"(Jesus Christ our Lord) through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations" (rom 1:5)
God gives us the grace to bring about obedience.
Remember what Paul was doing when God apprehended him and completely changed his life? He was on the way to imprison and murder the saints... God didn't set Paul apart as an apostle because Paul was 'on the right track' or because he was 'a good guy'. God set Paul apart before he was even born (gal 1:15) and saved him in the midst of his murderous trek, to show us that it has nothing to do with Paul and everything to do with God. God gave the grace to Paul to bring about his obedience. God gives the grace to bring about my obedience and yours.
It is for the sake of his name and his glory.
The phrase for the sake of his name among the nations puts off some people. God is clearly making it all about himself. He's self-promoting and reveling in his own glory. It seems wrong to self-promote- and it is for me and you. But it isn't for God. It is absolutely the best, most appropriate and most loving thing he can do.
"For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (rom 10:13)
If it is by his name that we are saved, it is loving for him to make it known.
"...we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." (rom 5:2)
A christian's hope is the glory of God. Seeing his glory is the consummation of our salvation. We will see him as he is, in his glory. We will revel in it and be satisfied.
Our longings are for God's glory. The goal of God's grace to us is his own glory. It is absolutely loving to us for him to be all about his own glory.
To hear the sermon:
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/by-his-grace-for-his-name-through-the-obedience-of-faith
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