<p>16:25 <i>Now to him that is able to establish you- </i>Stability of faith involves the direct operation of God in the human mind; he writes in 1 Thess. 3:13 of how the Lord can establish hearts. And this is exactly the work of the Spirit about which this epistle has had so much to say. &quot;Is able&quot; uses the word Paul has earlier employed to explain how the unassisted sinner is <i>not </i>able to please God or obey his law (8:7,8). But God is able through the Spirit to transform us towards salvation- if we are willing and believing. The word &quot;establish&quot; is exactly how Paul began the letter, wanting to give them &quot;Some gift of the Spirit, to the end you may be established&quot; (1:11). He clearly did not have in view the word of the Gospel, for they already knew that. There was a Spirit gift which God was willing to give them which would stabilize them in faith so that they didn't believe the false teachers. But surely Paul had somewhat justified his trip to Roman by saying that he wanted to come to them in order to impart that gift to them. God was willing to give that gift in any case and by any means. And he wishes that in whatever way, they may receive it.</p><p><i>According to the gospel I preach, which is the preaching of Jesus Christ- </i>As the Lord is the light of the world, so are we. We are Him to this world insofar as we preach Him. The message of salvation by faith alone and Holy Spirit strengthening was central to the good news Paul preached. But again the point is made to the Jews that Paul is not merely sharing his personal opinions about the law and salvation by faith- the Lord is preaching to them through his very words.</p><p><i>According to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept in silence through times eternal- </i>The mystery was of salvation by faith alone and not obedience to law, and of internal strengthening by the Spirit. Paul felt these things were indeed found in &quot;the scriptures of the prophets&quot; (:26)- once you start searching for them, looking back from a Christian perspective. But until the time of Christ, this great mystery was as it were kept secret.</p>