Epistle to the Romans · ROMAN INTRODUCTION THEintroductory section of the letter to the Romans is...

Shiloh Christian LibraryAuthor and Title

Epistle to the Romansby

G. Campbell Morgan

I’ltEl?RCE

7HE Preface to this Volume is found in1 the Chapter on Romans, in VolumeIII. of “ The Analysed Bible.”

Herein we proceed at once to the moredetailed anatlysis of what is set forth in bareoutline therein.

Familiarity with that outline is necessaryto the study of this hook.

G . Cnnsmmr. &~OHGAN.

ROMAN

INTRODUCTION

TH E introductory section of the letterto the Romans is full of personal

allusion and revelation, but through all, theglory of the theme filling the mind of thewriter is clearly manifest.

While Paul introduced himself in themost distinct language, his purpose in doingso was that of declaring his relation to theGospel. While he spoke with tendernessof those to whom he wrote, the master-passion in his letter was that of theirspiritual welfare. From the beginning it isevident that he was conscious of two facts ;that he stood between the superaboundinggrace of God, as supplied through the LordJesus Christ, and the overwhelming needof the world ; and that he and all saints,

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Romans

are responsible channels of communicationbetween that grace and that need.

His introduction falls into three mainparts ; the first being the address in whichwriter and readers were introduced to eachother ; the second being a paragraph inwhich he declared his personal interest inthem, although hewhile in the thirdof his writing.

I. THE ADDRESS

had never seen them ;he revealed the reason

In all inspired writings the personality ofthe human agent is clearly stamped uponthe page. This is peculiarly true in thecase of Paul. The massiveness andactivity of his mind are clearly seen in thisopening paragraph, which as a matter offact consists of but one principal sentence.From the word “ Paul” to that which isimmediately connected with it, “ to all thatare in Rome,” is a great distance ; and theground covered in the matter of spiritualsuggestion is even greater than the spaceoccupied by the actual words.

4

Introduction

The address consists of the introductionof the writer ; a parenthesis concerning theGospel ; and the naming and saluting ofthe readers,

i. T HE W R I T E R

Paul introduced himself by name, anddescribed himself as the “ bond-servant ofJesus Christ ” ; carefully affirming hisauthority by referring to his office as that ofa “called . . . . apostle,” “separated untothe Gospel of God.”

PARENTHESISHis reference to the Gospel of God was

the occasion of a statement concerning theOne of Whom, and of Whose work, theGospel is the proclamation. In that state-ment the apostle indicated the relation ofthe Lord Jesus Christ to prophecy and tohistory. The Gospel which had beenpromised through the prophets in theScriptures was concerning the Son. Thedouble fact of history concerning I+personality was that first of His actual

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Romans

humanity, He “ was born of the seed ofDavid according to the flesh ” ; andsecondly, of His Deity, “ declared the Sonof God with power, according to the spirit ofholiness, by the resurrection of the dead.”The apostle finally named this Person as“Jesus Christ our Lord” ; and affirmedthat the evidence that He was alive andactive, was found in that through Him, theapostles had received grace, which is themedium of salvation ; and apostleship,which is the authority of service.

ii. THE READERSHe addressed himself to the “ beloved of

God ” in Rome, who were “ called saints.”By bringing the first and seventh versestogether, which is their true relation, wediscover the key to the letter ; the calledapostle wrote to the called saints. In thisfact a principle of interpretation in the caseof the whole letter is revealed. It is not atract for the unsaved, but a treatise for thesaved. The argument of the apostle makesit evident that salvation does not depend

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Introduction

upon an understanding of the doctrines ofgrace, but on belief on the Lord JesusChrist. It is necessary however that thosewho by such faith have entered into life,should, in order that their testimony toothers may be clear and victorious, under-stand these doctrines. The elaborate andexhaustive treatment of this letter is in-tended for the instruction of the saints.

II. PERSONAL INTEREST. i. 8-13

i. “I THANK MY G O D. ” 8

a. “FOR YOU ALL.”6. FOR THE TESTIMONY.

ii. “ I MAKE MENTION OF YOU.” 9, 10a. GENERALLY-UNCEASINGLY.I,. PARTICULARLY-THAT HE MIGHT SEE THEM.

. . .111. “ I LONG TO SEE YOU.” II-I3

n. TO IMPART. II6. TO RECEIVE AND IMPART. II

‘c. TO RECEIVE. 13

III. THE REASON OF THE LETTER. i. 14, 15

i. “ I AM D E B T O R. ” 14

a. THE DEPOSIT OF THE GOSPEL.b. THE CREDITORS.

I. Greeks and Bavban’ans.2. Wise and Foolish.

ii. “ I AM R E A D Y. ”a. THE ABILITY.

6L So.” Deposit is Dynamic.6. THE LIMITATION.

(( As much as in me is.”

‘5

8

Introduction

II. PERSONAL INTEREST

His reference to his readers led theapostle to words concerning them, and hisrelation to them, full of personal interest.His threefold attitude toward them isrevealed in the key-sentences of this para-graph. It was that of thankfulness, ofprayer, and of desire.

That the Church at Rome was victoriousin its Christian life is evidenced by the factthat the apostle spoke of its faith as pro-claimed throughout the whole world. Inthat sentence moreover, we have a revela-tion of a mental attitude full of suggestive-ness. This man was a Roman citizen, andhe knew how the eyes of the world wereupon Rome, and therefore how testimonyborne there, must inevitably exert itsinfluence over the widest area.

All that he had heard of the disciplesin Rome had filled him with thankfulness,and with earnest desire that they mightfulfil their responsibility. He had servedthem unceasingly by prayer, although he

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Romans

had never seen them. His praying hadbeen particular and definite along one lineat least, that of his desire to visit theimperial city. That desire was not createdby a passion for pleasure, nor was it pro-moted by the curiosity of the student. Heknew that Rome was the centre of theworld-movements of his time, and conse-quently a strategic centre from which tocarry the Gospel message to the mostdistant places.

His desire to come to them was thatthere might be mutual strengthening in allfitness for the service of the Lord. Hewould fain impart to them some spiritualgift, and receive from them the enrichmentand comfort of his own ministry.

III. THE REASON OF THE LETTER

In stating the reason of his letter theapostle wrote those ever-memorable andilluminative words which declared him to bea ‘( debtor both to Greeks and to Barbarians,both to the wise and to the foolish.” Inthe light of what he had said concerning

10

Introduction

the double issue of his coming to Rome,that of giving and receiving, there is clearexplanation of what he meant by beingdebtor. He considered that the Gospelwhich had made him, and those to whomhe wrote what they were, was a depositwhich he held in trust for all such as werein the same conditions of need. The giftbestowed upon him was also intended forthe Greeks and the Barbarians, for the wiseand the foolish. He looked upon all theseas being his creditors. So long as theywere without the Gospel message whichhe possessed, and which was a trust com-mitted to him not for himself only, butfor them also, he was their debtor.

He was conscious also of the fact of hisability to discharge that debt. The senseof debt was the inspiration of service ; andthe consciousness of the power of the Gospelwas in itself equipment for service. Thereis the evidence of limitation in the words“ as much as in me is,” but they are alsocharacterised by absolute lack of reservation.

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A. THE GOSPEL-UNTO SALVATION.FUNDAMENTAL AFFIRMATION .

i. THE PERSONAL A F F I R M A T I O N .“Iam notas~amcd."

1. 16-x1.

1. 16-17.

16n

ii. THE AFFIRMATION CONCERNING THE GOSPEL. x6,1,1,

a. ITS EFFECT."Power unto Sadvation.”

b. ITS CONIJITION.” To every one that believeth.”

c. ITS NATURE.

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The Gospel- unto Salvation

CHRIST THE SALVATION OF GODThe introduction merges immediately

into the great argument of the letter as theapostle proceeded from the statement ofhis consciousness of indebtedness and hisaffirmation of readiness, to the task of whichthe whole letter is the fulfilment, that ofsetting forth Christ as the Salvation of God.This he does in two main divisions, in thefirst of which he deals with the Gospel untosalvation ; and in the second with the trans-formation by salvation.

A. THE GOSPEL-UNTO SALVATIONIn this first division of his treatise the

apostle’s method is characterised by absoluteclearness. It is of the nature of a greatargument which proceeds in definite sequencefrom a challenging affirmation, to a patientdealing with certain difficulties which wouldinevitably arise in the minds of some ofthose to whom he wrote. It falls thereforeinto these four parts, the fundamentalaffirmation ; a discussion of condemnation

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Romans

as revealing the need for the Gospel ; asetting forth of salvation as the subject ofthe Gospel message ; and finally a discussionof objections.

FUNDAMENTAL AFFIRMATIONThe division opens with a statement in

brief of the whole argument of the epistle ;and moreover, an unveiling of truth con-cerning that Gospel deposit, the possessionof which, made the apostle a debtor.

The personal affirmation, (‘ I am notashamed,” links the great argument to theintroductory section, and indeed completesthe threefold statement which unveils thesecret of Paul’s missionary enthusiasm. “ Iam not ashamed of the Gospel ” is the finalword ; the three being, “ I am debtor,” “ Iam ready,” “ I am not ashamed.”

Concerning that Gospel of which hedeclared he was not ashamed, he then madehis fundamental affirmation. He first de-scribed its effect. It is a Gospel of power,that is, one equal to the accomplishment ofinfinitely more than the presentation of an

14

The Gospel-unto Salvation

ideal, or the enunciation of an ethic. Thesemight be given to men, and yet leave themexactly where they were ; but the Gospeltells the secret of a power which enables.Moreover, it is “power . . . unto salvation.”In that statement there is recognition ofthe fact ,of man’s ruin, and a declarationof the possibility of his redemption.

The one condition upon which the powerof the Gospel may be experienced is revealedin the phrase “to every one that believeth.”Thus far he had declared that in the Gospelthere is provision, which meets need uponthe fulfilment of condition,

He then proceeded to announce thenature of that provision. The Gospel doesnot proclaim an indulgence for sin, or findan excuse for the man who has sinned. I tis rather the apocalypse of a new righteous-ness at the disposal of unrighteous men.The revelation of the righteousness of Godin the Gospel, is not the declaration of thefact that God is righteous. That fact menknew by the law. It is the far morewonderful announcement that God has

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R o m a n s

provided a righteousness for unrighteousmen. Again the condition of salvation isrecognised in the phrase “from faith untofaith ” ; ‘( from faith,” that is, salvationobtained by faith; cd unto faith,” that is,power operating in the life so as to makepossible the life of faith.

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HUM.

I. CONDEMNATION-THE GOSPEL NEEDED.i. IS-iii. 10

i. THE G E NT ILE CONDEMNED. i. x8-32

a. A PRINCIPLE. 18, '9

1. “ Wrath... , upinst." r8aa. Ungodliness. The Inspirafion.8. Unrighfcowsness. The ManiJkstation.

2. “Hold down the truth.” 186, IgDisobedience to Lighf.

b. GENTILE KNOWLEDGE.I. The Visible reveahg the Znvisible.2. The Znvisibl’e.

LL. Power.p. Divinity.

a0

6. GENTILE SIN. nF2jI. " Knowing God, they gZor$eed Him not.” zI2. “Professing. . . to be wise, bccumefools.” 22, ag

ri. GENTILE JUDGMENT. 24-9I. " Godgave them uj.” 24-31

a. Bodily Dishonour. =4, 25/I. Spiritual D&mwent. *fi, 27y. Mental Degradalion. a8-3r

2. The Witness of Conscie?xe. 32a. Knowing lhe Issue.,¶. Persisling in the Sin.

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I. CONDEMNATION--THE GOSPEL NEEDED

The apostle shows the need for salvationby dealing exhaustively with the subject ofthe ruin of the race. Writing to the saintsin Rome, many of whom would be Gentiles,and others of whom were undoubtedlyHebrews, he dealt with the race by showingfirst that the Gentile was condemned ;secondly, that the Jew was condemned ;and finally, therefore, that the whole worldwas guilty.

i. THE G E N T I L E C O N D E M N E D

In this section dealing with the Gentilecondemnation, we have the statement of aprinciple ; a declaration of Gentile know-ledge ; a deduction concerning Gentile sin ;and a description of Gentile judgment.

65. A PRINCIPLE

In stating the principle, the apostle firstdeclared that the wrath of God is revealedfrom heaven against ungodliness and un-righteousness. This combination of terms

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Romans

should be carefully noted, revealing as itdoes the cause and effect in all sin andconsequent corruption. That, out of whichunrighteousness inevitably proceeds, is un-godliness, the putting of God out of thelife, and the neglect of, or rebellion againstthe facts of His Kingship and requirements.That which inevitably proceeds out of un-godliness, is unrighteousness, which is lifefailing to fulfil the Divine requirements ;for the only standard of right is that ofthe requirement of God.

The process is described as that ofholding down the truth in unrighteous-ness, which is to say that unrighteousnessnecessarily issues from the knowledge ofsome measure of truth, and consists inrefusal to submit to the requirementthereof.

b. GENTILE KNOWLEDGE

Seeing that this is so, the apostle im-mediately proceeded to d’eclare the measureof Gentile knowledge. Through createdthings God had at least made perfectly

20


clear the fact of His power and divinity.There is but one conclusion for all rationalthinking in the presence of creation, andthat is, that such creation demonstratespower and divinity ; or, if we would borrowthe language of our own day, creationdemonstrates force and intelligence. Thisthen was the measure of truth possessedby the Gentiles.

C. GENTILE SIN

Gentile sin consisted in the fact thatinstead of following the necessary issue ofsuch reasoning, that of glorifying as God,those invisible forces which the visiblerevealed, they deified the visible things ;and thus yielding themselves wholly to thecreature, instead of to the Creator, theybecame sensualised and degraded. Thisaction on their part had been professedlythat of wisdom. The apostle declared thatby it theyturned fromtible to thatforms.

became fools, in that theythe worship of the incorrup-of the corruptible in differing

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Romans

d. GENTILE JUDGMENT

In these results already referred to con-sisted the judgment of the Gentiles. Thatjudgment the apostle proceeded to describeat greater length. Its principle is evidentin the threefold use of the expression “ Godgave them up.” An examination of thethree paragraphs will reveal the fact ofthe degradation of the whole man.

He gave them up that their bodies shouldbe dishonoured. Worshipping the creaturerather than the Creator, they fell into allmanner of misuse of their own bodilypowers, with the result that their physicalbeing was debased and corrupted.

This issued in the degradation of theirspirit ; which, acting under the influenceof deified physical powers, became in turnthe very inspiration and energy of vileness ;and this reacted again upon the body inall manner of unseemliness.

Once again the issue was a reprobatemind, a mind having lost its true balanceand perspective, and being characterised

22


by all the evil things which the apostlenames.

Thus the judgment of God on theGentiles was not capricious, and arbitrary ;but consisted in the natural results of theirrefusal to recognise as God, the One re-vealed through creation : and of theirdeification of the creation itself.

6c God gave them up ” is the simpledeclaration of the fact that God is theGod of law, and another form of statingthe truth that “ whatsoever a man soweth,that shall he also reap.”

The apostle finally declared in this con-nection that those practising such thingsknew that they were worthy of death, thatis to say, they were perfectly conscious thatthe issue of their practices was their owndestruction ; and yet they continued in them,and consented with them that practised them.

The wrath of God from heaven againstungodliness and unrighteousness is thusmanifest in the corruption which followsupon the sin of refusing to act upon themeasure of light received.

23

ii. THE J E W C O N D EM N E D. ii.-iii. 8

a. A PRINCIPLE. RELIGION IS ETHICAL. ii. 1.56

I. The judgment of Man. IInvalid on account of the Practice of San.

2. The Judgment of God. 1-16a.. According to Truth. a-5

Against the Practice of Sin. 2, 3After Longsuffering. 4, 5

8, Accmiing fo Works. 6-nThe Principle stated. 6 & or, IZApplication. 7-10

Rewards. 7 & IOPunishments. 8, 9

y. According to Gospel. 13-16The Principle stated. r3 & 16Illustration. The Gentiles. 14, ‘5

b. THE CONDEMNATION OF ‘I-HE JEW. 17-4I . ZnteZlectual orth0a0xy. 17, 182. Rdafive Conz$acency. ‘91 203. Ethical Failure. *I-234. Vocational Sin. 24

c. A PRINCIPLE. RELIGION IS >PIRITUAL. ‘5-9I. The Test of Ceremony. 25-aa

(L. Vita&cd by Obedience. 2.v6. Viliatod by Disobcdienco. a5b-a8

2. The Essential in Religion. 29(1. Spirilualiiy.8. Godliness.

d. THE DIFFICULTIES. iii. r-8

I. The Advantuge of the Jew. 1, 2(1. Tlze Queslions asked.p. The Answer. Revelation.

2. Th Faithfdness of God. 3, 4~1. The Qursfions asked.8. The Answer. Judgment.

3. The wrath of God.~1. The Questions askcd.,9. The Answer. Righkorcsncs.\.

24

5-85

6-8


ii. THE J EW C O N D E M N E D

It is evident that at this point the apostleturned to the Jew, although he did notimmediately name him. The Jew con-demned Gentile sins, evidently under theimpression that the possession of the lawresulted in a closer relationship to God, andensured some kind of benefit to himself.This view the apostle combated, ruthlesslysweeping away all such false confidence.Again his method was characterised byclearness and skill. In the course of it heenunciated two basic principles of religiouslife. Between his dealing with these, in abrief passage he showed wherein lay the sinof the Jew, and thus accounted for hiscondemnation. Knowing that certain diffi-culties would arise as the result of hisargument, he dealt with these in a closingparagraph.

a. A PRINCIPLE. RELIGION IS ETHICAL

The attitude of the Jew to the Gentilewas that of contempt, resulting in the first

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R o m a n s

place from the idea that the possession ofknowledge of the things of God was initself of the essence of religion. TheGentile had received no Divine revelation,and was corrupt in life. The Jew hadreceived the Divine revelation, and there-fore arrogated to himself the right to sitin judgment on the Gentile.

Against that view, and its consequentattitude, the apostle’s first statement of’principle was directed. He declared thatno man was in a position to pass judgmenton another man, who himself was guilty ofthe sins he condemned in the other. Hethus inferentially charged upon the Jew thesin of practising the very evils which hecondemned in the Gentiles.

He then proceeded to describe the judg-ment of God, and in such a way as todemonstrate the fact that the Jew wasequally under condemnation with the Gen-tile. His dealing with this subject of thejudgment of God falls into three parts.

In the first he simply declared that it wasaccording to truth, proceeding against the

26


practice of sin after forbearance and long-suffering.

It follows therefore that His judgmentis according to works, rewards or punish-ments being meted out absolutely upon thebasis of the kind of life which men live.The Jew having the law, is not by the factof that possession freed from obligation asto conduct. Those sinning without thelaw, perish without the law. What theapostle meant by that, must be gatheredfrom that earlier paragraph in which he haddescribed Gentile sin, and Gentile judg-ment. Those sinning under the law, perishunder the law. The law itself has no virtuesave as it is obeyed. Thus the apostledenied the view that religion is essentiallyintellectual, by declaring that the onlyexpression of it which is of value is ethical.

Thus, at the very beginning of this letter,the master-theme of which is salvation byfaith, we have an overwhelming and un-answerable indictment of that particularheresy to which an improper emphasis ofthe doctrine is liable to give rise. Nothing

27

Romans

can be clearer than the apostle’s teachingthat works will be the final test of judg-ment. Faith which does not produce theseis declared to be useless. Yrivilege whichdoes not issue in response to responsibility,is but severer condemnation. God has nopeople in whom He excuses sin. Theprivileged soul who sins must die onaccount of the sin, and in spite of all theprivileges. The Jew is as great a failureas the Gentile in the matter of actualrighteousness. Godliness as privilegedrelationship is of no value except as itproduces actual righteousness.

The final statement of the apostle is thatjudgment will be according to the Gospelof Jesus Christ. In this statement the lightof the Gospel is seen shining with a newglory through the severity of the teachingwhich had just been advanced. Not for asingle moment does it lower the standard ofrequirement, but it sings the song of hopeto the man under condemnation. Inreading this paragraph particular noticeshouId be taken of the fact that verses

28

The Gospel--unto Salvation

fourteen and fifteen are in parenthesis, andthat the main statement of the apostle canonly be gained by reading verses thirteenand sixteen in immediate relationship. Thebasis of judgment is to be the actual condi-tion of man, whether he has lived withoutthe law or under the law ; but he is to bejudged finally by Jesus Christ. That is tosay, the final test of character and ofconduct is to be that of .man’s attitudeto the Saviour. Evidently therefore thepresentation of the Gospel is the last oppor-tunity that man has ; and equally evidentis it, that every man must have this oppor-tunity as the basis of judgment.

6. THE CONDEMNATION OF THE JEW

Turning from his discussion of the firstprinciple, the apostle definitely and directlydealt with the condemnation of the Jew.This he did by first describing his mentalattitude. It was that of intellectual godli-ness. The Jews were proud of their name,were resting upon the fact that they possessedthe law. They gloried in the God Whose

29

Romans

they were, knowing His will, and approv-ing ; that is, they were convinced of theexcellencies of excellent things because theywere instructed out of the law. Intellectu-ally therefore he admitted that they wereorthodox.

He then proceeded to describe their con-sequent attitude toward the outside nations.They considered that as a nation they were“ a guide . . , a light . . . a corrector . . .a teacher.” This revealed their sense ofsuperiority over all other peoples, and theirconsequent confidence in their right to bedidactic and dogmatic. Moreover that atti-tude was in some senses justified, for theapostle recognised that in the law they didactually possess the form of knowledge, andof truth ; and it should be remembered thatthis word “ form ” (~+c#NuK) indicates farmore than an outward formality. It sug-gests that the law has in it such embodi-ment of knowledge and of truth as to beequal to the realisation of conduct andcharacter when obeyed. As truth itself isa sanctifying power, so the law being a

30


correct revelation, a true form, a full unfold-ing of a Divine power, does issue in thelife of holiness and righteousness in the caseof such as observe its commandments todo them.

Having recognised these facts, the apostlecharged the .Jews with ethical failure. Thishe did in a series of questions, each one ofwhich inferentially charged them with actualfailure in conduct in the very matters whichwere regulated by the law for which theystood, and which they professed to teach.

