serve God so well as he could wish. But " he does not walk after the flesh ;" nor will he " obey it in the lusts thereof." In this respect he is widely different from the ungodly world. They affect nothing but the things of time and sense. He is not satisfied with any thing which has not a direct reference to eternity ]
" He walks after the Spirit " —
[He possesses a new and heavenly principle, under the influence of which he lives : and his conversation is in heaven," " where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God :" nor can any thing please him which does not advance his eternal interests, and tend to the honour of that Saviour who bought him with his blood ]
Viewing thus his state and character, we shall not wonder at what is here declared to be,
III. His privilege —
" There is no condemnation to him." We say not, that there is no desert of condemnation in him : for he is still a weak and corrupt creature ; and there is much " iniquity even in his holiest acts." But " there is no condemnation now remaining to him."
[The law curses those only who are under the law. But the believer is "no longer under the law, but under grace;" and consequently, so far as he is concerned, the law is disarmed of its power, and is incapable of inflicting upon him its penal- ties. As a woman, when her husband is dead, is no longer under his power ; so the Christian, now that the law is abro- gated, is no longer obnoxious to its sentence3. He stands before God perfect in Christ Jesus, yea, "without spot or blemish :" and he has nothing to fear on account of his past infirmities or his present conflicts : for God will carry on the work begun in his soul, and will " perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ " ]
Address —
1. The mere nominal Christian —
[Think not that your observance of a round of duties is any evidence of your acceptance with God. You must be " in Christ" by a living faith, if ever you would be ac- cepted of him ; and by virtue derived from him, must be bringing forth to the glory of his name. And, if this be not your state and character, deceive not yourselves, for the text itself intimates, that there is condemnation for you, and that
a Rom. vii. 4 — G.