the mind, so as to bring us into captivity to the law of sin. If therefore the one passage is descriptive of the experience of the true Christian, so must also the other be.
e. The context requires this interpretation. The apostle has been in- sisting on the necessity of our being free from the law in order to our justification and sanctification. To show that his doctrine does not involve any reflection on the law, it was necessary to show why the law is thus inefficient. In order to accomplish this object he explains how the law operates on the depraved heart. It arouses conscience, and it provokes opposition. This is one part of its effect ; but not the whole. Even when the heart is renewed, the law cannot by itself promote holi- ness. It presents indeed the form of beauty, and the soul delights in it after the inward man, but it cannot destroy the power of indwelling sin. The Christian, therefore, must look for deliverance not to the law, but to the grace of God in Jesus Christ. It was essential, therefore, to the apostle's object to show that even for the true Christian, the bondage of the law is unnecessary.
2. The law is spiritual, that is, perfect, deriving its character from its author, the Spirit of God. It is, therefore, the unerring standard of duty, and the source of moral light or knowledge. It should, therefore, be every where known and studied, and faithfully applied as the rule of judgment for our own conduct and that of others. Evangelical doctrines, therefore, which teach the necessity of freedom from the law as a covenant of works, i. e. as prescribing the terms of our justification before God, derogate neither from its excellence nor its authority. It is left to do its proper work in the economy of redemption ; to convince of sin, and be a guide to duty, v. 14, &c.
3. The mere presentation of truth, apart from the influences of the Spi- rit, can neither renew nor sanctify the heart, v. 14, &c.
4. Inability is consistent with accountability. " To perform that which is good I find not," that is, I cannot, v. 18. Gal. 5 : 17. As the Scriptures constajitly recognise the truth of these two things, so are they constantly united in Christian experience. Every one feels that he can- not do the things that he would, yet is sensible that he is guilty for not doing them. Let any man test his power by the requisition to love God perfectly at all times. Alas, how entire our inability ! yet how deep our self-loathing and self-condemnation !
5. The emotions and affections do not obey a determination of the will, vs. 16, 18, 19, 21. A change of purpose, therefore, is not a change of heart.
6. The Christian's victory over sin cannot be achieved by the strength of his resolutions, nor by the plainness and force of moral motives, nor by any resources within himself. He looks to Jesus Christ, and conquers in his strength. In other words, the victory is not obtained in the way of nature, but of grace, vs. 14 — 25.