Finally, upon the basis of this argument,the apostle charged the Jew with thatwhich was his principal and most terriblesin. Because his mental attitude wascorrect, his relative position should havebeen that of a guide to those withoutrevelation ; but he had absolutely failed inrealisation of that at which the law everaims, and therefore he had become a blas-phemer of the name of God among theGentiles. If it were true that the Gentileshad imperfect light, they ought to havereceived the more perfect light from these

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Romans

people, who upon their own showing, wereplaced in the position of guide, and light,and corrector, and teacher. But because inthe actualities of outward conduct they hadcommitted the very sins which their lawcondemned, the Gentile had seen no reasonto believe through their testimony in theone living God to Whom they professedto be related. Thus therefore His namehad been blasphemed as the result ofJewish failure.

C. A PRINCIPLE. RELIGION IS SPIRIT’UAL

Having made this most serious charge,the apostle declared his second principle,namely that religion is spiritual. This wasfor the correction of their false conceptionthat the true expression of religion wasceremonial. Before dealing with this moreparticularly, it may be well to notice theapostolic method. He had corrected theirview that religion was essentially intel-lectual by declaring that its expressionmust be ethical. He now corrected theirview that the expression of religion was

32


ceremonial, by declaring that essentially itwas spiritual.

In sentences characterised by almostoverwhelming force and incisiveness, heswept away the refuge of lies. The boastedprivileges were all valueless. The ex-ternalities which were the symbols ofpossession counted for nothing, because theinwardcondition demonstrated the absence ofthe essential fact. Then turning to a state-ment of the case from the other side, he madeall this even more emphatic by affirming thatwhere the external symbols are lacking, ifthere be the inward fulfilment of intention,the lack of the external is of no moment.

Arguing in the clear light of the Divinerequirement and purpose, he made the mostsweeping and tremendous statement whenhe announced that a Jew who is one out-wardly merely, is not a Jew ; but that hewho is a Jew inwardly, even though he lackthe outward mark, is the true Jew.

Thus again from a new angle, and withnew emphasis is the idea that justifica-tion is by faith, without regard to its

ROM. 33 D

Romans

expression in works, declared to be false.The principles underlying this passage areof permanent value, and of searching power.Their unanswerable logic should prepare usfor all that is to follow, and thus preventany disproportionate explanation of thedoctrine of justification by faith.

d. THE DIFFICULTIES

The apostle then turned to a briefdiscussion of certain objections which wouldalmost inevitably be raised in consequenceof what he had said concerning the truespiritual interpretation of the position ofthe Jew.

First, ‘6 What advantage then hath theJew T ” If circumcision is in itself of noavail, where is the gain ? Is this covenantnot a Divine covenant? Underneath thequestion suggested, which the apostle knewwould be the question of the Jew, therelurked the idea that there is a profit inthe external fact of circumcision. Theapostle did not again state his argumenton the matter, having done so already;

34


but in a brief sentence declared what heconsidered to he the advantage of the Jew.He said “ Much every way,” and thenproceeded to mention only one, which hespoke of as being SC first of all,” that is,of supreme importance, that they wereentrusted with the oracles of God. By thishe referred to the revelations, declarations,and promises of God, which constitute thebasis of faith-that is, the Old TestamentScriptures in their entirety. To thesepeople, separated from other nations, Hehad committed that great deposit, consistingof utterances and writings in which He wasrevealed, and His will concerning man madeknown. Therein lay the supreme advantageof the *Jew.

A new question naturally arose. If faithon the part of man fail, will God be un-faithful ? Does His faithfulness dependupon man’s faith ? In approaching thisquestion, it is of the utmost importancethat we understand what is meant by theDivine faithfulness. The question as hereasked was one which demanded to know

35

Romans

whether, if a Jew, entrusted with the oracles,did not believe them, God would breakHis Word as therein revealed ? To thisthe apostle replied that is impossible forGod to be unfaithful. His exposition ofthe faithfulness of God is given in hisquotation from the penitential psalm, inwhich David between his confession of sinand his prayer for purification, based hisplea upon the justice of God. The evidentdeduction of that quotation in this connec-tion is, that the faithfulness of God isdemonstrated by His unchanging attitudetoward man. If a man sins, He judgeshim. If he repents, He forgives him.

Yet another question logically followed.If sin becomes the means of glorifying God,in that it demonstrates His faithfulness, isit righteous to punish the sinner? Thequestion is so terrible that when the apostlestated it, he parenthetically added, “ Ispeak after the manner of men,” and thenproceeded to declare that unless God didpunish sin, He could have no basis uponwhich He could judge the world at all.

36

i i i . TH E W H O L E W O R L D G U I L T Y. 111. 9-m

a. THE CONDITION OF THE RACE.

I. A Common Condemnntiow2. The Condition described.

(L. Degraded Will.“ None righteous.”

$. Darkened InlcZIigmcr.“ None that understandeth:

y. Deadened Emotion.“ None that seek&h after tied.”

b. THE CONDUCT OF THE RACE.

I. The Attitude of Sin.2. The Activities of Sin.

G. THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE RACL

I. The Consciousness described.1, The Disasfer of dqraded Will.8. The Despair qf darkcmd Intdligmac~.y. The Degradalion of dcadmcd Enrolion.

2. A Common Condemnation.

9_rr

910, II

88


iii. T HE W H O L E W O R L D G U I L T Y

Having thus dealt separately with theGentile and the Jew, the apostle now in-cluded both, and uttered the appallingverdict of the condemnation of the wholerace in the quotation of a series of passagesfrom the Old Testament.

The first group of quotations sets forththe condition of the race. Men every-where are seen degraded in the centraland majestic citadel of their personality.The master principle of the will is out ofthe straight, “ there is none righteous.” Theintellectual faculty through which guidinglight should pass to influence choices anddecisions is darkened, “there is none thatunderstandeth.” The emotional naturewhich should be for evermore the inspira-tion of action is deadened toward thatwhich is highest, “there is none thatseeketh after God.”

The second group of quotations revealsthe general conduct of the race. So faras relationship to that which is higher is

39

Romans

concerned the attitude is of the essenceof sin, all are turned aside and becomeunprofitable. Consequently all the activi-ties of the life are sinful.

The final group describes the conscious-ness of the race in the midst of theconditions first described. The degradationof the will issues in disaster, “destructionand misery are in their ways.” The dark-ening of the intelligence results in over-whelming despair, “the way of peace theyhave not known.” The deadening ofemotion is manifest in the degradation ofcallousness, “ there is no fear of God beforetheir eyes.”

This whole description applied equallyto the Jew with the Gentile ; and indeed,the apostle made special application of itto the Jew. Having quoted from theoracles which they possessed, he declaredthat the message of the law was pre-eminently for those who were under thelaw ; and indicated that his reason forhaving made the quotations was that everymouth might be stopped, and all the world

40


brought under the judgment of God. Thewhole question as to the Gentile wassettled in his first section, and he nowclaimed that the Jew also who had beenmaking excuses, and pronouncing his judg-ment upon the Gentile, must in honestybe compelled to silence, and to confessionof guilt.

Thus ends the first section of the division.It presents a picture of humanity from theDivine view-point. That picture is soterrible as to create in us a sense of utterhopelessness, for whether with, or withoutlaw, man has equally and signally failed.

Yet let us at once remind our heartsthat this terrible revelation of the conditionof the race in its ruin, is the prelude tothe proclamation of the glorious Gospelof the grace of God.

Because God is love, this very conditionof hopeless and helpless ruin makes de-mands upon His heart, and calls for Hisinterference in order that out of theexperience of utter hopelessness, man mayfind deliverance and salvation.

41

II. SALVATION. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE. iii. x-viii.

i. J U S T I F I C A T I O N. 111. 21-v.

a. THE PROVISION ANNOUNCED. . . .111. z*-jr

I. The Scheme dedared.a. “But”. . . The backwavd Look.

The whole World guilty.

ar, 22

8. 6‘ Now.”A Righteousness of God manifest.In Harmony with Law and Prophets.At the Disposal of Faith.Jesus Christ the Object.

2. The Scheme develojed. 23-3 I11. General .S&atement.

Condemnation. Person&Justification. Relative.

8. Particular statement.On the part of God.

Method.Propitiation by lllood.Appropriation by Faith.The Activity of Righteousness.

Manifestation.Of Righteousrxss.In Justice.In Justiiication.

As to Man.Method.

Exclusion of Glorying.Exercise of Faith.Inclusion of Jew and Gentile.

Manifestation.The Establishment of the Law.

42


II. SALVATION. THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

We now come to that part of theepistle which contains its supreme message.Having shown the condemnation underwhich the whole world is lying, the apostlesets forth God’s way of salvation for lostmen. His statement falls into three parts,the first dealing with justification ; thesecond with sanctification ; and the thirdwith glorification ; thus covering the wholeof man’s need, past, present, and future;and having regard to his standing beforeGod, his conformity to the will of God,and his ultimate perfecting in fellowshipwith God.

.

i. JUSTIFICATIONThe fundamental subject is that of justi-

fication, the section dealing with whichmay be divided into three parts. In thefirst of these the provision is announced ;in the second the principle is illustrated ;and in the third the privileges are de-scribed.

43

Romans

a. THE PROVISION ANNOUNCED

As everything which is to follow in thecourse of the letter is dependent uponthe fundamental fact of justification welook for clearness and conciseness of state-ment, and we are not disappointed. Inbroad and general terms the apostle firstdeclared the scheme of salvation ; and thenparticularly developed it.

1. The Sciieme declaredThe “But” with which the paragraph

opens, necessarily recalls the argument ad-vanced concerning the condemnation ofthe world. The last finding of that argu-ment was that “every mouth may bestopped, and all the world may be broughtunder the judgment of God.” Thus theworld is seen silent, having nothing to say ;without righteousness, without excuse ;having no ground on which to plead formercy, and no method to suggest for itsown salvation. It is the silence of help-lessness and hopelessness.

44


To this silent and condemned race theevangel comes. (‘ But now,” begins theapostle. This “ Now ” is God’s great word,indicating a result following the accom-plishment of a work, and suggesting apresent and immediate application.

Now, to the silent world there is an-nounced the fact that ‘( a righteousness ofGod hath been manifested.” This declara-tion links the commencement of the newsection with the fundamental affirmationwhich announced that in the Gospel “ isrevealed a righteousness of God.” Thismanifested righteousness, whatever it maybe in itself, and whencesoever it may come,is at the disposal of the silent and con-demned race. In this preliminary statementthe apostle tabulated great facts concerningthe righteousness with which he dealt morefully subsequently. First it is a righteous-ness witnessed to, by the “ law and theprophets. ” Secondly it is a righteousnessappropriated by the faith of any, for “ thereis no distinction.” Finally it is a righteous-ness resulting from “ faith in Jesus Christ.”

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Romans

In this section the apostle dealt moreexplicitly with the second of the factsalready referred to, as tabulated in theintroductory declaration ; taking this firstbecause it is the central truth of the wholemovement, namely, that this righteousnessis at the disposal of those who believe.

This fuller detail he again introducedwith a general statement. He repeatedhis charge against humanity, but in thiscase in such a way as to bring guilt hometo individuals. There is a perpetual tend-ency in the heart of man to consent tothe general statement that men are sinners,while there is a constant reluctance toconfess personal guilt. In this summarisedcharge therefore, the apostle passed fromthe thought of the sin of the race to theactual sin of the individual, as he declaredthat “ All have sinned,” rather than that,All are sinners. Not that the secondstatement is untrue, but that every in-dividual has been guilty of disobedience

46


to light, either with or without law, andthat the personal aspect of sin issues infailure to realise the glory of God, andconstitutes the ruin of the person.

Having thus repeated his charge in thismore particular form, he declared the greatprovision of grace, by first naming theoriginal source of justification in the words,“ by His grace ” ; then declaring the mediumthrough which that grace has operated inorder to justification, in the phrase, “theredemption,” a phrase fraught with infinitemeaning, to be more fully unfolded as theargument proceeded ; and finally naming thePerson, “ Christ Jesus,” Who has accom-plished that work of redemption, whichissues in the justification of the sinner.

How closely these verses stand togetherrevealing need and provision, ruin andredemption I Over against the sin of allis placed the grace of One ; and at thedisposal of those failing of the glory, isplaced the infinite redemption of grace,which, as will be shown, issues at last infulness of glory.

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Romans

The apostle next proceeded to moreparticular dealing with this great subject ;showing its method and manifestation bothon the part of God and on the part of man.The method of God is that of setting forth,or presenting, Christ Jesus to men, to be aPropitiation. He is God’s provision. Manis guilty, and consequently silent, havingno method by which he can cancel his sin,or live the life of righteousness. Godprovides in the Person of His Son all thatman needs. The first work of the Son infulfilment of the Father’s purpose is thatof vindicating righteousness by making itclear that God sacrificed nothing of Hisrequirement when in His forbearance Hepassed over “ sins done aforetime.” Thework of the Son is a revelation of themethod by which it was possible for Godthus to act. This work was accomplishedin the mystery of all that is symbolised by“ His blood.” Thus the work of the Crossis set at the heart of the evangel of salvation,and is seen to be a fulfilment of God’spurpose by God’s Son, for the vindication

48


of God’s righteousness in the activity ofGod’s forbearance.

This moreover, was for the demonstrationof the righteousness of God, not only withregard to the ‘* sins done aforetime,” butalso “ at this present season.” The result’of the work of Christ is declared in a state-ment which is as startling as it is gracious,“that He might Himself be just,” orrighteous ; “and the Justifier,” or the OneWho accounts as righteous ; “ him that hathfaith in Jesus.” This is the glorious evangelby the proclamation of which, men come toknow that a righteousness of God is nowat the disposal of unrighteous man oncondition of his faith in Jesus. The evangelis founded upon eternal justice, because therighteousness of God has been vindicatedin the death of Jesus, and placed at thedisposal of man by that death because ofthe perfection of the life which preceded thedeath. Here all human reason is baffled,and yet here faith finds foothold uponreason, which nothing can shake.

In the presence of this evangel man isROM. 49 E

R o m a n s

still silent, and boasting is entirely excluded,for the justification of the sinner does notresult from the operation of a law of works :it is entirely the act of God in response tofaith. Therefore justification is availableto Jews and Gentiles alike, because it isthe act of God, Who is the God of all ;in answer not to works, but to faith. Hereagain the apostle was careful to guardhimself from misinterpretation. Faith es-tablishes rather than makes void the law.The law cannot produce justification, butjustification will issue in the fulfilment ofthe law.

6. ‘I - H E PRLNCIPLE ILLUSTRA’IXU.

I. Abrukam. P e r s o n a l .(1. The Inquiry.0. The Answer of .%‘i~t~Ve.

Kighteousnese reckoned to Faith.The Testimony of David.

-y. The Place of Circumciston.Tl1e Inquiry.The Answer .

Faith before Circumcision.Circumcision the Seal of Kighteousness.

2. Abrakam. Relative . IS-Va. The Promise. Befbw Law.

T o R i g h t e o u s n e s s .Of Faith.

13-s

6. The Promise. Sure.To the Seed ofthe Law.To the Seed of Faith.

1% 17

3 . Adrakam. Fu&Zment.a. Eaiflr against Hope.8. Faiih against Circumsfaizces.7. Faifh the Principle of Righleotrsnrss.

4. A&Vicafion of Ilzustratio~z. 23-25

52


h. THE PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED

It is evident that the apostle had stillin mind the difficulties of the Jew, andtherefore he turned aside to show that thismethod of imputing righteousness in re-sponse to faith, had always been that whichGod had used in His dealings with Israel.In illustration of this the apostle took thecase of Abraham, the father and founderof the nation, and showed how he wasaccepted and rewarded through faith, andnot through works ; both as to his personalacceptance with God, and as to his positionas the rec ip ient o f the promise of acoming deliverance. In this section ofillustration there are four movements ; thefirst dealing with the personal acceptanceof Abraham ; the second with his relativerelationship ; the third with the operationof his faith in the hour of crisis ; andthe last with an application, showing theidentity of principle between the historyof Abraham, and the experience of be-lievers.

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Romans

1. Abraham. Persona 2In view of all Paul had written, the Jew

would naturally come to the conclusion thatAbraham had no advantage over others ;and the apostle stated the difficulty as itwould occur to the mind of the Jew inthe preliminary inquiry, “ What then shallwe say that Abraham, our forefather,according to the flesh, hath found ? ”

In replying to this the apostle boldlydeclared that if Abraham had receivedjustification on the basis of works, he hadsomething to glory in, but not towardGod. In that case his glorying wouldbe in his own accomplishment, In re-futation of this he made his appeal toScripture-citing its declaration concerningAbraham, and quoting from one of thepsalms of David.

The first declaration affirmed that Abra-ham’s belief of God was reckoned unto himfor righteousness, that is to say that he wasjustified by faith. If his justification hadbeen a response to his work, then it would

54


have been of the nature of the paymentof a debt due to him, and not a gift ofgrace. This however, was not the case.In further enforcement of this truth, theapostle quoted the opening words of thegreat psalm of David which deals withthe experience of a man in the matter ofhis sin, and his relation to Jehovah. In thatquotation the emphasis to which the apostledesired to draw attention was undoubtedlythat of the fact that the blessedness ineach case results from the action of God,in complete independence of the worksof man. Of course this is not to denywhat has been affirmed in the earlier partof the letter, and will be affirmed againin its course, that the demonstration offaith is works. It is merely to insist uponit that not by what man does can he freehimself from sin, and find entrance toblessedness. Faith is not mentioned in thisquotation from the psalms, but the factis clearly revealed that blessedness resultsfrom God’s action apart from man’s works.

What then is the place and value of55

R o m a n s--

circumcision ? The apostle imagines theJew asking with reference to his psalmquotation, as to whether the blessing towhich the psalmist referred, was pronouncedupon the circumcision, or upon the un-circumcision also. The point of the inquiryis that the Jew would be likely to arguethat the psalm was the psalm of theJew, and that it had no application to menoutside that covenant of which circumcisionwas the sign.

He replied to this view by showing thatAbraham was justified before the rite ofcircumcision was established, and that sucha rite was merely the outward sign of anestablished fact. It was perfectly evidenttherefore that in this matter of circumcision,works were the outcome of righteousnessresulting from faith, rather than faith theoutcome of righteousness issuing fromworks. The apostle finally stated this insuch a superlative fashion as must havebeen astonishing indeed to the ears of aJew, when he declared that Abraham wasthe father not merely of circumcised men

56


according to the flesh, but of all whobelieve, even though they be in uncir-cumcision.

2. Abraham. RelativePassing beyond the question of Abraham’s

personal relation to Jehovah, the apostleproceeded to consider the larger meaningof the call of Abraham, and through himof the new nation, that namely of thegreat promise made to him, that he shouldbe the heir of the world.

The reference is of course to the Messi-anic hope which was the inspiration ofAbraham’s obedience, and the centre of thenational life. The promise did not cometo Abraham through law, but through thatrighteousness of faith which was the subjectof the previous consideration. In hisGalatian letter the apostle, dealing with thissame subject, showed that the Messianichope burned in the heart of Abraham, andwas the abiding inspiration of the life ofthe nation springing from his loins, for atleast four hundred years before the law

57

Romans

was given. It was the promise of graceto faith. If this promise of deliverance hadbeen dependent upon the keeping of law,then it was impossible of fulfilment, becausethe coming of law had issued in the mani-festation of sin, which in the very natureof the case resulted in wrath ; and more-over, the violation of conditions necessarilyissued in the disannulling of the promise.

The promise was the reward of that faithwhich, at the call of God, abandoned every-thing to follow and obey. Thus the promiseis sure to all the seed of Abraham, notonly to that which is of law, but to that alsowhich is of faith. All this is most force-fully seen in the fact that the nation afterthe flesh, of which Abraham was thefather, was in its very existence the resultof the act of God, by which in answer tofaith, He quickened the dead, and called thethings that were not as though they were.

3. Abraham. &l.dfihentWhen, humanly speaking, the possibility

of such a nation had ceased to exist,58


Abraham believed against hope. Hebelieved moreover, against circumstances,being sure that God was able to performwhat He had promised in spite of allcontradictory appearances, by granting hima son, and through that son creating anation, In the hour when hope in theordinary sense of the word was at an end,and when, by every natural law, the resultdesired seemed impossible, this man byfaith, and by faith only, glorified God in hisunwavering confidence that what He hadpromised He was able also to perform. Hisson was given by the act of God in answerto that faith.

4. Application oJ’ IllustrationIn a brief but lucid statement, the apostle

made application of his illustration to theargument of his letter. The history ofAbraham bears testimony which muststrengthen the faith and confidence ofthose who look to and believe in Jesus,Righteousness is in like manner reckoned notto those who work, but to those who believe.

59

E. THE PRIVILEGES DESCRIBED.

The Privileges.Access into Grace.Hope of the Glory.

.The Responsibilities.Ltt us have Peace.Let us rejoice.

The Responsibility.“Let us rejoice . . . in Tribulation.”

(Parenthesis. 36-m

On rejoicing in Tribulation.)

I

The Reason. 36, 4

Tribulation.Patience.Proof.Hope.

The Ground of Hope. 5The Love of God.Experienced through the Holy Ghost.

‘The Evidence of Love. 6.13“ Christ died.”“ Much more.”

The Privilege. II“We also rejoice . tbrougb . R e c o n c i l i a t i o n . ”

6 0


C. THE PBIVII>EGES D E S C R I B E D

The main argument is now resumed.After the illustrative section the apostlereturned to the discussion of the valuesof that justification, the provision of whichhe had announced in the first movement.Chapter five, as to argument, follows im-mediately upon the closing section of chapterthree, in which the scheme of God’s salva-tion was declared and developed. Theprivileges of justification are the values ofsalvation ; and these the apostle deals within two parts ; first, those of the individualbeliever ; and secondly, those of the race.

1. Personal Vi-duesThe personal values of justification are

eternal and temporal ; and the apostle dealswith them in turn. In each case he iscareful in stating the privileges, to showtheir corresponding responsibilities.

a. Eterna l

The eternal privileges are those of accessinto grace, and the consequent hope of

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Romans

the glory. The word “grace ” in thisconnection is used in the sense of favour.The standing of the justified soul is notmerely that of being at an end of conflictwith God, although this is of course in-cluded. He is received and welcomed intoa fellowship which is characterised by thebestowment of all blessing through theoperation of the Father’s love. It is notmerely that the believer henceforth has nofear of God, and so is at peace with Him ; itis that he now has free access to the Divinepresence, because he stands in favour atthe court of heaven. The word more thansuggests, it declares that familiar intimacy,between the believer and God, is the resultof justification. This word perhaps moreforcefully than any other in this con-nection, reveals the depth and thoroughnessof the work of justification. It is infinitelymore than that of forgiving sins in thesense of consenting to say no more aboutthem. Before any one can have such freeand familiar fellowship with God as isindicated by the use of the word “grace,”

62


sin must be dealt with in the way re-vealed by the previous teaching of theepistle.

