sometimes we mistake things; we get things wrong. God's grace is neither soft nor sentimental. It's sacrificial. We need to be reminded that it cost Jesus everything to secure your forgiveness. He didn't just simply dismiss your sin. He doesn't do that. He doesn't just dismiss your sin. He doesn't say, "Oh, honey, don't worry about it. It's okay. I know you can't help it. I'm just going to overlook that." No, what He did was He paid for it in His own blood. He paid the penalty for it. He paid the punishment that I deserve, that you deserve.

We also see this grace that overflows with wisdom, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence. I'm happy that God didn't just give us a little grace. He poured it out on us, made it to abound toward us. He knew exactly what we needed, and He supplied it all through Christ. Romans 5:20 says, "Moreover the law entered, so that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."

Imagine owing a billion dollars. Most of us couldn't even pay off a thousand dollars, much less a billion dollars. Then someone steps in, not only canceling your debt but actually also depositing a fortune into your account. That's grace. God didn't just wipe your slate clean; He filled your life with every blessing in Christ. Why? So that your life would become a living testimony to His glory. All of this should lead to praise. That's how the apostle Paul began this section, and it's also how we should respond.

Guest (Male): Thanks so much for listening today to Foundations of Truth, the biblical teaching ministry of Dr. Timothy Mann. If you'd like to hear this message again, get more biblical resources, or give a financial gift, you can do so online at firm-foundations.org. Join us again next time as we continue our series, Saved: Understanding God's Work in Us, on Foundations of Truth.

Dr. Timothy Mann: Before we close today, I want to tell you about a resource that I believe will be a genuine help to you. I've recently published my first book, Saved: Understanding God's Work in Us. In over 30 years of pastoral ministry, one of the questions I've encountered more than almost any other is this: How can I know that I am truly saved? It is a question that deserves a careful biblical answer, and that is exactly what this book is designed to give. If you want to understand salvation more deeply, stand on firmer ground in your faith, or be better equipped to share the gospel with someone you love, then this book was written for you. You can find it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Books-A-Million, and pretty much anywhere you buy books. Saved: Understanding God's Work in Us by Dr. Timothy Mann. I pray it strengthens your faith. Thanks for being with us today. God bless you.