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Daily Devotions

Romans

Romans 
Day 
Day 359

"The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

Text: Romans 16:24

THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS

Paul used the following phrase twice in the same chapter!

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Romans 16:20b, 24

What would be the significance of this phrase? Let us consider the following thoughts:-

1. The doctrine of grace

a) This was a very significant doctrine in Pauline theology.
i) Salvation is founded on the grace of the Lord (Cf. Ephesians 2:8)
ii) Ministry is also founded on the grace of the Lord (Cf. Romans 1:5).
iii) Wishing a person the grace of the Lord became standard feature (Cf. Romans 1:7b)
iv) There is an abundance of grace from the Lord (Cf. Romans 5:17, 20).
b) There was great consciousness of the grace of the Lord:-
i) In personal life
ii) In ministry

A TRUNCATED EXPRESSION OF A BENEDICTION

When Paul wrote this statement, it may be compared to a pronouncement of a benediction- albeit a truncated form! The significance of the pronouncement of a “truncated expression of a benediction” deserves some mention.

1. What it does not mean!

a) It does not mean that this benediction has less blessing.
b) It does not mean that the full benediction form is necessarily more effective.

2. What it does mean!

Paul draws focus to the all-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Giver of the gift of grace. The mere invocation of the Name of the Lord Jesus is sufficient to cause every knee to bow. If all we have is the Lord’s grace, that would be totally sufficient!