Yet another privilege of the individualis that of the hope of the glory of God.A sinner justified, and therefore standingin favour, enters into a new realm ofaspiration and hope. The ultimate issueof all the work of God comes into view,that great glory of God which is to berealised through the work of Christ. Inthat, the justified soul henceforth finds itsreason of joy. Having entered into experi-mental possession of the values of thework accomplished by Christ at His firstadvent, nothing can shake the confidenceof the soul in the certainty of the ultimatetriumph resulting therefrom, and to bemanifested at the second advent.

These are the individual privileges of thejustified soul. Such an one stands in favour,and hears for evermore the song of thecoming glory.

The responsibilities resulting from suchprivileges exactly correspond to them. To

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Romans

stand in grace necessarily includes the con-sciousness of peace with God ; that is, thereis no more strife, no more fear, but a quietassurance of harmony which is in itself ofthe essence of peace. The great questionbetween the soul and God is settled throughthe work of Christ, and peace is the con-sciousness of the settlement. Therefore,our responsibility is expressed in the words,“ Let us have peace.” It is the plea ofthe apostle that we should enter into ourprivileges, and realise them. It is hissolemn warning against the permission ofany of those things which break the fellow-ship, spoil the harmony, and create theconsciousness of shame or fear.

The hope of the glory of God includesthe responsibility of rejoicing. If we reallyhave the anointed vision which sees throughthe travail to the triumph, and is perfectlyassured of the ultimate victory of God, itis our duty in the midst of the travail torqjoice evermore, to cheer the battle bysong, and shorten the marches by music.

There is the closest relationship between64


these responsibilities. It is when peace isinterfered with, that joy departs.

p. Tempera 2Turning to the discussion of the privi-

leges, which we speak of as temporalbecause they have reference more immedi-ately to the circumstances of the present,we find that the apostle first stated theresponsibility, and after dealing with it atlength in a parenthesis, he declared theprivilege. Tt may be well here at once toput these two things together before pro-ceeding to the more general examination ofthe passage. The temporal responsibility isexpressed in the words, “ Let us rejoice intribulation ” ; while the privilege is declaredin the affirmation, “We also rejoice . . .through . . . reconciliation.”

All life is changed in its meaning tothe justified soul, and therefore tribulationis found to be of such a nature as to causethe beart to rejoice. Most wonderful in-deed, is such a declaration. No otherphilosophy of life has even suggested such a

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Romans

possibility to the heart of man. Others havedeclared that suffering, being the commonlot of humanity, must be quietly andstoically borne, but this is a very differentmatter from that of rejoicing in tribulation.So wonderful an experience is it that theapostle took time to deal with it.

He first showed the reason for such re-joicing to be that of the character whichit produces. He traced the process throughwhich man comes to that character. “ Tribu-lation worketh steadfastness,” or as Dr.Moule has finely rendered it, “ patient per-sistence.” This is not the attitude of onesubmitting to the inevitable, and hardeningthe heart against pain. It is rather thatof one who, having caught the vision ofthe ultimate issue in glory, patiently en-dures the process of the fire, in the joyof the certainty of that issue.

Such steadfastness, or patient persistence,in turn issues in proof, that is in ex-perimental proof, even here and now, ofthe value of tribulation. Such proof in turnstrengthens and confirms hope.

66


Hope however, is always supposed tohave in it the element of uncertainty. Theapostle recognised this fact when speakingof Abraham, he said, “ Who in hopebelieved against hope” ; and the words ofthe Preacher are constantly quoted, “ Hopedeferred maketh the heart sick.” But thehope which results from the process de-scribed is not of this kind. In this case,“ hope putteth not to shame.”

That statement led the apostle to declarethat the ground of hope is that of the loveof God “shed abroad in our hearts ” bythe Holy Spirit. That love is the unanswer-able argument for the ultimate realisationof the hope. It is the certainty of thatlove therefore, which induces the patience,adduces the proof, and produces the hope.

There can be no question of that love.It is finally demonstrated in Christ bothby His death and by His life. The apostle’sargument here may thus be summarised ;The love of God ; That love proven byChrist’s death ; Man justified by blood andso saved from wrath ; This being so, it is

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Romans

certain that he will also be saved in thelife of Christ.

Thus the immediate privilege of justifica-tion in the midst of all the stress and strainof life, is that we rejoice in God becauseof that reconciliation to Him which is theresult of the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.Such rejoicing while partaking of the natureof thankfulness for all He has done, isgreatly increased by the consequent certaintythat He will perfect His purposes in us, inspite of, and often by means of, thetribulations through which we pass.

68

2. Racial Values. v. 12-m

a. The Trespass and tkr free Gif,. 12-1.5

The Comparison.Sin entered. By one man.The free Gift. Of one Man.

The Disparity. II Much more.”

,q, Judgmrnt andJustification.The Comparison.

Judgment. Of one.Justification. Through One.

The Disparity. ” Much more.”

16-19

y. The Reign of ,Dcath. The Reign of Grace. 20, 21The Comparison.

As Sin reigned.So might Grace reign.

The Disparity. “ More exceedingly.”

70

The Gospe l -un to Sa lva t ion

2. Racial ValuesTurning from the discussion of the per-

sonal to that of the racial values of justifica-tion, the apostle dealt with them by a seriesof remarkable contrasts, in a passage whichis at once one of the most sublime, mostdifficult, and most debatable in the NewTestament.

Broadly stated, it consists of one greatcontrast, that between Adam and Jesus, asto their race headship, and the resultsproduced by each. That one contrast fallsinto three sections ; the contrast between thetrespass and the free gift : the contrastbetween judgment and justification ; thecontrast between the reign of death andthe reign of grace. In each of these hemade comparison between the two, andindicated a disparity.

The whole argument is based upon theliteral accuracy of the account of the fallof man as it is found in Genesis, therebeing no less than nine references theretoin so short a passage. Evidently, unless

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Romans

that account be true, Paul’s interpretationof the work of Jesus is at fault. Theaccuracy of Genesis, and the accuracy ofRomans, stand or fall at the same moment.

The first contrast is between the trespassand the free gift. The comparisons arethose between the one man through whomsin entered, and the one Man throughWhom the gift of grace was provided ;

the entry of sin through the one man, andthe provision of the gift through the oneMan ; the death sentence upon sin, andgrace abounding. The disparity is indi-cated by the phrase “ much more,” in whichthe apostle shows that the free gift ofrighteousness was more than adequate forthe correction of the trespass.

The second contrast is between the issueof the trespass and the free gift, and thereforebetween judgment and justification. Thecomparison is between the judgment thatfollowed the sin of one, and the justificationprovided as the result of many trespasses,but “through the One even Jesus Christ.”The disparity is again indicated by the

72


phrase “ much more “; and the super-abounding victory of justification is re-markably indicated by the fact that judg-ment means the reign of death over men,while justification means the ability of mento reign in life.

The final contrast is between the reignof death and the reign of grace. Thecomparisons are again between the onethrough whom the trespass came, and theOne through Whom the free gift came ;the sinners made by the one’s disobedience,and the righteous made through theobedience of the One ; the reign of sin indeath, and the reign of grace throughrighteousness unto life. Again the disparityis marked by the phrase “ more exceedingly,”revealing the fact that in grace over-whelming provision is made for victoryover sin.

Thus the three contrasts make the con-trast between Adam and Jesus most vivid.While the comparisons reveal this, thedisparity in each case makes it even moreapparent. In the case of the first, dis-

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Romans

obedience issued in sin, judgment, condem-nation, death for the race. In the case ofthe second, obedience issued in grace, justifi-cation, righteousness, life for the race.These are co-extensive. As far as the evilresults of Adam’s sin have spread, so fardo the benefits of the work of Jesus extend.From this conclusion there is no possibilityof escape. To read any smaller meaninginto the statements used in the one casethan in the other, is not only unfair, it isdishonest. If this great passage meansanything, it clearly declares that it is nowpossible for every human being to escapefrom the result of the work of either bychoosing relationship to the other. Byfaith in Jesus, man can be set free from allthe results of the disobedience of Adam.By continuity in the disobedience of Adamman is excluded from the values of the workof Jesus.

74

ii. SANCTIFICATION. k-viii. 17

a. THE PROVISION ANNOUNCED. From Deathinto Life.

I. The Ddiveyance of Gmce.a. Introductory Question and Answrr.

/% Tha Sclremr described.

Union with Christ-As to Purpose.The Figure of Baptism.

Into Death.Through Death.Into Life.

The Fact of Unity.Stated.Elaborated.

Crucifixion.Resurrection.

Applied.Christ.Believers.

Union with Christ-As to Practice.Sin disowned.God enthroned.Grace triumphant.

k-vii, 6

vi. I-rq

1, 23-14

3-1’

3. 4

3-115

6-86, 7

8

76

_ ___~ .

The Gospel--unto Salvation

ii. SANCTIFICATION

If in the structure of the apostle’s argu-ment, justification is the foundation, thensanctification is the main building. Or tochange the figure, if justification, in theexperience of the individual, results fromthe appropriation by faith of the values ofthe work of Christ, sanctification resultsfrom appropriation of the virtues of thesame work. The apostle’s method of deal-ing with sanctification is similar to thatadopted with reference to justification.The section falls into three parts ; in thefirst of which the provision is announced ;in the second the principle is illustrated ;and in the third the privileges are described.

6% THE PROVISION ANNOUNCED

In another of his epistles Paul declaredthat the will of God for His people is thatof their sanctification, and it must ever beremembered that the immediate purpose ofjustification is sanctification, as its ultimatepurpose is glorification. Turning to the

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Romans

discussion then of this most importantsubject, the apostle dealt with it as to itsexperimental possibility, and as to ourcorresponding responsibility. The sectionthus falls into two parts ; the first dealingwith the deliverance of grace ; and thesecond with the obligation of grace.

1. The Deliverance of GraceThe introductory question and answer

follow immediately upon the completedargument concerning justification, and arevitally connected therewith. The lastwords in the argument were, “ As sinreigned in death, even so might grace reignthrough righteousness unto eternal lifethrough Jesus Christ our Lord.” Theopposing principles of action recognised arethose of faith in Jesus, and continuity insin. The question now is as to whetherboth of these can govern life. By empha-sising the “ we ” in this inquiry, ‘( Shall wecontinue in sin ? ” the force of the apostle’squestion is at once revealed. We havebelieved, and by such belief have come into

78


relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.Can we continue in sin, and so retain ourrelationship with the first man ? Emphati-cally the apostle answers, “ God forbid ” ;and his next question illustrated and em-phasised his conclusion. “ We who died tosin, how shall we any longer live therein ‘3 ”

“ W e . . . died to sin “; in that act offaith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which was atonce a confession of our sense of condemna-tion, and of our confidence in the perfectionof Gods provision ; and in that act of faith,we were set free from our relationship tosin. With that the apostle dealt more fullysubsequently. Upon the basis of thatassumption, however, he asked his question,How can we live in that to which wehave died?

In the use of the words “dead ” and‘6 alive,” there is evidence of the mergingof the thought of the apostle into the greatsubject of sanctification. Justification isthe value provided through His death, andappropriated by our identification with Himtherein by faith. Sanctification is wrought

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out in the sphere of His life, into which weare introduced through the gateway of Hisdeath. To this positive aspect of salvation,the apostle next directed the attention ofthose to whom he wrote.

Sanctification results directly from identi-fication with Christ in death and resurrec-tion ; and the argument deals with thesubject of union with Christ as to thepurpose of God ; and as to the practice ofthe saints.

The apostle took the figure of baptismas the symbol of death and resurrection.In the rite of baptism there are two move-ments which may be described as immer-sion and emergence. Immersion is thesymbolis theWhenburieddeath,”of the

of death and burial. Emergencesymbol of resurrection and life.the apostle declared, “We werewith Him through baptism untohe of course referred to that workSpirit whereby in answer to faith

men enter into actual relationship withChrist. Of that work of the Spirit thereis no symbol so perfect as that of water

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baptism, The individual placed within itsembrace is absolutely in the place of death.The same person emerging therefrom comesactually into the region of life. While thefigure is eloquent, the fact is profounder.

It is of importance that we should bearin mind the reflexive character of the workof Christ and that of the Holy Spirit.Christ came to make possible the baptismof the Spirit. This His forerunner dis-tinctly declared. This He claimed Himselfunequivocally. The Spirit into Whomman, believing on Jesus, is baptized, becomesto that man the power of death with re-gard to all the life of sin, because Headmits him into identification with thevalues of the work Christ accomplishedin order that He might make possible thisvery baptism of the Spirit. In brief, Jesuscame to bestow the Spirit upon men inorder to bring them into union withHimself.

The essential baptism therefore is thatgreat act of God, in which justificationthrough the death of Christ is made the

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possession of the believer, as the believeris placed in the position of identificationwith that death.

It is yet more. It is the act of Godwhereby the resurrection life of Jesus ismade the possession of the believer forsanctification.

Following his use of the figure of baptismthe apostle dealt carefully with the factof union, which the figure illustrates ; firstby the simple and yet inclusive statement,“If we have become united with Him bythe likeness of His death, we shall be alsoby the likeness of His resurrection ” ; andthen by the elaboration of that statement,both on the side of crucifixion and of re-surrection ; finally applying the truth, ashe declared that in Christ’s death He endedthe dominion of sin, and entered into thelife unto God ; and charging upon believersthe responsibility of reckoning themselvesas sharing with Christ both the death untosin and the life unto God.

This naturally led to a more carefulstatement as to what this union with

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Christ meant as to the practice of thebeliever. In this argument everything de-pends upon that which had been alreadystated ; the initial “ Therefore,” of thepassage indicating this fact.

Because the believer is identified withChrist in death and in life, a double re-sponsibility rests upon him.

The negative side of that responsibilityis first stated. Sin is to be entirely dis-owned. It is not to be permitted to reign,even in the mortal body. Sin does soreign when the lusts of the mortal bodyare obeyed. These lusts are not in them-selves sinful. They are the proper andnatural desires of the material life. Whenhowever, they become the dominant factors,instead of the ministering servants, then sinreigns. The mastery of the life by thedesires of the body is no longer necessarybecause of the new life possessed in Christ.To allow sin therefore to reign is at oncecontrary to the purpose of God, and un-necessary, because of the power possessedby the believer.

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The positive side of the responsibility isthen dealt with. God is to be enthroned.The whole new man is to be yielded toHim, and the members are to becomeinstruments of righteousness unto Him.This is a matter which needs the mostcareful statement, as an understanding ofit is of vital importance to all true Christianlife. The dedication enjoined to the willof God is not that of a sinning man, inorder that he may procure salvation. Itis rather that of the saved man, in orderthat he may serve. We are called topresent ourselves not in order to obtainlife, but “as alive from the dead.” Sinis not to be permitted to reign. Godalone is now King. The members oftbe body are therefore to be the instru-ments of accomplishing His purposes ofrighteousness. They must never be usedsimply in obedience to their own desire,and without reference to the glory ofGod.

This is the distinctive excellence of theChristian position. Grace reigns triumph-

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antly. The believer is not a sinner underlaw, proving his weakness by perpetualfailure ; he is rather a saint undergrace, proving Christ’s power in constantvictory.

85

2. The Oblzkation of Grace. vi. x5-v& 6

a. Introductot-y @estion and A~sweu.

@. The F&we of ths Bond-slave.

A Principle.The Application.

The two Positions.Ye were. . . Servants of Sin.Ye became. . . Servants of Righteousness.

The two Practices. 19Ye presented your members.Present your members.

The two Products. so-21Fruit. No righteousness. Death.Fruit. Sanctification. Life.

SlIIUtllary. 23y. The Figurs ofMarriage. vii. 1-6

A Principle. x-3The Application. 4-6

Death to Law through Death of Law in Christ.Joined to Christ through Resurrection of Christ.Change of Centre of Responsibility from Law to Christ.

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2. The Obligation of GraceThe greatness of the deliverance provided

by grace creates a grave responsibility onthe part of those receiving the benefits.With this new obligation the apostle dealsby the use of two figures, that of the bond-slave, and that of marriage.

a. Introductory Question and AnswerSo complete is the provision of grace that

it is possible that some one may say, thatseeing we are no longer under law, ourresponsibility about sin is at an end. Thatpossibility is recognised in the introductoryquestion and answer. It is stated in theform of the inquiry, “ What then 1 shallwe sin, because we are not under law, butunder grace ? ” and is at once emphatically,comprehensively, and finally answered inthe apostolic exclamation, “ God forbid.”

p. The Figure qf the BondslaveThe new obligation is then first set forth

under the familiar figure of the bond-slave.87

Romans

In the statement of principle with whichthe argument opens, the apostle both sug-gested the illustration and applied it. Rond-slaves are responsible to their masters, Thefreedom of the will is recognised in thematter of the choice of masters, but whenthe choice is made, it must be rememberedthat the service rendered depends entirelyupon the master chosen.

Proceeding to make application of hisfigure, he did so with great care as he showedthe two positions, the two practices, and thetwo products possible, by contrasting thepast life of believers with their present life.As to the two positions, they were servantsof sin ; they became servants of righteous-ness. As to the two practices, they dependedentirely upon the two positions. Whenservants of sin, they presented their mem-bers to uncleanness and to iniquity ; nowthat they are the servants of righteousnessthey are to present their bodies to righteous-ness unto sanctification. The two productsresult by a necessary sequence from thepractices, When they presented their

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members as servants of uncleanness theirfruit was that they were “ free in regardof righteousness ” ; that is, they had norighteousness, and consequently death wasthe issue. Now, being made free from thatservice, and having become the servants ofGod, their fruit is unto sanctification, andthe end eternal life.

Or to state the argument in other words.The servant of sin is the slave of sin. Theservant of righteousness is the bond-servantof righteousness. The past experience ofthe service of sin was that of yieldingthemselves thereto, with the issue that theywere mastered thereby. The present ex-perience of the servants of righteousnessmust be that of the yielding of themselvesthereto, with the issue of being masteredthereby. Sin is no longer to be the master,for from it those are made free who havea new master, to whom service is to berendered, The old fruit of unrighteousnessand death is destroyed, but the new fruitof sanctification and life must result.

At the close of this statement we have89

Romans

the declaration so often quoted, and so fullof glorious meaning, “ the wages of sin isdeath ; but the free gift of God is eternallife in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Sin as themaster of the life pays the wage of deathin every department thereof. God as theMaster of life bestows the gift of eternallife in Christ Jesus the Lord, in everydepartment of the life. The contrast isnot merely that of ultimate issues. It hasreference to the whole process. Death nowand for ever is the issue of sin. Eternal lifenow and for ever is the issue of that obediencewhich results from faith. God begins withlife bestowed as a free gift, and that life isat once a root principle, an impelling force,and a final fruitage ; for it is not merelylife, but age-abiding life, which He thusfreely bestows.

Thus the believer is seen to be no longerin the place of bondage to sin, and nolonger needing to yield to every demandof the lusts of the flesh ; but now henceforthas the bond-servant of God yields to thecall of righteousness, and thus using the

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The Gospel-unto Salvation-

whole body as the instrument of the willof God, makes it the medium for themanifestation of the sanctified life.

y. I’hc P’ipreThe relation

the law is notto a master.

qf Marriageof the justified believer to

merely that of a bond-slaveThere are elements in the

union which are closer, and the apostle nowadopted a new and perhaps more delicatefigure, that namely, of the marriage relation-ship and obligation. He uses it as anillustration of changed relationship. Thewhole argument may be summarised by thedeclaration that the believer is freed fromthe covenant of law by death, and broughtinto a covenant with Christ by life.

The underlying principle of the illus-tration is that death puts an end to allresponsibility resulting from a covenant.A woman is bound by covenant to herhusband. Nothing can end the responsi-bilities of such a covenant except death.If however the first husband die, thenshe is free from that covenant, and may

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enter into a new one with a second husband.An examination of this passage compelsus to recognise the apparent breakdown ofthe apostle’s figure. He started by theassumption that the law stands in the placeof the husband, and that the sinner occupiesthat of the wife. The teaching of thefigure is that so long as the husband lives,the wife is under his dominion by covenant.If she break that covenant, she is underpenalty of death. On the other hand, ifhe die, she is free to enter into themarriage relationship with another. Nowthe apostle’s argument is not that thesinner is set free by the death of the law,for the law does not die. In the applicationof the principle it is the sinner who, oecupy-ing the place of the wife, and having brokenthe covenant with law, must die.

Wherein then is the value of the figure ?It can only be discovered as we rememberthat Christ was first of all the Fulfiller ofthe law, Himself being its Incarnation andEmbodiment, and in that way all its rightswere vested in Him. If the law is taken

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.

as representing the first husband, and Christas representing the second, we must nowcome to see that the, sinner is under thedeath penalty, for breaking the law asultimately revealed in Christ ; but Christas the perfect One, Fulfiller of law, Em-bodiment of its ideals, Incarnation of itsholiness, takes the death penalty whichshould fall upon the sinner, and dies, thuscancelling the penalty due to the sinner.

The death of Christ is not the final facthowever. He was raised from the dead,and now takes that sinner,-whose breakingof the covenant with Him as law issuedin death, which death He has died,-intothe place of a new union with Himself.The sinner breaks the covenant of obedienceto Christ the Holy One. Christ dies in-stead of the sinner. Christ rises andmarries the sinner, having satisfied Hisown claim as the Holy One.

If at first therefore, it seems as thoughthe apostle’s figure had broken down, thiscloser examination reveals the fact thatby the very change in his metaphor, he gave

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the most exact illustration of the true factsof the case. The sinner has violated thecovenant of law, and consequently the lawas the first husband, proceeds to demandthe sentence of death upon the guilty one.Then Christ in infinite graciousness takesthe responsibility of that violated lawupon Himself, and suffers the death penalty,righteously inflicted by law. Emergingtherefrom He brings the sinner throughdeath out of that responsibility to the lawresulting from the broken covenant, intorelationship with Himself in a new covenant.Thus there is a change of the centre ofresponsibility from the law to Christ.

