The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 33

.. I love to tell the llt.ory, Beeanse I know it's truer It ee.tisfies my longings As nothing else can do. I love to tell the story, It did so mu<lh for me ; And that is jllBt the reason I tell it now to thee." Another great secret of Paul's success was this. He realized a Divim p'la,n and_purpose in his life. . He felt that he was "separated unto the gospel of God" (ver. I). Unknown to himself, the Divine hand had been moulding his character, drawincr out and developing his gifts, from his childhood up. How the various circumsta.n~ of his life fitted him for hie great life-work I Born and brought up in Tarsus, he there became a Roman citizen, thUB receiving civil rights and privileges which were of great service to him afterwards in his mission. There also he came in contact with Greek civilization and culture-an acquaintance useful to him afterwards at Athens and at Corinth. Then, coming to Jerusalem, and brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, he there received a training and a position which were of immense advantage to him in dealing with the Jewish people, his kinsmen according to the flesh. All this process of training and development culminated when one day that.Divine hand suddenly arrested his career on the way to Damascus. The light from heaven shone about him then, and shone into his heart. After those days of outward blindness, but inward questioning and growing spiritual vision, the scales fell from his eyes indeed. He saw it all then. Henceforth there was a new meaning and a new purpose in his life. He saw then that he was "called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God." He saw the unseen hand. He saw how it had led him. He saw that it was a hand of power-how foolish to resist it I He saw that it was a hand of love, moulding him for high and holy and eternal purposes. From that moment Paul was Christ's. Not as a slave, but as a. devoted servant. Not in any sense as a mere machine, but Christ's m.th all the persuasion and conviction of his mind, with all the love of his heart-separat&i by his own voluntary act, as he had already been separated by God's purpose, unto the gospel of God. In the seventh verse we see what the message was which Paul took with him wherever he carried the gospel. It is the message which the gospel brings still wherever it finds an entrance. "Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ." Grace-the favour or mercy of God. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that yej through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. viii. 9). And where the gospel comes with its message of mercy and of love, the result is pe:ice-peace in the conscience, peace in the home, peace in the nation. Such was the character, such were the life and work of St. Paul. He was a. servant of Jesus Christ. He went forth as a. messenger for Christ, believing that he had been separated unto the gospel of God. And the message which he brought was the message of grace and peace. So may it be with every one of us, if we will only consecrate our lives to God.-0. H. I. Vers. 14-17.-The gospel a message/or evl!r'Y one. Narrow views of the gospel are very common. Amongst the very wealthy, what an erroneous idea often exists about the gospel and its claims I They think that religion may do very well for the poor, but they have no need of it. Amongst the very poor, on the other hand, you will often find the idcn that religion may do very well for respect.able people, but that it has nothing to do with tllem. Then, again, you will meet with a cert.'!.in class of intellectual men-not always the most oultured or most thoughtful-who imngiuo th:i.t the gospel mny do very well for commonpll\Ce, ordinnry people, but that they have gc,t far l~youd euoh a childish belief. Evon nmong Christh\n peoph.1 wlu,t narrow views of the g,'Sl,'<'l and its scope I How slow the Cllristian Church has been in realizing its missiL'll tc, tho heathen world I There are mnny who still think that the bentllcn are well enough oil"; that there is 110 nood to sond the ~ospel to tl\om. There are many who will tell llil that there le" no use" in eondin~ the gospel to the Mohnmmedan or the Jew. Bui tbo Apostle Paul took a very diffor8llt viow. In his viow the gospel is a mes...«a,,,"'8 for !tl TIIE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TRE ROMANS. [on. r. 1-82.