No Case.
Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth ; who is he that shall condemn ? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is [even] at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. — Rom. viii. 33, 34.
Befoke anything can be done with these verses it is necessary that some attention should be given to their punctuation. That the punctuation is difficult, no one will deny. The Eevised Version, putting only a semicolon after "justifieth," throws together the two clauses — " It is God that justifieth ; who is he that shall condemn? That is not satisfactory. In the margin of that version the first of these clauses is turned into a question. According to this suggestion the two verses would contain four questions, going two and two together. Thus — (1) Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Shall God that justifieth? (2) Who is he that shall condemn? Shall Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us ? This method is followed by Bishop Moule in the Expositor's Bible, who says, "We adopt the interrogative rendering of all the clauses here '. it is equally good as grammar, and far more congenial to the glowing context." Professor Eoberts, who was one of the Revisers, adopts the same punctuation and tells the following story: A friend who visited Archbishop Whately when near his end writes as follows: "The Sunday before his death he seemed unconscious, and I read Eomans viii. (a chapter for which he has asked more than once during his illness). Instinctively I read verses 33 and 34 as he had taught me to do : ' Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? Is it Grod that justifieth ? Who is he that condemneth ? Is it Christ that died?' The eyes of the dying man opened for a moment ' That is quite right,' he whispered." ^
' CfUr^yman's MagMzwi^, 3rd Ser., xii. 253.
123
124 NO CASE
To take all the clauses as questions does appear to bring out the Apostle's meaning. But the same result may be produced more easily by supplying two words which were in the Apostle's thought, but which, in the rapidity of writing, he did not insert. Let us insert these two words in brackets — " Who shall lay any- thing to the charge of God's elect ? [God ?]. God is he that justifieth. Who is he that shall condemn ? [Christ ?]. Christ Jesus is he that died."
St. Paul's argj^ment is that against God's elect there is no case. Why is there no case ? He gives two sufficient reasons.
First, who is to bring a charge against them? Their sin is against God, therefore none but God has any interest in bringing a charge against them or any right to bring it. Will God bring a charge ? God has already justified them. He has acquitted them of every charge and declared them righteous.
Second, if a charge is brought who is to condemn them ? The judge is Christ, and there is no other. Will Christ condemn them ? Christ Jesus is the very person who has by His death, resurrection, session, and intercession made sure that they shall not be condemned
I.
The Charge. " Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? "
1. Who is the charge supposed to be laid against? God's elect. And who are God's elect ?
(1) God's elect are not the self -elect. Look at these two men, the Pharisee and the publican. Says the Pharisee, " God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, or even as this publican " ; says the publican, " God be merciful to me a sinner." " I tell you " — this is the judgment of Jesus — " I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other." For the Lord seeth not as man seeth. The Pharisee, self-elect, is Divinely reprobate. The publican, self-reprobate, is Divinely elect. Or look at the prodigal — what self-accusation, what self-condem- nation— " Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." And where is the father's condemnation ? There is no condemnation. The
ROMANS VIII. 33, 34 125
father falls on his son's neck, and kisses him, and then cries oommandingly to his servants, " Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him ; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet : and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it ; and let us eat, and be merry : for this my son was dead, and is alive again ; he was lost and is found." Behold a type, a representative of the elect
of God!
All this costly expense
For a few white souls forgiven, For a smiling throng of a few elect, White harpers harping in heaven.
Lord, Thy glance is wide,
And Thy wide arms circle the whole;
Shall out of Thy net of loving glide One wand'ring human soul ? ^