The perfection of the figure is emphasisedby that to which we have already drawnattention, that Christ is in Himself theMaster and Embodiment of law, so thatHislemergence into life, bringing with Himthe rescued sinner, does not leave an angryand disappointed law behind, but in re-cognition of all its claims, magnifies it andmakes it honourable.

The value of this teaching is evident.94


The figure of the bond-slave teaches us thata change of masters must produce a changeof service. The marital figure reveals thefact that a change of covenant changes thecentre of, responsibility.

95

I. THE PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED. Death underLaw. vii. 7-q

I. Introductory Question and Answer.

2. The Autoobiop-ajhical Ilhstration.a. Condifion before Law.

Without knowledge of Sin.(For example. “Coveting.”Alive.

,% The Coming of Law and Result.

The Discovery of Sin.The Activity of Sin.The Conviction of Sin.

y. The Ex~%riencr under Law.

The Slavery of Sin.The Conflict.The Agony.

3. The Summary.a. The Triumphant Answer.@. The State needing the Viclory.

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b. THE PRINCIPLE ILLUSTRATED

Having thus dealt with the subject ofsanctification as a work of grace ; showinghow the great deliverance is wrought, ofwhat nature it is, and what are the obliga-tions it entails ; the apostle prepared the wayfor a description of the sanctified life on itsexperimental side, by a personal confession orstatement. Around this remarkable sectioncontroversy has long waged, the mostscholarly and devout expositors differing intheir view as to the period in the life ofPaul, which he herein described. Thatwhich seems perfectly plain to one is almostvehemently denied by another. Into allthe discussion it is not ours to enter. Igive in my analysis what seems to me tobe the only interpretation which is inharmony with the whole movement. Thosewho differ will at least be patient.

There are two initial matters to whichit may be well to draw attention beforeconsidering the section in detail. The factthat the passage is personal and experimental

Row 9 7 H

R o m a n s

is indicated in the change from the pluralto the singular in the use of personalpronouns. In all the preceding argumentthe apostle had been dealing with generaldoctrines. He now illustrated them fromhis own experience. Half-way through thepassage the tense changes. In the first partthe apostle wrote in the past tense. In thesecond he used the present tense. This facthas been one cause of the differences ofopinion to which I have referred already.

There are those who believe that in thefirst part he described his experiences as adevout Hebrew before his apprehension byChrist ; and that when he adopted thepresent tense he described his experienceafter his justification, but before he enteredinto the experience of sanctification. I canonly say that such interpretation wouldlead me to the conviction that justificationproduced no change in his experience, saveperhaps a deepened consciousness of hissinfulness and weakness. That interpreta-tion would make justification a mattermerely of legal standing, and suggest that

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ability results from sanctification. Thatin turn, would be to declare that regenera-tion, or the new birth, does not take placeat justification. This however wouldentirely contradict the teaching of theapostle concerning the privileges and re-sponsibilities of justification, as set forthin the fifth chapter.

And yet the change of tense is mostmarked, and we need to recognise it. Fora full discussion of the matter, the readerwould do well to consult Dr. Agar Beet’s“ Commentary ” on this epistle. I confinemyself to one quotation therefrom :

“The past and present tenses are dis-tinguished not only in time but as differentmodes of viewing the occasion. The pasttense looks upon it as already complete ;the present, as going on before our eyes.Consequently, when the time is otherwisedetermined, the tenses may be used withoutreference to time.”

I treat the whole of this section asdescribing the experiences of the apostleas a Hebrew, prior to his apprehension by

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Christ. In the first movements he dealtwith his experiences as a child, beforehe became a son of the law; then duringthe period resulting from his yielding ofhimself to its claims. So far he wrote inthe past tense. Then, desiring to makehis description graphic and forceful, hewrote in the present tense, and thus insuch a way as to make most telling thehelplessness and hopelessness of a manunder law. All this is background, pre-paring the way for that marvellous contrastset forth in the next section.

Therefore I treat this section as a pictureof the religious experience of Paul up tothe time of his meeting with Christ. Itdeals with his condition before law ; hisexperience at the coming of law ; and hissubsequent experience under law.

1. Introductory Question and Answe?His contrast between the dominion of

the law and the dominion of Christ mayproduce in the mind of some of his readersthe idea that the law itself is sin. This he

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indicated in his inquiry, “ Is the law sin ‘1”and once again denied in the emphaticexclamation, “ God forbid.” The ultimateanswer to the inquiry is found in thedeclaration subsequently made, “ We knowthat the law is spiritual.” It is not the lawthat is sin, but the one who, breaking it, iscondemned by it.

2. The Autobiographical IhstrationAffirming that he had not known sin

except through the law, the apostle declared,“ I was alive apart from the law once.” Thequestion is at once suggested as to whatperiod of his life he could possibly havereferred to when he wrote these words. I tgoes without saying that they could notrefer to a period prior to the historic givingof the law. They must have reference tosome time in the actual life of this man.The only satisfactory answer to the inquiryis that he referred to those days of infancyand childhood in which, without conscious-ness of law, there was no consciousness ofsin ; and consequently, he lived without

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R o m a n s

any sense of distance between himself andGod. Whatever powers or possibilities ofevil were in his nature-and this is a subjecthe was not dealing with at the moment-they were not in wilful and active operation ;and therefore he was alive apart from law.By way of example he quoted the last ofthe words of the Decalogue, “Thou shaltnot covet,” and declared that he had notknown coveting apart from the law. Bythis he did not mean that as a child hehad never desired anything belonging tosome one else, but that he had no conscious-ness that such desire was wrong. It wasby the coming of law that he came toconviction of sin, and consequently ofresponsibility. Thus during the early daysof his life he was, apart from the law, alive.

Passing on, he dealt with the coming oflaw, and again we are led to inquire whathe meant by the words, “ The command-ment came . . . and I died.” He affirmedthat when he came to the sense of re-sponsibility to law, sin revived, or came tolife, in his experience, and he died.

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In all probability Paul here referred tothat actual confirmation service to whichevery Jewish boy comes, in which he ismade a son of the law. To one carefullytrained, it is perfectly conceivable that sucha service would be one of grave solemnity,producing spiritual consideration of themost searching kind ; and here the apostletells us what the effect was in his owncase.

It is impossible to pass this suggestionwithout thinking of that self-same con-firmation in the life of Jesus. He alsowas alive without the law in all the daysof boyhood. To Him also there came thelaw, when at the age of twelve, presentedin the Temple in accordance with the ritesof His people, He became a Son of thelaw. It would have been impossible, how-ever, for Him to write what Paul wrote.To Him the coming of the commandmentdid not mean thelife of sin ; and,to Him was notlife.

revival or coming toconsequently, the lawunto death, but unto

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Another point of interest which shouldnot be overlooked here is that the apostlecarefully declared what particular com-mandment it was that brought home tohim the sense of sin. He seems to havebeen able to count himself blameless whilenine words of the Decalogue spoke theirmessage to his conscience ; but when thetenth word was uttered, “Thou shalt notcovet,” he discovered at last the point atwhich he was violating the Divine com-mandment, and so, to use his own ex-pressive word, he died.

In childhood he lived without conscious-ness of law, and therefore without con-sciousness of sin. When at last the ageof responsibility came, and he submittedhimself to the requirements of the law,he discovered his sin. Most carefully doeshis statement declare that the law did notcause his death, or make him a sinner. I trevealed his condition, and brought himto the consciousness thereof.

The result of that consciousness was thelong struggle between opposing forces in

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his own life, and he graphically describedthat struggle as we have already indicated,by using the present tense. The experi-ence described is that of a devout Hebrew,seeking the highest, refusing to be satisfiedwith externalities, and therefore telling thestory of his own deepest consciousness inall the blunt horror of it, “ I am soldunder sin.” It is an almost startling re-velation of the experience of all those whocome honestly to the measurement of thelaw. It is a double experience, that of aman doing hated things, and by his veryhatred of them consenting to the good-ness of the law which forbids them. Thewill to do the good is with him, but notthe power. He even experiences delightin the law of God, but because of theprinciple of sin which masters him he isunable to obey.

So terrible is the condition that hebreaks out into a cry that tells the wholestory of his inner consciousness. To under-stand that cry aright the exultant notemust be omitted, and what remains read

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Romans

in close connection. “ 0 wretched manthat I am ! who shall deliver me out ofthe body of this death? . . . So then Imyself with the mind serve the law ofGod ; but with the flesh the law of sin.”

3. The Summaq

While thus the apostle wrote the wordswhich revealed the agony of his past con-dition, he wrote them from his then presentsense of victory and deliverance, and soparenthetically answered his own inquiry,“ Who shall deliver me ?” in the words,“ I thank God through Jesus Christ ourLord.”

For me at least no stretch of the ima-gination is equal to the task of convincingme that this paragraph can be applied toa regenerate man. This man is sold undersin. The regenerate man is redeemed fromits power. This man finds within him alaw of sin and death, warring against hisdesire after goodness, and making it im-possible for him to do the good. Theregenerate man is set free from such

106


dominion, because he is able to do thatwhich is good. This man is unable to dowhat he would. The regenerate man says,66 I can do all things through Christ whichstrengtheneth me.”

The objection to this view is mainlybased upon the idea that it is impossibleto think of an unregenerate man delightingin the law of the Lord.

The first answer to such an objection isthat passages are to be found in thewritings of pagan philosophers which areso strikingly like this statement of Paulconcerning himself as to demonstrate thefact that unregenerate man is capable ofadmiring the law, but incapable of obeyingit. Seneca wrote, “ What is it that drawsus in one direction while striving to go inanother ; and impels us toward that whichwe wish to avoid ? ” and Euripides de-clared, “ We understand and know thegood things, but we do not work themout.”

The final answer however, is that Paulwas a devout and sincere Hebrew, who

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R o m a n s

did know the law, and who did delightin it before his apprehension by Christ ;one who according to his own words inanother letter, was “ as touching the right-eousness which is in the law found blame-less.” It was this man who in all externalthings satisfied the demands of the law,and thus established the righteousness inwhich men made their boast, who never-theless was al l the while profoundlyconscious of his inability to fulfil its re-quirements.

The whole paragraph then, is a forcefulrevelation of the highest possible experi-ence of the life under law, and preparesthe way for the description of the powerand freedom and triumph of the sanctifiedlife, resulting from the operation of gracethrough Christ *Jesus.

108

C, THE PRIVILEGE DESCRIBED. LIFE IN THESPIRIT.

a. The Stair. No Condemnation.(3. The Sphere. In ChristJesus.

2. The ExpZanation.a. The confrasied Souereigniy.

The Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus.The Law of Sin and Death.

The Victory in Christ Jesus.

8. The contrasted Strerrglh.The Weakness of Law.The Strength of the Son of God.

The Victory of the Son of God.

v The contvasled Spheres. Flesh, Spirif.The First Contrast-Of Inspiration.

Alter the Flesh.After the Spirit.

The Second Contrast-Of Issue.Of Flesh-Death.Of Spirit-Life and Peace.

The third Contrast-Of Experience.The Flesh.

At Enmity against God.Incapable of Subjection to Gad.Incapable of pleasing God.

The Spirit.The Indweller.

(Parenthesis. A Test.The present Position.

The Body dead.The Spirit alive.

The Ultimate Victory.The Quickened Body.

3. The Obligation.a. Responsibilily.

Negative-Not to Flesh.Positive--Uy the Spirit.

,% Resource.Sonship.Heirship.

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c. THE PRIVILEGE DESCRIBED. I.IFE I N

THE SPIRIT

The final section of this division sets forththe life of sanctification on its positiveside. It is perfectly evident that the word“ Therefore ” is not related to the final state-ment of the previous section. In order todiscover the teaching which the word recalls,it is necessary to go back to the firstsection, and to its last declaration. Thatthis may be clearly seen, let us bring thelast verse of the first section, and this firstverse of the third section together.

(‘ But now we have been discharged fromthe law, having died to that wherein wewere holden ; so that we serve in newnessof the spirit, and not in oldness of theletter.”

“ There is therefore now no condem-nation to them that are in Christ Jesus.”

The connection is self-evident ; “ dis-charged . . . no condemnation.” Thus afterhaving in the first section dealt with theprovision for sanctification, that of identifi-

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Romans

cation with Christ by which the believerpasses from death into life ; and havingillustrated his principle in that section inwhich he described the condition of deathunder law ; he now returned in order toset forth the privilege of sanctification tobe that of life in the Spirit.

That to which we now turn stands instartling contrast to that which .we havebeen considering. Throughout the wholeof the paragraph of autobiographical illus-tration, the overwhelming sense was thatof condemnation. In this most gloriouspassage the language is ever that of onedischarged, and free from condemnation.From the slavery of the law of sin anddeath we emerge into the freedom of thelaw of the Spirit of life.

The section falls into three parts ; a briefproclamation ; a careful explanation ; anda final statement of consequent obligation.

1. The Proclamation

In the final stages ofthe apostle as though

112

the previous sectionunable to avoid it


for very gladness of heart, had exclaimed,“1 thank God through Jesus Christ ourLord.” As we saw in considering it, thiswas an interpolated answer of the man inChrist, to the wail of the man under law.

He now turned to the full and positivestatement of the truth which compelledthat cry of victory. The opening proclama-tion is brief but all-inclusive. It ringswith the note of absolute assurance. Thestate of the believer is described in thewords, 6‘ no condemnation.” He hasescaped from the intolerable depressionof the awful agony resulting from the senseof sin created by the law. This escape isthe result of entrance into a new sphere oflife, which he described by the words “ InChrist Jesus.” The omission of the words,“ who walk not after the flesh but afterthe spirit ” is no loss, but rather gain.While what they suggest is true, and willbe stated presently under the considerationof obligation, the statement is more com-plete, as a definite proclamation, withoutthem. It is indeed a gracious announce-

ROM. 113 I

R o m a n s

ment that in Christ Jesus man is underno condemnation ; and inspired the greatverse in Charles Wesley’s hymn,

No condemnation now I dread;Jesus, and all in Him, is mine !

Alive in Him, my living Head,And clothed in righteousness Divine,

Bold I approach the eternal throne,And claim the crown, through Christ, my own.

2. 5%e Explanation

Having thus comprehensively stated theprivilege of sanctification, the apostle passedto a careful explanation thereof in a seriesof contrasts between life in the flesh, andlife in the spirit.

My own interpretation of this passageadopts the distinction indicated in thespelling of the Revised Version in thecase of the word “spirit.” Therein a smallletter is used when the word refers to thespirit of man, and a capital when it refersto the Spirit of God. I am aware thatsome of our best expositors do not agreewith the interpretation resulting from this

1 1 4


spelling. I do not propose to enter intoany argument concerning the matter, forI do not believe that anything of vitalimportance is involved. Let readers desiringto compare other interpretations refer tothe works of Dr. Handley Moule, andDr. Agar Reet. My own understanding ofthe passage leads me to the conclusionthat where the distinction is maintained asindicated in the Revised Version, the resultis a clear presentation of the truth thatsanctification is the full realisation of theforces of regeneration ; and that a pictureof remarkable strength is presented, of aregenerate man living under the control ofthe Spirit of God, his own spirit beingrestored to its proper place of dominionover his body.

The first contrast is that between the twosovereignties of life. In this relation theword law is used, not in reference to theMosaic economy, but as describing a master-principle. On the one hand there is thatof the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus, onthe other that of the law of sin and of

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death. These two stand related to the twosections of the division already considered,the law of the Spirit of life in ChristJesus having been revealed in the firstsection, and the law of sin and of deathhaving been dealt with in the second ; thelaw which the apostle therein described as“ a different law . . . warring against thelaw of my mind, and bringing me intocaptivity under the law of sin.” If thisis the contrast, it is stated only in orderto declare that the victory is that the lawof the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus makesus free from the law of sin and of death.

The second contrast is between the abilityof the law-and in this case the reference isto the Mosaic economy-and that of the Sonof God. The weakness of the one consistedin the fact that it had to do with man asthe apostle had described him in the centralsection, unable to obey. The strength ofthe Son of God lay in the fact of Hisincarnation, and His work on the cross,all of which had been dealt with in thefirst section. Again the contrast is made,

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in order to declare that the victory is thatof the Son of God, because in all such aswalk not after the flesh but after the spirit,the ordinance or requirement of the law isfulfilled.

In the third contrast which has to dowith the two possible spheres of life, fleshand spirit, the overwhelming victory ofsanctification is revealed. There is a three-fold movement in this contrast, dealingwith the two inspirations, the two issues,and the two experiences.

As to inspiration, there are those wholive after the flesh, and those who live afterthe spirit. The first mind the things of theflesh, that is, desire them, and seek afterthem. The second mind the things of thespirit, and again that is, desire them, andseek after them.

As to issue, the result of seeking thethings of the flesh is death, a present death,the death of the mind, its darkness andlimitation. The result of seeking the thingsof the spirit is life and peace, present lifeand peace, the life of the mind, its light

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and comprehension resulting in abidingpeace.

Finally in dealing with the contrast ofexperience the apostle first declared thatto live in the flesh is to be at enmity againstGod, incapable of subjection to Him, andtherefore unable to please Him. His de-scription of the experience of life in thespirit is fuller. Declaring that the secretof spiritual life is that of the indwellingSpirit of God, he parenthetically declaredthat this indwelling Spirit of God will bemanifest as the Spirit of Christ, and thatthis manifestation is a test of possession.The immediate result of the indwellingChrist is that the body is dead, that is tosay, the body does not immediately escapethe consequence of past sin ; it is still mortal,not exempt from dissolution. But the spiritis alive, and that fact will have its bearingupon the whole man, including the body.

In this connection there is finally oneword declaring that the ultimate victoryof this life will be that of the quickeningof the mortal body.

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This picture then is that of a regenerateman. Sanctification is the full realisationof regeneration, and consists in the spirit ofa man being in subjection to the indwellingSpirit of God ; with the further result thatthe body of the man is under the dominionof the spirit of the man, which is controlledby the Spirit of God.

3. The OldigationThe argument as to obligation immedi-

ately follows, and of course is entirelydependent upon that which has alreadybeen considered. The apostle stated it inrelation to our responsibility and our re-source.

The negative responsibility of believersis that they are not debtors to the flesh.There is no longer any need for them tolive after the flesh, that is, to obey thedictates of- the flesh without reference tothe claims of the spirit. Being free fromthe law of sin and death which operatesthrough the body, making it the masterof the life ; to yield to its claims alone will

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issue in death. The first responsibility ofsanctification is that there shall be no suchyielding. The positive responsibility is thatof the exercise of power by the spirit overall the things of the flesh.

In order to the fulfilment of this responsi-bility the resources of sanctification are thenstated. The first is that of sonship. Thevictory of the spirit of man results from theleading of the Spirit of God, and those whohave such leading are the sons of God.They have received the spirit of adoptionwhereby they are able, under the tenderand gracious impulse of the indwellingSpirit, to call God, Father. The witnessof the Spirit of God with our spirits thatwe are the children of God is the proofnecessary, and granted, of our justificationand sanctification. All the logical methodis nothing save as we have this innerwitness, the absolutely certain knowledge,proof against all argument, that we arethe children of God.

The sequence of this glorious sonship isthat the saints are heirs of God. This

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statement is so overwhelming that it defiesanalysis, or exposition. In the presence ofit the heart can but be still in exultingmeditation, while it confesses that the pro-fundities of the Divine love defy thefathoming of human intelligence.

0 love of God, how strong and true,Eternal and yet ever new,Uncomprehended and unbought,Beyond all knowledge and all thought.

0 love of God, how deep and great !Far deeper than man’s deepest hate ;Self-fed, self-kindled, like the light,Changeless, eternal, infinite.

Children are heirs of the Father’s wealthand the Father’s home. And yet theapostle kept plainly in view the ground ofour claim. We are joint-heirs with Christ.He Who identifies Himself with us indeath, identifies us with Himself in life,and in all that life means as to breadth,and richness, and continuity.

This joint-heirship with Christ, and heir-ship of God, brings us into fellowship,not only with the consummation, but with

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the process. We are brought into the placeof suffering with Him, Who came into thefellowship of our suffering. This statementof the case reveals responsibility. Theprivilege is evidenced by the declarationof the same truth from the other side.Having fellowship with His suffering throughthe process, we shall at last have partnershipwith the glory in the consummation.

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iii. G L O R I F I C A T I O N . viii. 18-39

a. THE FELLOWSHIP IN THE PROCESS. 16-30

I. Intraductory Declaration. 18

Present Suffering and uN&ate Gbvy incomparable.

2. FeZZowshi)5 with Creation. x9-30

a. FelZowship in Creation’s Groaning. 19-25Creation’s Need. 19-m

Waiting.Hoping.

19, 20ZI

Groanmg. 22The Saints’ Fellowship. 23-s

G$;$;gg. 130236

Hoping.’ 24, 258. Fetlowship wifh God. 26-30

The Spirit’s Interpretation. 26, wMaki?g,Interce+n with Groanings. 26~,t,eb;~$$!$. 270

276The Saints' Assurance. 28-30

The Conditions. a8aThe Process. 28bThe Issue. 29, 3”

6. THE ASSURANCE OF THE CONSUMMATION. 31-39

I, Introductory A$%mntion. 3’9 32a. The Inquiry. 31

What shall we say ?If God . . . who is against?

,% The Answer. 32The Gift of the Son.The Gift of all things.

2. The Threefold Chdlelrlzge and Answer. 33-39a. The Accuser. 33

Challenge. Who?AnSWer. God justifies.

j3. The Judge. 34Challenge. Who?An%Ver. Christ Died.

Rose.Awended.Intercedes.

The Separator. 3:~39Challenge. Who ? 35-355

The things of suffering.The Answer. The Love of God in Christ Jesus. 37.39

The incompetent Forces.

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_._ _-._- ~-.- -


iii. GLORIFICA’I~IONThe last phrase in the previous section,

“glorified with Him ” naturally leads onto the discussion of the final fact in thesalvation provided by God, that of glori-fication. There is nothing like a detaileddescription of the conditions of the comingglory, either on earth or in heaven. Theapostle’s dealing with the subject was ratherthat of an onward look from the midstof that suffering to which he had referred,and which is seen in the light of theconsummation. The section falls into twoparts ; the first dealing with the fellow-ship of the saints in the process that leadsto the consummation ; and the second withthe assurance of the certainty of that con-summation.

a. THE FELLOWSHIP IN THE PROCESS

After an introductory declaration theapostle proceeded to deal with the subjects,first of the fellowship of the saints with

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creation ; and secondly of their fellowshipwith God.

