Romans 11:36

Romans 11:36 (WEB) For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

🔑 Key Points

1. Of Him — God Is the Source and Owner of All Things

Everything that exists belongs to God and originates in Him — 'this is our Father's world.' From His being flow not only creation but all truth, all goodness, and all beauty. He is the fountainhead, and nothing true, good, or lovely in this world points anywhere but back to Him.

2. Through Him — God Governs All Things by His Own Agency

The word 'through' speaks of means: all things come to pass through God's sovereign will. There are no ultimate accidents. Sproul's image is sharp — if one maverick molecule ran loose outside God's control, He would not be sovereign, and if not sovereign, not God. What He ordains, He also accomplishes.

3. To Him — God Is the End and Purpose of All Things

Everything in history and the universe is moving toward God. This is Paul's version of the non nobis Domine: 'Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name be all the glory.' Even the wreckage of a fallen world is ordered together by a mighty God for His glory.

4. Glory Forever — The Weightiness of God Never Dims

Glory (kavod) means God's weighty significance and transcendent dignity, in a class by itself. Our worship candles get blown out when the service ends, but the light of God's glory is never extinguished — heaven needs no sun, for the radiance of God and His Son fills it forever.

5. Soli Deo Gloria — The Only Fitting Response Is Reverence

This verse closes the doctrinal heart of Romans (chapters 1–11) with the fifth sola: to God alone be glory. Because of who He is, worship is not casual — it is awe, humility, and submission before the One whose glory endures when ours fades.

💬 Discussion Questions

Paul says all things are 'of Him, through Him, and to Him.' Which of those three prepositions is hardest for you to believe when you look at the world around you — and why?
If God is truly the source of all truth, goodness, and beauty, how should that shape the way you engage the ideas and culture you meet this week?
Sproul warns against 'cavalier casualness' in worship. What would a more reverent posture look like in your own habits of prayer and gathering with God's people?

Your glory will come and go, but the glory of God endures forever — rest today in the One who is your source, your sustainer, and your end.

📖 The Passage