(1) What shall we say then? What inference is to be drawn from the doctrine of the gratuitous acceptance of sinners, or justification with- out works by faith in the righteousness of Christ?
Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? i. e. be more con- spicuously displayed. The form in which the objection to the apostle's doctrine is here presented, is evidently borrowed from the close of the preceding chapter. Paul had there spoken of the grace of the gospel being the more conspicuous and abundant in proportion to the evils which it removes. It is no fair inference from the fact that God has brought so much good out of the fall and sinfulness of men, that they may continue in sin. Neither can it be inferred from the fact that he accepts of sin- ners, on the ground of the merit of Christ, instead of their own (which is the way in which grace abounds), that they may sin without restraint.
(2) God forbid^ in the Greek, let it not be. Paul's usual mode of expressing denial and abhorrence. Such an inference is not to be thought of. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? How can good men be bad men 1 or, how can the dead be alive ? It is a con- tradiction and an absurdity, that those who are dead to sin should live in it. There are two points to be here considered. The first is the sense in which Christians are said, to be dead to sin ; and the second, the proof (vs. 3, 4) that such is really the case with all true believers. The words rendered we that are dead to sin (we that have died to die), may mean have died on account of sin, or in respect to sin. The latter is more con- sistent with the usual force of the expression, as in the phrases, " dead to the law ;" " dead to sins," &c. &c., which mean free from, delivered from the influence of. In this case probably the apostle intended to