1. Introductoq DeclarationIn his introductory declaration the

apostle suggested and declined a compari-son between the sufferings and the glory.So stupendous and overwhelming was theradiant vision and the ultimate issue of thework of grace as he saw it, that set inthe light of it, he reckoned the sufferingsof the present time incomparable. Allthat follows in this section emphasises thatconviction. It is impossible to read histeaching without discovering how keen hissense of the suflering was, and yet throughall the movement the dominant note isthat of a joyful confidence, born of hisassurance of the certainty and overwhelm-ing sufficiency of the glory.

2. Pellozvship with CTeationIn dealing with the fellowship of the

saints with creation the apostle affirmedthe fact of their fellowship in creation’s

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groaning ; and then that of their fellow-ship with God in relation to that groaning.

The apostle first described creation’sneed, and then the saints’ fellowshiptherein.

The need of creation as the apostleunderstood it is revealed by three wordsof which he made use, He saw it, waiting,hoping, groaning.

It is waiting Cc for the revealing of thesons of God. ” In that declaration theapostle recognised man’s place in creationto be that of its lord and master. Healso recognised that man’s power to exer-cise beneficent rule results entirely fromhis relation to God. That relation beinginterfered with by sin, he had failed torealise the creation beneath him, or to leadit to its full development. The creationhad therefore been subjected to vanity.

He next described it as expecting, orhoping, that it would also find its wayinto the liberty of the glory of the children

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of God, that is, that in answer to thedominion of redeemed man it also wouldbe redeemed.

Finally he taught that while creationthus waits and hopes it does so in suffer-ing. This he declared in the words, “thewhole creation groaneth and travaileth inpain . . . until now.” How much ofsorrow and of agony is pressed into thisone pregnant sentence ! It includes manhimself in his spiritual ruin, in his mentallimitation, in his physical suffering; andall the lower forms of creation in theirsighing and suffering for lack of the kinglygovernment of the being created to havedominion over it for its perfecting.

In dealing with the saints’ fellowship,the apostle made use of the same words,groaning, waiting, hoping.

He began at the point of creation’spain, as he declared that “ we ourselvesgroan.” The saints of God in the midstof the suffering are conscious of it, and,indeed, the consciousness is more acutethan that of the creation itself, for with

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the restoration in measure even, of theDivine ideal, there comes the new capacityfor pain, which is indeed part of theprivilege of partnership with God inChrist.

The saints are also waiting for the re-demption of the body. The bodies of thesaints have not yet been brought into fullrealisation of the renewing forces of salva-tion. They remain the media throughwhich the saints experimentally enter intothe consciousness of creation’s suffering.Nevertheless the spirit is renewed andalive, and in their spiritual life the saintswait for the redemption of the body.

While in the midst of this fellowshipof suffering and of waiting they also sharethe hope of creation, and that hope is sosure and certain as to create patience inwaiting, even in the midst of suffering.

p. lW!lowsf~ip with G o dThe deeper secret of the fellowship of

the saints with creation is that of theirfellowship with God. The indwelling Spirit

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exercises a twofold ministry in this respect ;that first of interpreting the real meaningof the world’s agony, and that secondlyof creating the assurance of the ultimatedeliverance. The supreme consciousnessof suffering is in God, because of the per-fection of His love. He, by the Spiritindwelling believers, interprets that con-sciousness, and thus makes their inter-cession. That intercession even though itcannot be expressed, is intelligible to God,because “ He . . . knoweth . . . the mindof the Spirit.” This intercession is there-fore “according to the will of God.” Bythis interpretation of the Spirit, the saintsare brought into fellowship with the suffer-ing of creation through fellowship withGod ; and they co-operate with God byintercession in the midst of sufferingcreation.

Such fellowship with God creates theassurance of the saints that the wholeprocess is moving toward a consummation.6‘ We know ” wrote the apostle. Here isno indefiniteness, no speculation, no ex-

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pression of a hope that faints or falters.Upon the basis of the profound andmagnificent arguments of the Divine methodof redemption, the apostle founds a con-fidence that nothing is equal to shaking.In an introductory phrase, “to them thatlove God,” he indicated the one conditionupon which all that he was about to sayconcerning the process to consummation,is true. The confidence he expressed inthe present tense, “ all things work ” ; theydo so even here and now, amid conditionswhich seem as though they would makethe ultimate issue impossible, or at leastindefinitely postpone it. The soul in fellow-ship with God rests assured that everythingis contributing to the consummation.

The word “together” is in itself aluminous explanation of much that per-plexes. No lonely circumstance, no eventof an hour, no isolated incident, must beused as interpreting the whole process.All such circumstances, events, incidents,are inter-related, and each must be viewedas part of all. The apparent defeat is

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a preparation for certain victory. Theseeming mystery holds within itself inrelation to other facts, the making of arevelation. The present is part of thewhole. The whole needs it, and alone isequal to explaining it. This is the faiththat tinges the darkest cloud with thelight of the sun hidden behind it, andtransmutes its sable into the purple promiseof coming glory. This is the confidencethat whispers words of infinite peace amidall the babe1 of contending voices. Thisis the victory that hath overcome the world,even our faith, and faith is at once thelaw and the ofFspring of fellowship.

What then is the good toward which the6‘ all things ” work together ? We find theanswer to this inquiry stated only in regardto the central fact. The sons are to beconformed to the image of the Son. Thisrevealing of the sons of God in the likenessof the Son of God will issue in the healingof creation, and the ending of its groaning.

There can be no doubt that at last thesons will be conformed to the image of

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the Son, for to this they are foreordainedof God, and those “ whom He foreordained,them He also called ; and whom He called,them He also justified ; and whom H ejustified, them He also glorified.”

Thus the great glad certainty of assuredfinality of glory, accounts for the statementwith which the section opened. “ I reckonthat the sufferings of this present time arenot worthy to be compared with the glorywhich shall be revealed to usward.”

6. THE ASSIJRANCE OP T H E C O N S U M M A T I O N

The last section ended with the apostle’saffirmation of the assurance of the saintsin fellowship with God, that the processis inevitably moving toward the con-summation. T h i s s e c o n d h a l f o f t h edivision dealing with glorification looks outinto the future, and challenges all op-position, affirming its impotence ‘in thepresence of the great salvation.

It is sometimes helpful to read thisparagraph in close connection with the firstsection of the book, that dealing with the

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ruin of the race. There the apostle declaredthat the whole world must be silent in itscondemnation. Here the saints are nolonger silent, but challenge to silence allthe voices that can be raised against them.

The first movement in the paragraph isthat of an introductory affirmation, whichis immediately followed by a threefoldchallenge and answer.

1. Introductory Aj%mationThe introductory affirmation consists of

an all-inclusive inquiry and reply. Theattention is first arrested by the question,“ What then shall we say to these things ? ”which is immediately followed by theinquiry, “ If God is for us, who is againstus z ” Already he had demonstrated thefact that the very forces of sorrow and ofsuffering which seemed to be opposed, areworking together for good. In the lightof that assurance he looked out throughall space and all ages, and demanded “ Whois against us ? ”

The answer is really an exposition of the134

T h e G o s p e l - u n t o S a l v a t i o n

assumption of the inquiry, that God is forus. He has proved that He is for us bythe gift of His Son. It is therefore incon-ceivable that He willIndeed the gift of theall things, for as theanother of his letters, “consist.”

withhold anything.Son is the gift ofwriter declared inIn Him all things

2. The Threefold Challenge and AnswerThe inclusive inquiry is then expressed

in a threefold challenge, followed by athreefold answer.

The first challenge is as to the possibilityof an accuser. “ Who shall lay anythingto the charge of God’s elect ‘1” The answeris immediate and brief, “ It is God thatjustifieth.” Nothing more need be said,because in the earlier part of the letter thefact has already been dealt with, that itis possible for God to be just and thejustifier of him who believes in Jesus.

The second challenge is as to the possi-bility of a judge who will condemn, “ Whois He that shall condemn ? ” The answer

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Romans

restates those facts of the work of ChristJesus, belief in which, made possible thedeclaration of an earlier section, “ There istherefore now no condemnation to themthat are in Christ Jesus ” ; the facts of Hisdeath, resurrection, ascension, and inter-cession.

The third challenge is as to the possibilityof a separator, “ Who shall separate us fromthe love of Christ ? ” and the challenge isemphasised by the naming of some of theterrible experiences which may form partof the process through which the ultimateglory must be reached-tribulation, anguish,persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword.So far from these being able to separate,in them “ we are more than conquerors ”because they are of the number of thethings which work together for our good,and thus are compelled to serve us, andto co-operate with God toward the accom-plishment of the highest purposes of Hisheart. There are other things which maybe against us, and the apostle finally namedthem only in order to reveal the fact that

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the love of God which is in Christ Jesus,is mightier than either of them, or all ofthem united, in an attempt to separate UStherefrom.

Neither death, the foe ever threatening;nor life, with all its trials and testings ; norangels and principalities, the beings of thespiritual realm ; nor powers, those in earthlyauthority; nor things present, the circum-stances of the hour ; nor things to come,the possible contingencies of the comingdays ; nor height, heaven itself; nor depth,hell beneath ; nor any other creature canseparate us from the love of God, Who isthe Creator, and therefore the supremeLord of all because life is resident in, andmanifested through, Christ Jesus, Who isour Lord.

In this final affirmation there is inci-dentally a fine note of assurance in thelittle phrase, “ any other creature ” ; forby its use the apostle recognises the factthat all the things which he has namedare but creations, while the One in Whoselove is the assurance of the victory is the

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One from Whom all these have come, Hebeing the Creator.

This threefold challenge and answerbecomes the more wonderful when werealise the remarkable change of relationbetween God and man which it exhibits.On account of sin, God was against man,and man was silent. Through His salvationGod is for him, and the opposing forcesare silent. By reason of sin God was thesupreme Accuser. By the way of Hissalvation He has become the Justifier. Asthe result of sin it was God Who as Judgecondemned man. As the outcome of Hisprovision of salvation, the triumphant wordis uttered, “ No condemnation.” The in-evitable issue of sin was that God hadexcluded man from fellowship with Himself.The equally inevitable result of salvationis the restoration of man to such fellowshipwith Him in love that no force in theuniverse can separate between them.

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III. OBJECTIONS DISCUSSED. ix-xi.

i. E L E C T I O N . ix.

a. INTRODUCTION. r-5

I. Paz& The Christian Israelite. x-3a. The Solemn Afirmation. I@. The Experi’ncs of Sorrow. ay. Fellowship with Christ. 3

2. /wad. Accofding to Diviwe Economy. 4, 5~1, The Prc~araloiy Ecotzomy. 4, w,9* The Medium of Fulfilmcnt. sby. The Finul .Pwposc. SC

b. THE OPERATION OF ELECTION. 6-13

I. succ&ssive .selectia9zs. 6

2 . Illustrrrtions. 7-13

a. Abraham.Isaac, not Ishmael. 7-9

8. Isaac.Jacob, not Esau. m-r3

E. THE PRINCIPLE OF ELECTION. 14-18

I. Mercy accora’ing to the Divine Wilt. 14-16

2. ]udpent according to the Divine Will. I73. The Princ@le declared. x8

d. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF ELEcTION.

I . The active Ojeration.a. The Righf. Tha Pofler.

The supposed Challenge.The illustrative Answer.

j3. T/u ~.wwise.Vessels of wrath.Vessels of mercy.

y. According lo Prophecy.HOSea.Isaiah.

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III. OBJECTIONS DISCUSSED

The great subject of the Gospel untosalvation is now completed. The condem-nation resulting from sin which created theneed for the Gospel has been vividly setforth. The great provision of salvation inits threefold aspect of justification, sanctifica-tion, and glorification has been carefullydescribed. Before passing to that applica-tion of the truth wherein he dealt withthe transformation by salvation, the apostlepaused to deal with certain objections. Itmust be remembered that these objectionsare such as would be raised by Hebrews,and not by Gentiles. All that the formerpart of his letter had insisted upon, mustinevitably have swept away all possibilityof confidence on the part of Israelitesin those things in which from birth theyhad made their boast. It was natural andalmost inevitable that such questions asthose now to be dealt with, should arisein their minds. Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews,would naturally be immediately conscious

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of such difficulties, and therefore proceededto deal with them, in order to show therelation of the new economy to the old,and to demonstrate the fact that there wasno departure on the part of God from theperpetual method of His operation, and noinjustice in His reception of the Gentile.

He discussed three subjects, those namelyof the Divine method of election ; of therejection of Israel according to the flesh ;and of its ultimate restoration.

i. ELECTION

In dealing with the first difficulty, thatnamely of God’s election of His ancientpeople, the apostle first laid bare his heartas a Christian Israelite; and then discussedthe subject of election as to its operation,its principle, and its sovereignty.

a. INTRODUCTIONThe connection between this very re-

markable passage, and the climax of thepreceding chapter is close, and we can only

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understand the meaning of the apostle asit is observed.

The great certainty that there can be noseparation between the trusting soul andthe love of God is the experience of onein close experimental fellowship with theLord through the ministry of the Spirit.The fulness of spiritual life is that of fullconsciousness of the mind of Christ. Thetides of His life flowing through all thebeing of the apostle ; his desires, impulses,and activities were those of the Lord Whodwelt in Him. This is the meaning of theopening words of affirmation, “ 1 say thetruth in Christ.” That which he was aboutto declare, resulted from the fact thatChrist was the sphere of his life. To thisaffirmation he added weight by claimingthe witness of his conscience in the HolySpirit. This solemn opening affirmationgives us the key to what else were inexplic-able ; his great sorrow, his increasing pain,his very desire to be anathema, all resultedfrom, and indeed were parts of the Christ-consciousness which held and mastered him.

Romans

It was Christ’s sorrow, Christ’s increasingpain, Christ’s readiness to be anathema, ofwhich he was the conscious partner, andto which he now gave expression. No mancould have written such words save as hewas indwelt and dominated by Christthrough the Holy Spirit. No man so in-dwelt and dominated could escape suchconsciousness.

The first expression of his Christ-createdcompassion was toward his brethren. Thisis a glorious illustration of a perpetualtruth. The man who had given up hisbrethren for Christ’s sake, now held themin a new love and compassion, comparedwith which the old earthly aflection wasas nothing. The love of kindred andfriends which counts their friendship andfellowship as of more’ value than those ofChrist, is after all self-centred, the love ofthe publican and the sinner, set upon thosewho love us, because they love us, and onaccount of what they give LG. The loveof kindred and friends which results from asupreme love for Christ, is disinterested, and

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goes out to them in spite of the fact thatthey have ceased to give us anything butpersecution and pain. This is true, high,holy love ; the love that never fails.

The great value of this passage isdiscovered when it is remembered thatalmost all the pain and suffering of theapostle resulted from the bitter hatred andopposition of those very kinsmen whomhe had given up for Christ, and for whomhe had found a new love through re-lationship to Him.

With a fine art the apostle approachedthe discussion of the difficulties of hisbrethren by a description of Israel accordingto the Divine economy, which descrip-tion recognised their high privileges andconspicuous glory.

Looking back, in briefest words he statedthe Divinity of the original preparatoryeconomy. Theirs was the adoption,-theywere peculiarly called to the relationshipof children ; the glory,-among them Goddwelt, manifesting His presence by theShekinah splendour ; the covenants,--Abra-

Ho.rr. 145 I,

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hamic, Mosaic, Davidic; the giving of thelaw,-the ethical code ; the service,-all thesymbolic ritual of their worship ; thepromises,-of the coming King and Kingdom ;the fathers,-Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Recognising that all these things werepreparatory, and that they had their fulfil-ment in the mission of Messiah, he thendeclared that this highest of all glories,that of providing the Messiah on the sideof His human life, was theirs also, in thewords, “ of whom is Christ as concerningthe flesh.” All the former things hadpointed to Him, and in Him they foundtheir fulfilment.

Thus ultimately that history of Israelwhich was Divine in its initiation, wasDivine also in its consummation, for theChrist Who, concerning the flesh, camefrom them, is infinitely more than human,being “ over all, God blessed for ever ” ;and thus the final purpose of their historyis stated in a word descriptive of Christ,that purpose being, that God Who isover all, should be blessed for ever.

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b. THE OPERATION OF ELECTION

The word “But” with which this paragraphopens, at once suggests the contrast betweenthe glorious facts concerning Israel whichthe apostle had recognised, and that of thepresent experience of Israel which causedhim the keen sorrow of which he hadwritten.

It would appear as though the Wordof God had come to nought; as thoughin order to the fulfilment of His purpose,He had violated a principle. It was ad-mitted that He had elected this nation.How then was the fact of their rejection as anation to be accounted for ?

With this problem he proceeded to deal,affirming first that the promises made toIsrael were made not to a people afterthe flesh. This must have been to the earsof a Jew, a most astonishing assertion, andthe apostle proceeded to defend it in anunanswerable fashion. Declaring that“ they are not all Israel that are of Israel ;neither because they are Abraham’s seed

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are they all chiIdren,” he taught that theoperation of election had been that ofsuccessive selections from among thosespringing from one source, so far as theflesh was concerned.

In illustration of this he showed thatwhile Isaac and Ishmael were both relatedto Abraham, Isaac was the selected child ;and that while Jacob and Esau were bothsons of Isaac, Jacob was selected. Thusit is evident from the history of Israel fromits commencement, that not all the childrenof Abraham constituted the nation, nor allthe children of Isaac. The selection ineach case however was not capricious, butbased upon an underlying purpose of God,which the apostle described as the purposeof God according to election. What thatpurpose was, can only be understood as thissection of the epistle is perpetually inter-preted by the whole scheme of the argu-ment, and by other of the apostolic writings.In referring to the Divine choice of’ God,when writing to the Ephesians, the apostlesaid, “ He chose us in Jlim before the

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foundation of the world, that we should beho& and without blemish lvfore Him in love.”Thus the purpose of election was character,and therefore from among the children ofAbraham according to the flesh, God madeselection of such as believed, because throughfaith, character is formed.

C. THE PRINCIPLE OF E L E C T I O N

To such a statement as this, objectionwould at once be raised, and recognisingit, the apostle stated it in the form of aquestion. “ Is there unrighteousness withGod 2 ” The suggestion of that inquiry isthat if a man who may have lived a pro-fligate life is yet to be received, on accountof his faith only, while a man whose lifehas been outwardly moral, is to be castout on account of unbelief, there is atleast the appearance of injustice on thepart of God.

Such a question would necessarily bethat of some one who had not perfectlyunderstood the early arguments of theletter concerning the sin of man, and the

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provision which God has made for hissalvation.

To the supposed difficulty the apostlefirst replied in an emphatic negative, andthen reminded his readers of the Divinedeclaration to Moses, and so revealed thefact that the underlying principle of theaction of God is that of His mercy andcompassion. The argument here is forthe right of God to extend that mercyaccording to His own will. Although thedeeper facts are not here stated they mustnot be forgotten, for everything dependsupon perpetual recognition of them. Godexercises His mercy toward those whobelieve. That is a statement made else-where, and not repeated here, which never-theless must not be lost sight of, if thereis to be any true understanding of thisotherwise difficult declaration.

As mercy then is according to the Divinewill, so also is judgment ; and the apostleillustrated the fact by the case of Pharaoh,of whom he spoke as of one upon whomGod did not have mercy, but whom He

1.50


hardened. Here again we have simplythe declaration of the fact that the prin-ciple of election is that of the will ofGod, nothing being said concerning thereason or the method of its exercise. Itis most important however that we shouldclearly understand the meaning of thedeclaration, “ For this very purpose didI raise thee up,” which does not meanthat He created Pharaoh for the purposeof hardening his heart. The expression“ raise up ” signifies, not the creating ofthe man, but his making conspicuous inthe eyes of the ages. The declaration ofthe apostle then is, that God chose tomake this man, before the eyes of alltime, an example of the result of unbeliefand wilful setting of the heart against theright. While it is true that God hard-ened him, it is first true that Pharaohhardened his heart against the Lord ; andGod’s hardening consisted merely, as itever does, in His abandoning of the manto the conditions necessarily arising as theresult of his own deliberate choice.

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The closing declaration of this paragraphreveals that the principle of election isthat God acts in mercy toward whom Hewill, and in judgment toward whom Hewill. Again it is necessary to insist onthe fact that He always acts in conformitywith His nature of love, and that Hismercy is extended to such as believe, andHis hardening to such as harden them-selves against Him.

d. THE SOVEREIGNTY OJ? E L E C T I O N

Out of this grows another difficulty. IfGod hardens, why does He still findfault 1 He gets His way, and no one canwithstand His will. In answer to thissuggested difficulty, the apostle insistedupon the absolute sovereignty of God,dealing first with its active operation, andthen reaffirming the determining factor.

I. The active Operation

The statement of the sovereignty of Godis now, if possible, even more emphatic

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than it has been. Paul borrowed the illus-tration of Jeremiah, of the potter and theclay, familiar to all Jewish ears ; boldlydeclaring the right of the potter to makewhat he will of the clay in his hands.Here again however, it is most necessaryto insist upon a recognition of the factthat this figure, in common with all theother argument, must be interpreted bythe character of God. We sadly abusethe passage unless we ever bear in mindthat the lesson of the potter and the clayis not learned when we think merely ofthe right of the potter. We must alsohave in mind Himself, His character, Hisavowed purpose. It is perfectly true, andneeds to be emphasised, that man couldhave had no right to complain against theabsolute justice of God had He swept thesinning race away without opportunity ofredemption. The sooner this is grantedthe better it will be for all our thinking,and for all our living. At the same timethis right must be interpreted by the factthat He did not do so, but that He exer-

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cised His sovereignty by providing asalvation for man out of his ruin anddegradation. Therefore if at last any shallbe cast away, it will not be because Godhas exercised the right of His justicemerely, but because such have refused toavail themselves of the salvation providedby the right of His mercy.

The exercise of this sovereignty in thecase of the vessels of wrath is, that in orderto reveal the true nature and reason of thatwrath, He endured them with much long-suffering. The exercise of this sovereigntyin the case of the vessels of mercy is, thatin order to make known the riches of Hisgrace, He prepared them unto glory.

