appropriate time ; see Job 5 : 2G. Isa. 60 : 22. Mark 1:15. Gal. 4 : 4. Christ died for the ungodly. The preposition rendered for^ in such connexions, signifies not merely for the benefit of but in the place of. This appears to be its meaning in v. 7, which fixes its meaning here; compare Matt. 20 : 28, " To give his life a ransom for many." with 1 Tim. 2:6, " Who gave himself a ransom for all." Christ died not merely /or us, but in our place; his suffering being substituted for ours. This gift of the Son of God, to die for the ungodly, is the highest conceivable proof of his love.
(7) For scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. The greatness and free- ness of the love of God is illustrated in this and the following verse, by making still more prominent the unworthiness of its objects. ' It is hardly to be expected that any one would die in the place of a merely righteous man, though for a good man this self-denial might possibly bo exercised. But we, so far from being good, were not even righteous; we were sinners, ungodly, and enemies.' The difference between the words righteous ^nd good, as here used, is that which, in common usage, is made between just and kind. The former is applied to a man who does all that the law or justice can demand of him, the latter to him who is governed by love. The just man commands respect; the good man calls forth affection. Respect being a cold and feeble principle, com- pared to love, the sacrifices to which it leads are comparatively slight.
(8) But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ' Commendeth,' i. e. renders conspicu- ous ; see 3 : 5. What renders the love of God so peculiarly conspicuous is his sending his Son to die, not for the good, nor even for the righteous, but for sinners, for those who were deserving of wrath instead of love. The word sinners expresses the idea of moral turpitude, and consequent exposure to the divine displeasure. It was for or in the place of those who were at once corrupt, and the enemies of God, that Christ died.
(9) Much viore, then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. This and the following verse draw the obvious inference from the freeness and greatness of the love of God, as just exhibited, that believers shall be ultimately saved. It is an argu- ment a fortiori. If the greater benefit has been bestowed, the less will not be withheld. If Christ has died for his enemies, he will surely save his friends. Being justified. To be justified is more than to be par- doned; it includes the idea of reconciliation or restoration to the favour of God, and the participation of the consequent blessings. This idea is prominently presented in the following verse. We are justified by his blood. This expression, as remarked above (ch. 4 : 3), exhibits the true ground of our acceptance with God. It is not our works, nor our faith, nor our new obedience, nor the work of Christ in us, but what he has done for us ; ch. 3 : 25. Eph. 2 : 13. Heb. 9 : 12. Having by the death of Christ been brought into the relation of peace with God, being now