regarded for his sake as righteous, we shall he saved from wrath through him. He will not leave his work unfinished ; whom he justifies them he also glorifies. The word wrath^ of course, means the effects of wrath or punishment, those sufferings with which the divine displeasure visits sm ; Matt. 3 : 7. 1 Thess. 1 : 10. Rom. 1 : 18. Not only is our justifi- cation to be ascribed to Christ, but our salvation is through him. Salva- tion, in a general sense, includes justification, but when distinguished from it, as in this case, it means the consummation of that work of which justification is the commencement. It is a preservation from all the causes of destruction ; a deliverance from the evils which surround us here, or threaten us hereafter ; and an introduction into the blessedness of heaven. • Christ thus saves us by his providence and Spirit, and by his constant intercession, ch. 8 : 34. Heb. 4: 14, 15. 7: 25. Jude v. 24. 1 John 2: 1.
(10) For if when loe were yet enemies, ive were reconciled unto God hy the death of his Son, &c. This verse contains nearly the same idea as v. 9, presented in a different form. The word enemies is applied to men not only as descriptive of their moral character, but also of the relation in which they stand to God, as the objects of his displeasure. There is not only a wicked opposition of the sinner to God, but a holy opposition of God to the sinner. The preceding verse presents the former of these ideas, and this verse the latter most prominently. There it is said, though sinners, we are justified ; and here, though enemies, we are reconciled. And this is the principal difference between the two verses. To be reconciled to God, in such connexions, does not mean to have our enmity to God removed, but his enmity to us taken out of the way; to have him rendered propitious, or his righteous justice satisfied. This is evident, 1. Because the reconciliation is ascribed to the death of Christ or his blood, v. 9. But, according to the constant representations of Scripture, the death of Christ is a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, or to propitiate the favour of God, and not immediately a means of sanctifica- tion. The former is its direct object : the latter an incidental result. This is the very idea of a sacrifice. 2. The object of the verse is to pre- sent us as enemies, or the objects of God's displeasure. ' If while wc were the objects of the divine displeasure,' says the apostle, 'that dis pleasure has been removed, or God propitiated by the death of his Son, how much more shall we be saved,' &c. That is, if God has been recon ciled to us, he will save us. 3. This is the proper meaning of the word^ 2 Cor. 5 : 18, 19. See also Matt. 5 : 24, " First go and be reconciled to thy brother," i. e. go and appease his anger, or remove the ground of hij? displeasure ; compare Heb. 2 : 17, " He is a priest to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." It is the appropriate business of a priest to propitiate God, and not to reform men. See also 1 Sam. 29 : 4, " Whero^ with should he reconcile himself to his master? should it not be with the heads of these men 1" Eph. 2 : 16, " That he might reconcile both unto God by the cross," not remove their enmity to God, but secure for them