Thus in each case the infinite patienceand tenderness of God is manifested. Hiswrath waits in the case of such as arevessels of wrath, until by their own choiceand action they are “ fitted unto destruc-tion ” ; and in the case of the vessels ofmercy, He prepares them unto glory,whether they be Jews or Gentiles. It isof supreme importance that all that is

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mysterious in these passages which affirmthe sovereignty of God, should be inter-preted by the facts concerning Him, whichhave been revealed to men in the Personof His Son.

By two quotations from the Old Testa-ment Scriptures, the apostle re-affirmed thefact of Divine election. It is to be noticedthat the quotation from Hosea is used ina wider sense than by the prophet himself.In the actual prophecy the reference wasto the ten tribes, but in harmony with thewhole teaching of his letter, Paul referredto all such as were, according to theflesh, outside the covenant, that is, to theGentiles. Those who were not the peopleof God are to be made His people, andare to be brought into the place of covenantblessing. This is simply a matter of Divinechoice.

Then in a quotation from Isaiah here-emphasised what he had previously de-clared, that not all Israel after the flesh shallbe saved, but a remnant only. This againis by Divine choice.

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2. The determining FactorIn conclusion, the apostle declared the

reason of the determining choice in eachcase. The Gentiles are chosen to becomethe people of God as they attain righteous-ness by faith. Israel as a whole, seekingto establish a righteousness apart from faith,fails. Thus the choice of God is of suchas believe. The test is the Son of Hislove. To those seeking righteousness byworks, He is a rock of offence. To thebelieving He is salvation, and they shallnot be put to shame.

Thus while it is perfectly true that menare chosen of God to salvation, irrespectiveof their national relationship, or even oftheir morality ; it is equally true that onlysuch are chosen as believe on Him WhomGod has provided for human salvation.

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ii. RE J E C T I O N .

(I. INTRODUCTION.

I. The AjostoZic Desire.2. Israd’s Failure.

b. THE WAY OF RETURN.

I. Christ.2. Righteousness by Faith.

a. The Witness ofMoses.f3. The Apostolic Fulfilment.y. The Universal Application.

3. The MethodLI. Submission dependent on Faith.(3. Faith dependent ON Hearing.y. Hearing depezdenf on Preaching.6. Preaching dependent on Commission.

c. THE REASON OF REJECTION.

I. They did not hearken.3. Their OpPortunity.

a. The Testimony ofNature.,% The Testimony oflaw.y. The Teslimo~~y ofP?ophecy.

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ii. REJECTION

On the basis of the principle of electionas discussed, Israel as a nation is rejected.The apostle now proceeded to deal withthat fact in order to show its real reason.In doing so, he first of all declared the factof their failure in terms of his own sympathyand compassion ; and then proceeded toshow that their way of return must bethrough Christ ; thus finally coming to thedefinite declaration of the reason of theirrejection.

a. INTRODUCTION

Again the apostle revealed his affectionfor his own people after the flesh, in thedeclaration of his desire and supplicationfor their salvation. In loyalty to truthhe had ruthlessly exposed the sin of Israel,and declared their necessary rejection,because of their refusal to believe. Beingabout to emphasise this teaching, he firstrecognised that they had a zeal, but declaredthat it was in conflict with the plan of God.

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In all that he said about them, it is evidentthat he was speaking out of his own personalexperience. Looking back to the daysbefore he was apprehended on the way toDamascus, he remembered how he was filledwith zeal, which he now knew to be zealwithout knowledge. Interpreting the actionof his people by his own experience, he de-clared them to be ignorant of God’s Right-eousness, which declaration was equivalentto saying that their standard of righteousnesswas low and imperfect.

When it is remembered that the apostleever had in mind the Lord Himself whenhe spoke of the Righteousness of God, it iseasy to understand his description of thesepeople as “being ignorant of God’s Righteous-ness.” Their idea of that Righteousness wasdue to their misunderstanding of the writtenlaw; their ignorance of the true meaningof that law resulted from the fact that theyhad not known Christ ; hence they weregoing about, endeavouring to establish arighteousness of their own, refusing tosubmit to the Righteousness of God, wbicb

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is Christ. Paul knew perfectly well in hisown experience, that nothing so soon com-pels a man to cease seeking to establishhis own righteousness as a vision of theRighteousness of God. Here again it isimpossible to escape the conviction thatwhat he said of them was the result ofhis own experience, when on the way toDamascus, he was going about, establishinghis own righteousness ; but a vision of theRighteousness of God at once brought himto the position of submission thereto.

In the apostle’s dealing with Israel here,we have the exhibition of the true Christiantemper, which it is well for us to ponder.He made no attempt to justify that whichwas wrong, even though it was sincere,and characterised by zeal. He held outno false hope that those who persistentlyrefused to fall in with the Divine plan mightyet be saved, because they were doing thebest they knew. Nevertheless he felt anddeclared a yearning love for these verypeople, which drove him to unceasing prayerand earnest labour for their salvation.

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b. T H E W A Y OF liETURN

The apostIe immediately proceeded todiscuss the way of Righteousness according *to the plan of God, in contrast to theattempt that Israel was making to establishits own righteousness.

1. ChristThe whole plan of God is stated in

comprehensive terms in the words, Cc Christis the end of the law unto Righteousnessto every one that believeth.” This is nota declaration that the requirements of thelaw are done away, but rather that theyare all fulfilled in and through Christ inthe experience of those who believe. Whilefor the justification of the sinner Christthe Righteousness of God is imputed uponthe basis of faith, for his sanctificationChrist the Righteousness of God is im-parted.

2. Righteousness by Faith‘rhat Righteousness is by faith, he then

prOCeeded to argue, calling first the witness162


of Moses ; then showing that the principleenunciated by Moses was fulfilled in theapostolic preaching of Christ ; finally makinga universal application of that principle.

It is interesting to notice how Paulread into Old Testament quotations largermeanings than they seem at first towarrant. Whether either Moses or Isaiahunderstood the full value of what theywrote is extremely doubtful. They hadboth at least discovered a principle, namely,that of faith in a deliverer working safety.Paul making use of their words, showedthat these things are fulfilled in Christ.He need not be sought for in theheight or the depth, for now He hasindeed come. The word is nigh men,in the mouth and in the heart ; and thecondition of salvation is that of beliefwith the heart, and confession with themouth.

It is intensely interesting and of greatimportance to notice that at the close ofthis section, which has been so full of thesubject of election, the apostle again quot-

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ing from the Old Testament Scriptures,once from Isaiah and once from *Joel, showsby the use of the great word “ Whoso-ever ” that salvation is at the disposal ofall who believe.

Then almost abruptly, and yet in closestconnection, in a series of questions, herevealed the importance of the work ofpreaching the Gospel. There can be nocalling on One not believed in. Therecan be no belief in One not heard of.There can be no hearing without a preacher.There can be no preaching without acommission.

Once again falling into Old Testamentquotation, and again by his use of it, en-larging its meaning, he described thepreachers of the Gospel through whosemessage men will believe unto salvation, inthe words,6~ HOW beautiful are the feet of them that

bring glad tidings of good things.”164


C. THE REASON OF REJECTION

Having thus declared the fact of Israel’sfailure, and having hastened to show theway of salvation provided for them, andfor all men, the apostle declared the reasonof their rejection.

From among the number of those whoheard the glad tidings published by themissionary messengers, only some wereelected. They were such as not onlyheard but hearkened, and he adduced indefence of that view, the complaint ofIsaiah, ‘( Who hath believed our report ? ”The truth which is brought out here withgreat clearness is that God elects thosewho believe to salvation, rather than thatthose believe whom God elects. This isa distinction with a difference. It doesnot propose to clear away all the mysterythat surrounds the sub,ject. It does, how-ever, place the emphasis at the right point,as it reveals the fact that responsibilityrests upon those who hear. It must notbe forgotten that such, and such only, are

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being dealt with in this section. Thesubject of those who do not hear is notunder consideration. The responsibilityherein indicated, they do not share.can believe in Him of Whom theynot heard. To have heard is toentered the region of responsibility.

Nonehavehave

The question then is, Had Israel suchresponsibility ? and the inquiry is answeredby the apostle in three ways.

He showed first that they had thetestimony of Nature in common with allmen, quoting from the psalm of Revelation,and from that part of it which deals withthe revelation through Nature.

He next affirmed that they had thetestimony of Moses, and the quotation hemade in this connection is interesting, forpassing over all the fact of the law whichwas given by Moses, he quoted from thebook of Deuteronomy, and therein fromthe great song of Moses, in the course ofwhich he prophetically dealt with the failureof Israel, declaring that on account thereofGod would provoke them to jealousy by

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making use of people outside the covenant,for the accomplishment of His purpose.Thus in the most emphatic way he declaredthat through Moses they had heard.

Finally he reminded them that they hadthe testimony of the prophetic ministry.Referring to Isaiah, he quoted two sayingsof his, the first of which exactly harmonisedwith his quotation from Moses, in that itdeclared how that Jehovah would be soughtof a people that had not known Him, andbecome manifest to a people not called byHis name ; all of which emphasised the factof Israel’s knowledge.

The second quotation is in some sense,not a second, for in Isaiah it immediatelyfollows the other; but it emphasises thelong-suffering compassion of God towardHis disobedient people, thus even morevividly setting forth the fact that they hadheard.

Thus the reason of their rejection was thatthey did not hearken, even though they hadheard the Word of God in Nature, throughlaw, and by the mouth of the prophets.

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Romans

This last quotation from Isaiah is ofsupreme value as it reveals exactly theDivine attitude, that namely of handsspread out continuously toward g rebelliouspeople The will of God is the salvationof all such, and He has elected to salvationthose who believe. If rebellion be persistedin, then salvation is impossible, and thoserebelling are not elected. To declare thatGod has arbitrarily chosen some to salvation,so that they must be saved ; and that thenHe spreads out His hands in the attitudeof mercy toward such as cannot be saved,is surely little short of blasphemy.

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ii. R E S T O R A T I O N . xi.

a. IN’TRODUCTION.

I. The lnpuiry.2. The Answer.

6. DEFENCE OF THE ANSWER.

I. A Perpetual Remnant.a. z-he Af/irmalion.,% The Time of E&ah.,I. This Prcsent Time.

2. The Bringing in of the Gentiles.a. Israel’s Failure.6. Salvation fo the Gentiles.

3. UZtimate Restoration.c. ADDRESS TO GENTILES.

I. His Anxiety for Israel.a His Gewlile Ministry for their Sake.,% Their Restoration World-wide EVessing.

2. The Figure of the Olive Tree.a. Glory not OWT the Bmmhcs.6. Faith the Principle qf Union.y, The Goodness and Scvcrity of God.

The Announcement.The Activity.The Application.

3. His Ho#e for Israel. 25-32a. The Hardening in Paul. “56. The Certain Salvation. 26, 2,Y. The Economy of the Gosp~t. 28-32

THE C E N T R A L D O X O L O G Y . 33-36

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iii. RESTORATION

The rejection of Israel is not final, andthe apostle turned to the argument in proofof this, by almost abrupt question andanswer. He then proceeded to defend hisanswer ; afterwards writing a paragraphspecially to Gentiles on the subject ; finallyexpressing his hope for Israel.

CL. INTRODUCTION

The foregoing discussion gave rise to anew difficulty, which the apostle expressedin the inquiry, “ Did God cast off Hispeople ? ” This he at once answered byemphatic denial, emphasising that denialby claiming to be himself, “ an Israelite,of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe ofBenjamin,” this claim illustrating his con-tention that relation to Abraham in theeconomy of God is spiritual, and resultsfrom faith ; so that while all he claimedwas true in the realm of the flesh, it waspre-eminently true by grace.

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6. DEPENCE OP THE ANSWER

The apostle proceeded to defend his denialalong three lines of argument.

He first declared that the original Divinepurpose is accomplished progressively by anelect remnant. He then proceeded to showhow the temporary casting off of the nationafter the flesh, and the bringing in of theGentiles is a partial fulfilment of the originalDivine intention. He finally declared thatthat Divine purpose will be fulfilled to theletter, in the ultimate restoration of Israelas a nation.

1. A perpetual RemnantHis argument concerning the remnant

really commenced in that personal referencein which he claimed to be 66 an Israelite,of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe ofBenjamin ” ; for as we saw, by that referencehe inferentially claimed that in his life offaith in the Son of God, he realised the truepurpose of God in the creation of thatnation, whose designation Israel indicated

172


its princely power with God and men ;

shared relationship to Abraham, the fatherof the nation ; and entered into that kinshipwherein his great namesake of the sametribe had so signally failed.

He next quoted the fact of the remnantin the days of Elijah, the seven thousandwho had not bowed the knee to Baal, inorder to show that God’s purpose had neverbeen wholly frustrated by Israel’s failure.Even in those dark days of decadence, aremnant far larger than even the prophetknew, were loyal to Jehovah, and thusformed the true Israel of God.

He then declared that “ at this presenttime also there is a remnant according tothe election of grace.” This election ofgrace is not of works, therefore it is of faith ;and thus the apostle affirmed that all theprinciples and purposes of God in thecreation of the peculiar people accordingto the flesh, are maintained and fulfilled inthose who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,God’s appointed Saviour and King. Israelafter the flesh, is for the time being rejected,

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but all the essential values of the Israelideal are maintained and safeguarded in thatelect race, consisting of the whole companyof those who are justified by faith.

2. T,‘e Bring-inz~ in qf the GentilesThis however does not tell all the story.

Notice the question, (‘ What then ? ” thatis to say, What is to be the issue of this ?Is the fulfilment of the original ideal towhich he has referred, the final fulfilment ?Is the Israel of history, the earthly nation,indeed abandoned in favour of the newspiritual people ? The apostle was carefulto correct any such wrong impression. H eagain admitted, and even definitely statedthat what Israel sought and failed to findas a nation, the elect remnant, that is, thosebelieving and obedient, has found ; whilethe rest, that is, those unbelieving anddisobedient, were blind. Now inquired theapostle, did they stumble that they mightfall 2 That is to say, was the casting offof these people as an earthly people final ?He immediately answered his inquiry by

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emphatic negative, and proceeded to ex-plain the issue of the national fall. Throughthat fall, salvation came to the Gentiles.

3. Ultimate RestorationHis confidence in the ultimate restoration

of the earthly people is evident in thequestion in which he indicated his con-viction of how much more their fulnesswill be to the world than their fall hasbeen. The teaching of this argument isthat God in over-ruling wisdom and grace,has brought to the world through Israel’sfailure, the very salvation which shouldhave come to it through its success.They were created a nation in order thatthrough them all the nations should beblessed. Failing to realise the Divine in-tention concerning their own national life,they consequently and necessarily failed tofulfil that intention concerning the nationsoutside. God however has not allowedthe outside nations to suffer, but in infinitegrace has wrought, through the fall of Hisearthly people, toward the enrichment of

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the whole world. This being so, howmuch more will their fulness, resulting fromrestoration, minister toward the same end ?

C. ADDRESS TO GENTILES

1. His Anxiety I for IsraelWhile what the apostle had written in

this section had been specially intended toanswer the objections of Israelites, he wasconscious of the fact that the teaching mightbe misinterpreted by Gentiles, not onlybecause it meant salvation and blessing tothem, but also because such ministry mightprovoke Israel to jealousy, so that someof them might be saved. Yet even thiswas not the ultimate in his anxiety. Thatis marked in a declaration, which indicatinghis certainty of the restoration of Israel,shows his conception of the final value ofthat restoration. “ If the casting away ofthem is the reconciling of the world, whatshall the receiving of them be, but lifefrom the dead ? ” Thus while great blessinghas come to the world through the fall of

17’6


Israel, the greater blessing is yet to comeby the way of her restoration.

2. The Fig-we oj' the Olive TreeThe possible misconception of his teaching

on the part of the Gentiles, the apostlecorrected by the figure of the olive tree;a figure which emphasises the fact that theunderlying purpose and power of God arethe subjects of supreme importance andvalue. Nothing can be more solemn thanhis charge to the Gentile Christians notto glory over the branches which have beenbroken off; and his solemn warning tothem that if God spared not naturalbranches, which were broken off’ becauseof unbelief, neither will He spare thosegrafted in from the wild tree, save uponthe one condition of belief.

With evident solemnity the apostlecharged the Gentiles, “ Behold then thegoodness and severity of God.” His severityis manifested in the cutting off of thenatural branches, because of unbelief. Hisgoodness is evidenced in His reception of

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Romans

the Gentiles upon the basis of belief. Therelation resulting from this reception isentirely dependent upon continuity of belief,for if this be absent, those so received willin turn be cut off.

He then stated the subject from the otherside. If the branches which have been cutoff continue not in their unbelief, theyalso shall be grafted in.

Nothing can possibly be clearer than thedoctrine of human responsibility which runsthrough this argument. God is unchangingin principle and purpose. His goodnessand severity are the two operations of theone purpose, and man’s experience of one orthe other depends entirely upon his ownattitude. Against unbelief, whether ofIsrael or of the Gentile world, His severityoperates in cutting off. Toward belief,whether of one or the other, His goodnessoperates in grafting in.

3. His Hope *fbr I s r a e lThis hardening of Israel as a whole is

only temporary. Through the fulness of the178


Gentiles at last all Israel shall be saved, thatis, the nation as a nation shall be restored.

As touching the Gospel, Israel is for theperiod, treated as an enemy. As touchingthe election, that is, the elected remnant-for the term here must be used as inverse seven-they are beloved for thefathers’ sake. Thus through this mainten-ance of a remnant God keeps His covenantwith the fathers through the period ofnational rejection, but at last the nationas a whole will be restored. UnbelievingIsrael has been rejected as a nation, in orderthat the outside world they failed to bless,may receive salvation. Through the ac-complishment of that larger purpose at lastblessing will return to Israel. In thisargument the apostle emphasised thecertainty of the final restoration of Israel,without giving any details as to time ormethod.

THE CENTRAL DOXOLOGY

‘I‘his doxology is really the conclusionof the whole doctrinal statement of the

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epistle. The outburst of rapturous praiseis the result of the apostle’s own conscious-ness of the wonderful victory of Godthrough Christ over all the opposing forcesof evil ; and His solution in infinite wis-dom of the problems that baffle the intellectof man.

The first note of the doxology is thatof an adoring recognition of the depthof the riches of the wisdom and theknowledge of God ; and of man’s utterinability to perfectly understand or finallyto explain.

Nothing brings greater comfort to thehuman mind, as it contemplates the per-plexing mysteries of good and of evil, ofthe power and limitation of human will,than to fall back upon the certainty thatwhat we know not, God knows.

Here again however, the comfort of thecertainty is the result of conviction con-cerning the character of God, resultingfrom His revelation of Himself in Christ.It could hardly bring peace to the heartto know that He knows that of which man

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is ignorant, unless it were a certainty thatHis infinite wisdom directs His infinitepower, according to the impulse of His in-finite love. Of this deepest fact of His love,the heart is convinced by His revelation ofHimself in Christ.

Having thus recognised the wisdom ofGod, the doxology proceeds in the declara-tion of certainty that “ of Him, and throughHim, and unto Him are all things.” Hereagain the fact of His character is the truesource of comfort. Knowing Him to belove, what comfort there is in the convictionthat all things find in Him their origin,their process, and their goal !

The last note of the doxology is anascription of glory to Him Who in thesplendour and loneliness of His wisdom isacting in all-conquering power, under theconstraint of His nature of love.

At the close of this section it is mostimportant that we remember that the wholeinterpretation of the inscrutable wisdom,and invincible might of God, is to be foundin the revelation of His grace in Jesus,

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which is the foundation doctrine of the wholeEpistle.

Moreover it must never be forgotten, thatall the difficulties occurring to the mind,are to find their solution in the certaintyof what God is in the light of thatrevelation ; and the consequent assurancethat whatever He does, must be right.

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B. THE TRANSFORMATION--BY SALVATION,XII . -xv . 13

FINAL APPEAL. x11. I, 2

i. TH E G R O U N D OF A P P E A L .

“The Mercies of God.”1. JUSTIFICATION-SPIRIT.6. SANCTIFICATION-MIND.c. GLORIFICATION-BODY.

ii. THE A P P E A L.

a. THE BODY.Living Sacrifice.Holy.Acceptable to God.

b. THE SPIRIT.Spiritual Worship.

c. THE MIND.Renewed.

iii. T HE R EASON OF A P P E A L .

Prow ihc WiZZ of G o d .

LB4

The Transformation-by Salvation

B. THE TRANSFORMATION-BY SALVA-TION

In the second division of his treatise,the apostle applied the great doctrine ofsalvation to the immediate duty of thesaints. Therein he showed how the forcesof grace have fruition in the lives of thosesaved thereby. The division falls into fourparts ; the final appeal ; a description ofthe simplicity of personal life ; a descrip-tion of relative life as submission to thosewithout; and of relative life as sympathytoward those within.

FINAL APPEAL

The final appeal is the first word of thepractical application of the letter, and in-deed all that follows is but exposition andenforcement thereof.

The word “therefore ” links all that isnow to be said, with everything which hasalready been said. The argument for con-duct is based upon the truth enunciated.Because of the grace of God, manifested

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in spite of all human failure, the believeris called to definite attitudes and actionswhich correspond with the provisions ofsalvation. In his fundamental affirmationthe apostle described the action of Godthrough Christ as “the power of Godunto salvation.” Having set forth thefacts concerning the power, he now appealedto the saints, to produce correspondingresults in the exercise of that power.

His ground of appeal is indicated inthe words, “ by the mercies of God.”These mercies are revealed by the greatwords around which the previous teachinghas gathered, those namely of justification,sanctification, and glorification.

The first of these indicates that imme-diate salvation of the spirit, which resultsfrom faith. The second indicates that pro-gressive salvation of the mind, which resultsfrom the salvation of the spirit. The *third refers to that final salvation of thebody, which will complete the work ofgrace.

It is well to notice what the structure186


of this final appeal reveals, as to theapostle’s conception of human personality.Man is recognised as being essentiallyspirit. He possesses his body, and is ableto offer it. The difference between thebody and the spirit is that between thesacrifice and the one who offers. Man asa worshipper is a spirit. His sacrificialsymbol of worship is his own body, whichhe is called upon to present to God ; andthe apostle declares that this act is of thenature of spiritual worship.

The first experience of the power ofGod unto salvation is the salvation of thespirit. The last experience will be thatof the salvation of the body. The firstexpression of obedience is to be that ofthe presentation of this body to God.This includes as fundamental, the perpetualyielding of the spirit to Him Who has‘ustified it ; and then its activity in thegovernment of the body under that willof God which has become the sufficientlaw of the spirit-life. Following uponthe experience of the power of God in

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justification, which is the salvation of thespirit, the power of God unto salvation isexperienced in sanctification, which is therenewing of the mind. Thus the justifiedspirit, acting through the sanctified mind,presents the body to God, and the greatprocess of transformation goes forward.

The reason of the appeal is that thesaints may prove the will of God. Thedoctrine of salvation held intellectually,apart from volitional abandonment thereto,cannot produce experimental knowledge ofthe perfection of the will of God. Hencethe importance of this great appeal,

The teaching of the appeal is perfectlyclear as to the method by which the bodyis to be presented to God. It is not thatof scourging, or mutilation, or destruction.These are all false and imperfect methods.The true ideal is that of using it in allits powers, according to “ the good andacceptable and perfect will of God.” Thecentral consideration is no longer to bethat of the fashion of the age, either as tointellect, emotion, or will, in the matter of

188


food, or of raiment, or of occupation. Itis to be that of the will of God. Thespirit of man restored to God throughfaith in Christ has an entirely new out-look or consciousness. The mind is re-newed, and therefore the body is dedicatedin conformity with the thought of therenewed mind, and the character of the re-stored spirit.

The completeness of the apostle’s idealof abandonment to the will of God ismarked. The spirit is evidently God’s.The mind is therefore renewed accordingto the will of God. The body is conse-quently presented to God.

What a glorious ideal of life 1 It iswholly dependent however for fulfilment,upon that faith in Jesus, upon which manis justified, and through the exercise ofwhich sanctification proceeds to glorifica-tion.

189

I. SIMPLICITY. PERSONAL LIFE.i. T H E C H A R A C T E R O F H U M I L I T Y .

n. NOT TO THINK.6. SO TO THINK.

ii. T H E C O N S C I O U S N E S S O F C O M M U N I O N .a. THE FIGURE OF THE BODY.b. THE APPLICATION OF THE FIGURE.

I . General.2. Particdaar.

a. The [email protected].

Prophecy. Spiritual Interpretation.Ministry. Spiritual Application.Teaching. Spiritual Instruction.Exhortation. Spiritual Insistence.

Material.Giving, Materjal Supple.&fwg ;~;~;fa’~;~~af”dm

8. Their USC.Spiritual.

According to the Proportion of Faith.According to our Ministry.According to his Teaching.According to his Exhorting.

Material.With Liberality.With Diligence.With Cheerfulness.

iii. T H E C O N D U C T O F S I M P L I C I T Y .(1. THE PRINCIPLE.6. THE PRACTICE.

I. Within the FeZZowshtj5.a. Puriiy.

Per&al. The Mind of Love.Relative. The Method of Love.

fl. Acfivity.Personal. The Mind of Love.Relative. The Method of Love.

y. Humility.Personal. The Mind of Love.Relative. The Method of Love.

2. Toward Enemies .a. The Aim.$, The Alfilude.y. The Activity.

xii. sq2*

3

4-8

4

s-8

5

6-8

b-&3

86


I. SIMPLICITY. PERSONAL LIFE

Having in his appeal declared the trueattitude of the Christian life to be that ofsurrender to the will of God, the apostleproceeded to show how such surrender willbe expressed. The teaching is full ofinterest and importance, as there may bemuch talk of submission while there is nopractical evidence of the same. The firstpositive proof of abandonment to the willof God is that the personal life is char-acterised by simplicity. In dealing withthis, the apostle defined the character asbeing that of humility; and the con-sciousness as that of communion ; finallydescribing the consequent conduct of sim-plicity.

i. THE CHARACTER OF H UMIL ITY

Basing his right upon the grace that wasgiven him, and thus manifesting his owntrue humility, the apostle appealed carefullyto the individual, as is evident from his

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phrase, 6‘ I say . . . to every man.” Hismessage was both negative and positive.A man is “ not to think . . . more highlythan he ought” ; he is “ so to think . . .according as God hath dealt . . . a measureof faith.” The plain meaning of this is thata man’s opinion of himself must he that ofGod’s opinion of him. It is a most searchingand safeguarding conception. Let everyman honestly stand in the presence of God,and become conscious of the Divine measure-ment of himself, and there will be very littlefear of that objectionable pride which is atthe root of so much which is dishonouringto God, and which hinders the witness ofthe saints. The whole setting demonstratesthe fact that the humility enjoined ishumility concerning spiritual things. Ofcourse that will create humility in allthings. There is always danger that aperson having solemnly dedicated every-thing to God, should on that very accountbecome proud, and there is no pride moredangerous and more objectionable thanspiritual pride.

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ii. THE CONSCIOUSNESS OE’ COMMUNION

The last statement of the paragraphdefining the character of humility, preparesthe way for the apostle’s discussion of theconsciousness of communion. 66 God hathdealt to each man a measure of faith,” isa declaration which recognises a certaindeposit committed to the individual ; andalso the aggregation of such into the faith,-in the most spacious meaning of that word,-of the whole Church. To be consciousof that individual deposit, is necessarily tobecome conscious of its relation to thelarger whole. The apostle therefore im-mediately proceeded to the declaration oftruth concerning the whole body, and thecomplementary nature of the offices of themembers thereof; showing that for thefulfilment of the function of the whole,the service of every part is necessary. Con-sequently the importance of each is measurednot by its own significance, but by itscontribution to the whole. Using the figureof the human body, he applied it in his

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declaration that believers are one body inChrist, and therefore are related to eachother as members.

For purpose of illustration he then madeparticular application of his figure, by anenumeration of gifts, and an indication ofthe way in which they should be used, inorder to the accomplishment of the purposeof the whole body or Church.

Of these gifts, four have definitely to dowith the spiritual ministry whereby thewhole Church is edified in grace. Prophecyis the gift of spiritual interpretation.Ministry is that sacred service wherebythe truth revealed in prophecy is applied.Teaching is the gift of the patient imparta-tion of instruction. Exhortation is the giftof stirring up those who are taught, toobedience.

The remaining three are operative in thatmaterial activity whereby the spiritualrealities are made manifest. They are thegifts of serving tables, none the less sacredthan the former, and absolutely necessaryif the former are to be exercised to full

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advantage. Giving is the sacred gift throughwhich the actual material supply is provided.Ruling is the gift of leading and conductingbusiness affairs. Showing mercy is the giftof distributing material aid.

As the apostle named these gifts, heindicated the method of their use ; andthere is a difference between his statementswith regard to the first four, and those withregard to the last three. For the clearerunderstanding of this passage I shouldpersonally omit all the italicised words.

It will then be seen that the little phrase(‘ according to,” becomes extremely sugges-tive with regard to the first four. He firstrecognised that gifts differed “according tothe grace that was given to us ” ; and theninsisted upon it that the exercise was to beaccording to the gift. Prophecy is to beaccording to the proportion of the faith, forhere the marginal reading, “ the faith,”instead of I“ our ifaith ” is of great value.Prophecy has many emphases. To differentmen different proportions of the faith aregiven. Let them exercise that which they

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have. The same principle is applied withregard to ministry, to teaching, and toexhortation.

The use of the preposition “ with ” isequally suggestive with regard to the lastthree. The exercise of the gift of givingis to be with liberality ; that of the gift ofruling, with diligence ; that of the gift ofshowing mercy, with cheerfulness.

Let it be carefully observed that all thesethings are gifts bestowed in order to use.In the recognition of that fact there is acorrection of the possibility of pride, Allthose possessions which make us of use toChrist and the Church are received fromHim, and not contributed by us to Him,save in the sense that we exercise themunder His control to the glory of Hisname.

Moreover all these are gifts of equal valueto the well-being of the whole, and no gravermistake can be made than that of attemptingto set them in some order of importance.In the economy of faith they are of equalvalue.

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Humility therefore is manifest in theexercise of a gift, when it is used with aview to the fulfilment of the function ofthe whole body, rather than for the glorifi-cation of self.

iii, T HE C O N D U CT OF S I M P L I C IT Y

The character of humility, and the con-sciousness of communion, inevitably resultin the conduct of simplicity. In dealingwith that, the apostle first enunciated theprinciple, and then enjoined the practice.

a. THE PRINCIPLE

The master-principle of simplicity isexpressed in briefest words, “ Let love bewithout hypocrisy.” It will be noticedthat this injunction pre-supposes the pre-sence of love, and indicates the true methodof its activity. It is to be without hypocrisy ;that is, without acting, or simple, as opposedto complex ; it must be genuine. Thecommand is all-inclusive, at once revealingthe true impulse of’ obedience to all the

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instructions concerning the practice, andindicating the unifying bond which holdsthern in true relation.

b. THE PRACTICE

The practice of simplicity has two realmsof application, the first within the fellowship ;and the second in the relation between thesaints and those who are antagonistic tothem.

1. Within the _FeZl&vship

In examining the teaching of the apostleconcerning the practice of simplicity withinthe fellowship it is interesting to note thealternation between personal character andrelative conduct. There are three groupsof instructions.

The first concerns the personal purityof the mind of love ; it abhors the evil andcleaves to the good ; and shows that therelative expression of it, is that of tenderaffection, and the rendering of honour toothers.

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The second concerns the personal activityof the mind of love, indicating its energy,“ in diligence not slothful ” ; its inspiration,6‘ fervent in spirit ” ; its motive, (‘ servingthe Lord ” ; its buoyancy, “rejoicing inhope ” ; its persistence, “ patient in tribula-tion ” ; its power, “ continuing stedfastlyin prayer.” The relative expression of thisactivity is that of supplying the needs ofothers, “ communicating to the necessitiesof the saints ; given to hospitality” ; thebestowment of blessing on those whopersecute, “ bless them that persecute you ;bless, and curse not “; the keen sensitivenesswhich enters into the experience of others,“ rejoice with them that rejoice ; weep withthem that weep ” ; and the unity of mindwhich is of the essence of peace, “ be of the Isame mind one toward another.”

The third concerns the personal humilityof the mind of love. It is not ambitious,“ Set not your mind on high things “;it is meek, “ condescend to things thatare lowly ” ; it is not arrogant, “ be notwise in your own conceits.” The relative

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expression of humility is that of non-resistance, “ render to no man evil forevil ” ; and honesty, “take thought forthings honourable in the sight of all men.”

2. Towards EnemiesSuch self-emptying, love-centred devotion

to the will of God will alone make possibleobedience to what follows. The aim ofthe simple life in which love is withouthypocrisy is to be that of peace. In thisconnection it is to be carefully noted thatthe “if it be possible ” is not an excusefor a believer under any circumstances tobreak the peace. It is rather a recognitionthat there will be some men who will notbe at peace. The burden of responsibilityis indicated by placing emphasis upon theword “ you,” “As much as in you lieth.”There is an old adage that two are necessaryto a quarrel. Taking this for granted, theChristian is to see to it that there shallbe no contribution on his part to the makingof a quarrel. If there is a breach of thepeace, it must not be created by those who

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are devoted to the will of God. Wherethis aim is recognised, the attitude whichthe apostle enjoined is the result. If anoutsider violates the principle of peace, thebeliever is not to avenge, for (( Vengeancebelongeth unto Me ; I will recompense, saiththe Lord.”

This attitude is to be demonstrated byan activity. If the paragraph had endedwith the words we have quoted, it wouldhave been possible to understand a verypopular attitude of mind toward the greatdeclaration. How often we are temptedto say with a sigh of relief, Yes, thank God,vengeance does belong to the Lord ! Thusalthough active reprisals are prevented, theheart rejoices in the thought that at lastthe punishment of God will be meted outto the wrong-doer. This thought is entirelyout of harmony with the will of God forHis child, and therefore the believer iscalled to such action as will demonstratethe existence of true and unfeigned love.The hungry man is to be fed, and thethirsty one supplied with water.

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The closing injunction deals with theinner motives. “ Be not overcome of evil,but overcome evil with good.” Thus thefirst expression of true devotion to the willof God is to be found in that simplicitywhich expresses itself in the humility ofa self-emptied life, and the genuine lovewhich creates true relations with all men.

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II. SUBMISSION. RELATIVE LIFE.WITHOUT.

i. D E F I N I T I O N .

a. THE POWERS.

I . Su@c?ction.a. The Principle

To the Powers BS of God.Ordained of God.For good.For punishment of evil.

,% The Test.IGbr Conscience’ Sake.

2. Contribution.a. The Cause of Tribute.8. The Kind of Tribute.

6. THE PEOPLE.

I . Obligatioion. T h e lndividuad.2. A$&ication. The S t a t e .

L. The Family. Adulfery.@. PersonaMy. Murder.y. Property. Theft.8. society. coveting.

3. ReaZisation.ii. I N SP IR A T I O N .

a. THE SEASON.

I. Morning.2. Sdvation nearer

b. THE SAINTS.

I. General.a. LeI us cast off.& Let US pu1 *II.

2 . Particuhuv.a. The Works of Dnvkmss.j3. The Armow of Li+.

THOSEx111.

1, 23, 4a

4b

5

6, 767

8-m

8

9

lab-14

lab

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II. SURMISSION. RELATIVE LIFE. THOSEWITHOUT

Still dealing with the evidences of sub-mission to the will of God, the apostleturned to the discussion of the attitude ofthe believer toward the world. That attitudemay broadly be described as that of thesubmissive spirit ; and in dealing with itthe apostle defined it in relation to thepowers, and to the people ; finally revealingits inspiration.

i. DEFINITION

tL T H E P O W E R S

The first manifestation of submissiontoward the outside world is that of obedienceto authority. This section was speciallynecessary for Christians living in Rome atthe time of the apostle’s writing. Neverthe-less he so stated it as to leave clearly inview the abiding principles rather than thelocal colouring.

It is a plain declaration of the trueChristian attitude toward the governing

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authority, even though that authority isanything but Christian. The powers aredeclared to be of God. The individualgovernor is a minister of God for good,an avenger for wrath to them that do evil.The Christian must therefore be subject,for he is supremely to be a revelation of thenecessity for, and the value of, governmentin human affairs. There is evidence of aclear consciousness in the mind of theapostle of the active government of Godin the affairs of men ; and of the fact thatHe delegates power and authority in certaindirections for the purpose of the cultivationof good, and the restriction and punishmentof evil. Therefore the Christian’s sub-mission to the will of God is manifestedin the world by his obedience to properlyconstituted authority.

The apostolic statement of the case on thepositive side, inferentially reveals the negativeside. Subjection on the part of the believeris to be rendered to the power when heis fulfilling the true intent of his callingand office. If he violates that, theu it is

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clearly the duty of the Christian in loyaltyto God, to disobey him. Let us presumethat the statement concerning the rulercontained in the text, is reversed in actualexperience. If his authority gives evil itsopportunity, and hinders good ; there mustnecessarily be a reversal of the attitudeof the Christian toward him, because thematter of first importance is [always that ofloyalty to the will of God. If the ruleris a terror to good works rather than toevil ; every Christian man is bound tooppose and defy him at whatever cost. Ifthe ruler whose business it is to avengeevil, neglects the fulfilment of this purpose,then such as are loyal to the will of Godare bound to protest, even if necessary atcost to themselves. Paul’s own historygives examples of his rebuking of rulers.The first law in the life of the Christianis that of his abandonment to the will ofGod. When authority is exercised inharmony therewith, obedience is enjoined.When however, that authority comes intoconflict with Divine laws, the Christian

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must refuse to obey, even at the cost ofsuffering.

The test of obedience is ever to be thatof conscience, which in the case of theChristian is not merely that sense of rightor wrong, which is common to humanity ;but the conception of the will of Godwhich is the result of his illumination inChrist.

The expression of subjection to authorityis to be that of contribution to the necessi-ties of the commonwealth. The kind oftribute which the Christian is to pay isdescribed as “ tribute,” that is tax onperson and property ; “ custom,” which istoll on goods ; “fear,” which is obedienceto the laws ; and “ honour,” which is theholding in proper esteem of those placedin authority.

6. THE PEOPLE

The attitude of submission toward thepeople is as important as that toward thepowers. The apostle defined the obliga-tion in a comprehensive statement. It is

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that of the payment of all just dues, andis enjoined in the declaration of obligation,“ Owe no man anything, save to love oneanother.” This is a full and remarkableinjunction. To love is to discharge allobligations except that of loving. It isimpossible to finish paying the debt oflove. In the moment in which a manceases to owe his neighbour love he willbegin to be in debt in some other direc-tion. The constant consciousness of thebeliever is that love to his neighbouris always due, although it is constantlypaid.

To always owe love, is to make it im-possible to defraud in matters of purity,of life, of property, and of social relation-ship. Thus as the apostle declared, ‘(Lovetherefore is the fulfilment of the law” ;and the abandonment of man to the willof God is supremely evidenced to theoutside world, not by protestations con-cerning the attitude, but by living in re-lation to other men, under the impulse oflove.

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Romans

ii. TNsPIRATI~NThe apostle next dealt with the per-

petual incentive to realisation of the aban-donment of life to the will of God, bothin its inner fact, and its outward mani-festation. The opening phrase, “ And this,”undoubtedly refers, not merely to sub-mission in relative life, but also to simplicityin personal life. Indeed this paragraphmay be read in close connection with theinjunction which we have described as thefinal appeal. “ And this,” that is, theabandonment of the whole life to God,expressed in simplicity and submission, isto be realised in the power of the certaintyof the consummation.

The passage is a graphic and beautifulpicture of the true position of the Christianas expecting the breaking of the day, andthe coming of the Lord. The first flushof the dawn is always discernible uponthe eastern sky. Salvation in its fulness,is every moment nearer than when theChristian first believed. Darkness is every-

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where. The children of darkness are givenover to revelling and drunkenness, tochambering and wantonness, to strife andjealousy. The children of God are tocast off all such works, and are to put onthe armour of light, which is the LordJesus Christ. They are to walk as in theday, even though as yet the night isround about them. Because they everfeel the breath of the morning movingthrough the darkness, they are to cast offthe garments of the night, to clothe them-selves with the armour of light, and waitfor the coming of the day.

In this exposition of the true meaningof the sacrificed life there is taken intoaccount the threefold fact of redemptionas dealt with in the argument concerningsalvation in the earlier part of the Epistle.In that argument the apostle showed thatin the economy of redemption provision ismade for justification, sanctification, andglorification.

The duty of the Christian in the lightof justification, is that of sacrifice to the

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will of God, The spirit presents the bodythrough the renewing of the mind, whichis sanctifioation.

The duty of the believer in the Iightof sanctification, is that of the outworkingin life, and through sacrifice, of the right-eousness imparted in justification ; whichoutworking is the prophecy of glorifica-tion.

The duty of the Christian in the lightof glorification, is that of perpetual re-cognition of the approach of the fulnessof salvation, which recognition must affectall life toward sanctification in the powerof justification.

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III. SYMPATHY. RELATIVE LIFE. THOSEWITHIN. xiv.-xv. 13

i. SY M P A T H Y A S T O L E R A T I O N. xiv. 1-11

a. THE MATTER OF DIET. iXUTUAL TOLERATION. 1-4b. THE MATTER OF DAYS. MUTUAL TOLERATION. s-3C. THE ONE THRONE. PERSONAL RESi’ONSII3ILITY. ~O-IZ

ii. S Y M P A T H Y A S E DI F I C A T I O N .

a. THE PRlNCIPLE OF SELF-JUDGMENT.A Brother’s Stumbling-block.

b. 1’HE PURPOSE OF ABSTENTIONS.A Brother‘s Edification.

C. THE ONE TEST. FAITH.

iii. SY M P A T H Y A S H O S P I T A L I T Y .

a. GENERAL.

I. Tlze Duly. gc Ought.”2. The Exam&e. ” Christ.”3. The Power. u The Godof Comfort.”

b. PARTICULAR.

I, The Duty. ” Receive ye.”2. The Exnm#le. ” Christ.”3. The Pozver. ” The God of Ho&.”

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T h e T r a n s f o r m a t i o n - b y S a l v a t i o n

III. SYMPATHY. RELATIVE LIFE. THOSEWITHIN

The last section, dealing with the evi-dences of submission to the will of God,is occupied with a discussion of some ofthe difficulties which may arise within thecircle of the Christian Church. It is notnecessary to suppose that the apostle hadin mind actually existing trouble, as hehad not yet reached Rome, and in allprobability knew nothing of the detailsof Church life there. His experiences atCorinth, where he was writing, had how-ever reveaIed the kind of question likelyto arise, and the burden of his teachingis that of the necessity for sympathyamong those who are within ; and he en-joined its exercise ; as toleration ; for pur-poses of edification ; and in hospitality.

It is interesting to notice how in thismat ter there i s ev ident the se lec t ingwisdom of the inspiring Spirit, for thesubjects dealt with, in slightly differentform, still arise, and are met by the teach-ing of this section.

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i. SYMPATHY AS TOLERATION

There were those in the mind of theapostle who, in all probability through theproblem of the animals sacrificed to idols,had taken up the position of vegetarians.Others claimed their right to eat meat,realising that their personal relation toChrist set them entirely free from thejudgment of popular opinion or custom.The apostle had a word of injunction foreach of these. He described the vegetarianas “weak in faith,” and charged him notto judge the man who eats all things.But neither is the man eating meat todespise the one who does not eat. Theseinjunctions reveal attitudes continuing tothis hour. Of course, the peculiar difi-culty of meat sacrificed to idols does notexist ; but the Christian man abstainingfrom meat, in all sincerity and with perfectjustification, does too often judge and con-demn his brother ; and the non-abstainingis ever prone to despise the abstainer.Both attitudes are wrong.

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The apostle laid down a supreme prin-ciple which we ought ever to rememberin its application both to our personal lifeand to our re la t ion to our bre thren .Every man stands or falls to his ownMaster. That means first of all, that wecannot be too careful to submit our wholecourse of life, and every action, to Himfor judgment ; it means also that we can-not too carefully guard against passing ourjudgment upon our brethren in matters ofpersonal conscience and conduct.

The principle is again discussed withregard to the observance of days. Thecourt of appeal is that of the mind, loyalto Christ. If the subject of the obser-vance of a day has indeed been submittedto Him, and the one so submitting has apersonal conviction resulting therefrom, bythat conviction he is to abide and act,without reference to the opinion of others.The centre now is not self, but Christ.

At first it may appear as though suchaction, judged by the differing lines ofconduct pursued, would suggest confusion

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and disorder. More careful considerationhowever will show that the Lord dealswith each case separately, according toHis own infinite wisdom, and understand-ing thereof. One man may be helped andanother hindered by eating meat, or byobserving a day. Christ’s will for each isdetermined by the good of each. Howunwise we are therefore when we attemptto frame rules for ourselves, or for others,and then proceed to judge by such rules.

Tbe importance of the principle is re-vealed in the fact that the final statementof the apostle in this application sets evensuch matters of conviction and conduct inrelation to the death and resurrection ofJesus. The Lord passed through deathinto life that He might be the actingLord of every person who believes in Him.Our fellowship in the value and virtue ofHis death and resurrection, cancels for everthe change which men call death, so thatwhether we live or die we are the Lord’s ;and therefore the one law of life for usis His will, and the one method of under-

218


standing that will is that of direct dealingwith Him in freedom from the fear ofoutside opinion or criticism.

Oh the glorious liberty of bondage toChrist I It is freedom from all fear ofanxiety arising as to the issue of choicesmade by self. It is freedom, moreover, fromthe ceaseless fear of being misunderstood.

The final deduction from the discussionas to our attitude toward each other isthat the tribunal before which we are toappear is the judgment-seat of God. Theapostle illustrated by quotation from Isaiah,and the sense in which he used the pass-age is discovered by emphasising the ex-pressions, ‘( to Me,” and “to God.”

“ As I live, saith the Lord, to Me everyknee shall bow,

And every tongue shall confess to God.”

Fealty is to be rendered to God, and thatis expressed by the bowing of the knee ;the issue is that the praise of the resultof this government be rendered to Him,

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Romans

for the word “ confess ” here carries thethought of the offering of praise.

The logical sequence of this is thatwhen I pass judgment on my brother, Iam usurping the very throne of God.He alone knows all the facts, and Healone therefore is able to pass a judgment ;and this right He reserves to Himself.For any man to attempt to pass a judg-ment on his brother is to evince his folly,and to arrogate to himself a functionwhich belongs to God alone.

ii. S YMPATHY AS E D I F I C A T I O N

The teaching here is in direct continun-tion of that already given. The apostlegives the other side of it, and creates thetrue balance. There is a matter on whichwe may exercise judgment. It is thatwe do not put a stumbling-block in ourbrother’s way. The sphere of judgmentopen to us, is not our brother’s life andaction, but our own. The test by whichwe are to judge our life and action, is notour own welfare, but that of our brother.

2 2 0

The Transformat ion-by Sa lva t ion

This statement of the standard of personaljudgment the apostle immediately followedby showing that the highest and noblestform of freedom is the abandonment of aright, if need be, in the interest of a weakbrother. He affirmed his conviction con-cerning the cleanness of all things to thosewho count them clean. This persuasionwas new, and resulted wholly from hisrelation to the Lord Jesus. In the olddays of his Pharisaism he would havemade no such admission. Now however,while persoually convinced of his right toeat, he was governed by the new law oflove, and was prepared not to eat, whathe had perfect right to eat, if the eatingcaused a stumbling-block in the way ofhis brother’s progress.

That is the true Christian principle ofabstention from anything which in itselfmay be lawful. I am not required to giveup anything lawful, simply out of deferenceto the opinion of others ; but if the lawfulthing is indeed likely to cause my brother’sdestruction, then because of the supremacy

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of love, I am to give that up. I am nothowever to exercise myself in compellingsome one else to give up the same thing.As the apostle showed, these things are notessential things ; but “ righteousness andpeace and joy in the Holy Spirit” wilioften be realised by love’s attention to non-essentials for the sake of the weak. Thetrue motive is carefully insisted on, that ofserving Christ, and so being well-pleasingto God, and thus approved of men.

What a remarkable contrast there isbetween the true Christian’s use of thepower of judgment and that of the worldly-wise ! These pass judgment upon othersfrom the stand-point of personal preferencesand convictions. The true Christian passesjudgment upon his own conduct, from thestand-point of the well-being of his brethren.The one is self-centred, dogmatic, ignorant,and often unjust. The other is love-centred,self-denying, intelligent, and always merciful.

There has been no greater hindrance tothe cause of temperance in the matter ofstrong drink, than the intemperance and

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dogmatism of some of its advocates. Letthis whole section be remembered, and itsspirit realised, and it will be equally difficultfor any man to insist on his right to takemerely as a beverage that which is destroyingso many ; and for those who in the truespirit of love have foregone that right forthe sake of others, to judge and despisethose who do not follow their example.

The apostle then summed up the wholequestion by appealing for such conduct asmakes for peace and mutual edification.It is to be remernbered that it is evil fora Christian man to exercise a right of libertyif by so doing he harm his brother. Never-theless the apostle zealously and carefullyguarded the individual believer against theinterferences of human opinion, driving usever back upon God.

As in dealing with the necessity fortoleration, he had insisted upon the factthat there is one Throne ; so now in showingthat sympathy expresses itself in the desirefor the edification of others, he insisted uponit that there is one test, and that is faith.

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Romans

Abstention is ever to be based upon theground of faith before God concerning whatwill be harmful, and therefore not upon theopinion of any outside person as to thatmatter. That man is pronounced happywho “judgeth not himself in that whichhe approveth.” There is no room in thethinking of Paul for the priest who attemptsto interpret the will of God, nor for theself-satisfied person who imagines that he-or she-possesses all knowledge concerningwhat Christian men and women ought todo. Each individual is ever driven topersonal dealing with God for the settle-ment of all such matters.

This however by no means issues inanything approaching looseness of moralconduct, for the apostle made it clear inthis connection that perhaps the mostsearching and severe test of conduct is thatof faith. ‘( Whatsoever is not of faith issin.” That is to affirm two things ; firstthat a person devoted to the Lordship ofJesus sins, when acting from any othermotive than that of confidence in and

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obedience to Him. To give up meatmerely because some one else thought Ishould do so ; to refuse to observe a daybecause some one considers that I oughtnot to do so ; without referring these mattersto the arbitrament of the Lord, would ineach case be sin.

And yet again, and therefore ; to continuein any action about which I am in doubt issin. To continue to eat meat unless I havesubmitted the question to Him ; to observea day without knowing His will ; is again ineither case, sin. Unless I am perfectly clearthat what I do I can approve on the principleof my loyalty to Him, then it is sinful to doit, no matter how specious the argumentsadduced to defend its harmlessness.

How many individual questions of conducton which we are anxious to obtain outsideopinion, would be settled if this principlewere always remembered and obeyed I

iii. SYMPATHY AS HOSPITALITY

As the apostle approached another matter,in which mutual forbearance is necessary,

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he repeated the general argument of thepreceding paragraph. The strong shouldbear the infirmities of the weak, and notplease self. Each is to please his neighbourfor the purpose of edification.

The most powerful argument for thisline of conduct is the example of Christ.He pleased not Himself. Thus the actionof Christ is at once the example of theChristian, and the interpretation of thesense in which he is to please his neighbour.The example of Christ from first to last isthat of One Who gave up His rights inorder that He might save men. Insteadof pleasing Himself, He devoted Himselfto please His neighbours. This He didhowever, by pleasing God, and settingHimself to bring men to that same levelof life. He did not please His neighboursby accommodating His conduct to falseideals of life, but by setting Himself, inspite of opposition and misunderstanding,to bring them to the true ideal.

After emphasising his declaration regardingChrist by an Old Testament quotation, the

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apostle parenthetically gave his conceptionof the value of these Scriptures. Theywere written for our learning. This is mostcertainly to recognise their Divine origin.No one would be prepared to say that thepurpose of human authors was the instruc-tion of those who would live hundreds ofyears afterwards, in order that they mighthave hope. Men write for their own dayand generation. God, inspiring these writersto do so, had ever in mind the unbornchildren of faith, and so prepared for theirstrengthening and encouragement. If Godprepared these writings for us, how utterlyunwise to neglect them, or to treat themmerely as part of the world’s literature,interesting principally for that reason. Inall their pages are to be found God’sinstructions for our profit and hope.

The injunction to receive one anotherwas almost certainly addressed to Jews andGentiles. All through the Epistle therehave been evidences of the possibility ofdifference between these two sections inthe Church. ‘I’hroughout his writing the

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apostle defended the Gentile against theself-satisfied national pride of the Jew ; andthe Jew against the probable contemptof the Gentile.

This was his final injunction on thesubject, and he emphasised it by declaringupon the authority of the Jewish Scripturethe twofold application of the work ofChrist, He was indeed a Minister of thecircumcision, and came to confirm thepromises made to the fathers. Thesepromises however included blessing tothe Gentiles. It was for the proving of this,that he grouped these passages. Very re-markable are his quotations, and yet perfectlyunstrained and natural. No honest-mindedJew could read them without seeing thatin the bringing in of the Gentiles, there wasindeed a fulfilment of the purpose of Godthrough the chosen people.

How full of beauty was the habit Paulhad of closing an argument with a bene-diction I “The God of hope.” What awonderful title, suggesting that God is thereason of all the hope that brightens the

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way; and that, because He is Himself fullof hope. The Christian should be thegreatest optimist, because of the optimismof God. Not upon the appearance of anhour, or the happenings of a century, isour hope fixed ; but upon Him, Whoseeing the end from the beginning, andunderstanding both the beginning and theend, is nevertheless the God of hope. Theprocess by which this hope of God is oursis clearly indicated. The root of all isour believing. Never once did this factpass out of the consciousness of the apostle,nor must it pass out of ours. The issueof faith is joy and peace; the first thepresent consciousness of trust, and thesecond the undisturbed condition of thatconsciousness, in view of a11 opposingforces or possible contingencies.

And yet again, the sphere and power ofall is “ the power of the Holy Spirit.” Therealisation of this blessing in fulness fromGod, will correct all differences, and makevery real the unity of all believers.

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CONCLUSION. xv. 14-XVI.I. PERSONAL MATTERS. xv. Iq-xvi. 23

i. HIS MI S S I O N TO THE G E N T I L E S. XY. Iq-21

a. THE DIVINE APPOINTMENT.b. THE VICTORIES THROUGH CHRIST.c. THE Co-OPERATION WITH OTHERS.

ii. IsIS PURPOSES.

a. TOWARD ROME.b. TO SPAIN.c. THROUGH JERUSALEM.

iii. H I S REQUEST F O R T H E I R P R A Y E R S. 30-33a. DELIVERANCE FROM.b. MINISTRATIONS ACCEPTABLE.C. THAT I MAY COME,

iv. PHCEBE.

a. A DEACONESS.6. TO BE RECEIVED.

v . SA L U T A T I O N S T O STINTS.

v i . F I N A L W A R N I N G .B. MARK THEM.6. TURN AWAY FROM THEM.c. THEIR DESCRIPTION.

Method. Smooth and f3ir Speech.Nature. They verve their Belly.

d. THE DESIRE AND BENEDICTION,

vii. S A L U T A T IO N S F R O M S A I N T S.

II. CLOSING DOXOLOGY.

xvi. I, 2


CONCLUSIONThe concluding section of the letter to

the Romans, like the introductory section,is full of personal allusion and revelation ;

but here again the glory of the theme fillingthe mind of the writer is clearly manifest.

While at the beginning the supremeconsciousness revealed, was that of hisresponsibility with that of all saints, inview of their possession of the great Gospel,and in view also of the world’s need ; atthe close the supreme revelation is that ofthe fellowship of all saints in their commonrelationship to Christ, and in the fulfilmentof responsibility. This last section of theletter consists of personal matters ; and aclosing doxology.

I. PERSONAL MATTEHS

i. HIS MISSION TO TIIE GE N T I L E S

There are incidental revelations of Paul’smethods and ideals of Christian service inthis section, which are most valuable.

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While telling those to whom he wrotethat his reason for writing was thatthere had been committed to him theministry of the Gentiles, he spoke of thatministry so far as it had been alreadyaccomplished. While he was careful toguard against any merely personal boastful-ness, yet with unaffected modesty he didnot hesitate to glory in the triumph ofthe Gospel. In speaking of his appointmentthe apostle used language which indicatesa phase of priestly office, too often lost sightof, when he declared that he had ministeredthe Gospel so that there had been an“ offering up of the Gentiles.” As a priesthe had stood often in the presence ofGod, pleading the cause of man ; but healso knew what it was to go back into thepresence of God, bringing with him thesacrifice of souls, won through the Gospel.Too often the priests of the Lord standempty-handed in the holy place in thisrespect.

In ‘this connection it is interesting tonotice his conception of the line of victory.

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“ Christ wrought through me.” Howglorious a commentary upon the trueposition of the Christian worker ! Christis the true and actual Worker, and theservant is an instrument of Christ, throughwhom He accomplishes His purposes. Sueha conception leaves no room for boastful-ness, and yet therein there is room for greatconfidence and positive glorying in thesupreme Worker, and the accomplishedwork. This work is ever realised in thepower of signs and wonders, and in thepower of the Holy Spirit ; the evidences,and energy, of the working Christ.

Finally in connection with his statementconcerning his work, he declared that hehad ever proceeded upon the principle ofpreaching the Gospel not ‘( upon anotherman’s foundation,” but to those who werewithout the tidings, and who had not heard.How excellent a thing it will be for thewhole Church when in all aggressive enter-prise she proceeds upon this principle. Howmuch of time, of energy, of money havebeen lost through forgetfulness of it !

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ii. HIS PURPOSES

Having been often hindered throughthese very necessities and labours of theGospel, he was at last setting his face towardRome. And yet Rome itself was not thefinal goal. His eyes were looking to theregions beyond, and his intention was toreach Spain ; and yet even before he couldcome to Rome, he had an immediate dutyto fulfil, that of carrying to Jerusalem thecontribution from Macedonia and Achaia.

He was confident that when he cameto Rome he would do so in the fulness ofthe blessing of Christ.

Did he ever reach Spain ? We do notknow. Certain it is that he went toRome, although by unexpected ways ; andit is equally certain that as he expected,he arrived there in the fulness of theblessing of Christ.

iii. HIS R EQUEST FOR THEIR PRAYERSVery touching and beautiful is the re-

quest of Paul for the prayers of the234


Christians in Rome, showing as it does,how this intrepid minister of the evangelwas sensitively conscious of the perilouspathway, and craved sympathy in itshighest possible activity, that of fellowshipin prayer. Sometimes amid the stress andstrain of the ministry of the Word, glorioustoil as it is, one wonders how far thosederiving help and benefit therefrom areconscious of how hungry the spirits ofGod’s messengers are for such loving andpowerful sympathy. The kindly word ofspiritual appreciation is valuable, but theservant of the Lord would gladly foregothat altogether, if instead there could bea larger measure of striving together inprayer on the part of the people of God.

It is impossible to read Paul’s historyas revealed in his writings, without beingconscious that Jerusalem had ever beensuspicious of him, and he had been com-pelled resolutely to maintain his apostolicright and authority.

He was very definite in his request ashe suggested that they should pray first

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that he (‘might be delivered from themthat are disobedient in .Jud;Ea.” He wasevidently conscious that his going up toJerusalem would be the occasion of strife,and even of persecution ; and he desiredprayer that he might be delivered fromsuch opposition, Secondly, that his minis-tration, that contribution he was takingfrom the churches ‘of Asia, might be ac-ceptable. He foresaw that the very prideof Jewish prejudice might make difficulty,and that this would harm the work nearesthis heart, the preaching of the Gospelamong the Gentiles ; and this also hetherefore committed to God, and soughttheir fellowship in prayer concerning it.

Finally he asked that they would praythat he might come to them in joy throughthe will of God, and together with themfind rest.

The question which suggests itself as onereads of this apostolic request is as towhether the prayers were answered. Mostassuredly they were. The story of theActs of the Apostles shows that he was

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graciously received by the Church, andthus the second subject of prayer wasanswered. Also he was delivered fromthe terrible hatred and plotting of thedisobedient in Judza, and thus the first re-quest was answered. Moreover, he reachedRome, and yet how different was themode of the answer surely from what theapostle had expected ! How often the wayof answer to prayer differs from our ex-pectations ! What matters it, if it be“ through the will of God ” ? That wasthe qualifying petition which was finallyanswered. If we really mean it when wepray, that petition will always be answered.It is such confidence which lends powerto the closing benediction, “ Now the Godof peace be with you all. Amen.”

iv. PHCEBEIn a brief special paragraph the apostle

commended Phoebe to the church at Rome ;describing her as a deaconess of thechurch at Cenchreae. His appeal to themwas not that they should receive her upon

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the ground of her personal worth, althoughhe did declare that she had been a suc-tourer of many and of himself. She wasto be received in the Lord, and worthilyof the saints ; that is to say, their hos-pitality was to be in keeping with all thatthey were, as children of God. It hasbeen surmised, and with great probability,that she carried the apostle’s letter to thechurch in Rome.

v. ~AILJTATIONS T O S A I N T S

The section of salutation is most inter-esting. The large number of persons named,twenty-six in all, is not remarkable whenit is remembered that the letter was sentto Rome, which was at that time thecentre of the world, to which men wereconstantly going for various reasons fromall parts of the empire.

Two-thirds of these names are Greek,and are in all probability names of personswhom the apostle had actually known inhis work in Asia. His old friends Prisca andAquila were evidently back in Rome again.

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T h e T r a n s f o r m a t i o n - b y S a l v a t i o n

The chief interest of this passage centresin the apostle’s incidentally revealed con-sciousness of the inter-relationships of thesaints as being dependent upon theircommon relationship to Christ. The phraseswhich indicate this are scattered throughthe paragraph, “ In the Lord. . . . In ChristJesus . . . unto Christ . . . in Christ . . .in the Lord . . . in the Lord . . . in theLord . . . in the Lord.” When thesephrases are examined in their contextualrelationship it will be seen how all thefacts of life and service are conditioned inthat relationship to Christ. Phcebe wasto be rece ived Z’?L the I,o?-d. Prisca andAquila were fellow-workers irb Ch-ist l Jesus.Epaznetus was the first-fruits of Asia untoChrist. His kinsmen Andronicus andJunias were irz C/wist before him. Ampli-atus was beloved in the Lord. Urbanuswas a fellow-worker in Christ. ApelIeswas approved in Christ. The dividing lineof the household of Narcissus was thatsome were i?L tlrlc Lord. Tryphzena and‘l’ryphosa laboured in the Lord. Yersis

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laboured much in the Lord. Rufus waschosen qj’ the Lord.

Thus the impulse of love, the bond ofservice, the principle of fellowship, all re-sulted from union with Christ. The verysphere of life was evidently the LordHimself, in Whose life we are all beingsaved, having been reconciled through Hisdeath. The atmosphere of love was thatof Christ. All the toil was the activity ofChrist through His people.

What a glorious picture of the unityof the Church is here afforded I The onlyrealisation of that unity possible at anytime must come by individual abiding inclose relationship with the Lord.

vi. FINAL W A R N I N G

The very consciousness of unity in Christ,which had been so evident in the saluta-tions sent to the saints in Rome, causedthe apostle to write his final word ofsolemn warning. Evidently he had beenmade acquainted with the fact that falseteachers were already exerting an influence

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The Transformat ion-by Sa lva t ion

in Rome, and attempting to draw believersaway from the doctrine which had beenlearned. The reference is certainly to such,rather than to such as caused divisionthrough personal ambition or quarrels, forhe referred to their smooth and fair speech.What was the exact form of the heresy,we have no means of knowing ; but thereseems to be a hint in his express desirethat the believers in Rome should be keptwise unto good, and simple toward evil.Dr. Moule thinks that the trouble wasthe beginning of the Gnostic heresy, whichpractically declared that matter being in-herently evil the body must be allowedto give full vent to its unbridled passions,because the spirit of mau was not relatedto the body, but its prisoner merely. Tosomething of this kind the apostle evi-dently referred when he wrote the scathingsentence concerning these teachers ; thatthey “ serve . . . their own belly.” Suchteaching was certainly not according tothe doctrine, and the apostle urged thesaints to turn away from those who taught

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such heresy. There can never be harmonybetween Christian men and those who areexcusers of sin under any pretence. Theconflict with Satan is recognised, but thegracious promise made at the beginningis repeated with new emphasis in thelight of the evangel of the Cross, ‘6 TheGod of peace shall bruise Satan underyour feet shortly.”

Fitting and beautiful is the benedictionat this point, reminding all who were con-fronting that conflict, of the channel throughwhich the promise of ultimate victorybeen made possible of fulfilrnent inexperience of man ; “ the grace ofLord Jesus Christ be with you.”

vii. SALUTATIONS PROM SAINTS

hastheour

Again the apostle returned to salutations ;but now they were from some of thoseassociated with him at Corinth to thoseat Rome. Timothy his beloved son in thefaith, whom be was doubtless even theninstructing for the great work of theministry. Three of his own kiusmeu, ac-

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cording to the flesh. It is interesting tonote that three of Paul’s blood relationswere in Rome ;-Andronicus, Junias, andHerodion ; and three were at Corinth,Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater. Of thesetwo, as he declared, were in Christ beforehe was. May it not be possible that theothers were his children in faith, verypersonal and very precious results, notmerely of his own preaching, but of thatstrong passion which made him write thathe could wish that he himself were ana-thema from Christ ?

Then Tertius, his amanuensis, to whomthe apostle had dictated the great letter,added his personal salutation. How beauti-ful is this revelation of fellowship inservice ! He who had written the wordsas Paul dictated them was also a fellow-worker, interested in, and loving thesebelievers in the great city, and thereforehe added his greeting. Gaius too, hishost, was interested, and sent his messageof love. A man of note, Erastus, thetreasurer of the c i ty , and Quartus, of

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whom we only know that he was “ thebrother.”

How tender and beautiful are thesesalutations to and from the saints, as re-vealing the bond existing between all thoseunited to Christ.

The final word of the great letter ofsalvation is fittingly one of praise. Theapostle thinking of that eternal purpose oflove which having been kept in silencethrough past ages, was manifested in thisage, in order that through all future agesglory may he ascribed to God ; reverentlyascribed the glory to Him, to Whom itis thus evidently due.

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Epistle to the Romans · ROMAN INTRODUCTION THEintroductory section of the letter to the Romans is...

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