The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 43

II. Goo's WBATH, This truth ie burnt into the Bible, from first to last 1 that Goo ie angry with sin, and with the sinner who identifies himselr with sin. But it is burnt into the very history of sin itself, and that ie the insistence of the apostle here. 1. S£n worlcing folly. (Vere. 21, 22.) Man will not bow to what ie above him• he therefore bows to what is beneath him. An effigy (Greece) I an eel (Egypt)! And this with a.I I their wisdom: Greece, Rome, Egypt (ver. 22). 2. Bin working slvum.e. (V ers. 24, 26 27,) Man realizes hie dignity when he realizes his God; loosing himself from God, h~ sinks into a degradation degraded beyond all words. 3. Sin working Bin. (Vere. 28---32.) An utter reprobacy, so that the man becomes a devil! This the nltimate resnl t of confirmed apostasy from God. Short of this, there is hope. What laws are these ! Yee; God's laws. The revelation of hie wrath. The heavens are speaking daily while we sin, e.nd this is their voice: "Deeper, deeper, deeper I Folly, shame, sin!" And the thrice-told truth of it all (vere. 24, 26, 28) is, "God gave them up." And all because they gave up God. So the ultimate punishment of the ultimate sin is, "Tney reprobated God; God reprobated them" (ver. 28, literally). Let us learn, from these sad word!i, our danger: the suppression of the troth which is in us, its conversion into a lie-for all this is possible still; and the consequent wrath of God. And our safety : for as it is the loosing of onrselves from God which works folly, shame, and death; so it is the laying hold of God by faith in Christ that works wisdom, dignity, and life.-T. F. L. Vere. 1-4.-The gospel a, fulfilled prophecy. The apostle loved to dilate on the characteristics of the gospel, especially those which he "received by revelation.," and his aspect of truth became so essentially a part of bis being and preaching, that he speaks of it as "my" gospel. Sometimes be terms it the "gospel of Christ," whilst here the title is significantly the" gospel of God," since he is about to prove it a design purposed of God from the beginning of revelation. I. THE GOSPEL AS PBOMISED, 1. He alleges a,s proof of the promise the Scripture prophecies. Note the phrase, "the holy writings," emphasizing the quantity and quality of the literature of the Old Testament. 2. Such a, prurmse rebuts the charge of novelty. The Jews were conservative, and the only way to remove their prejudice against Christianity was by persuading them out of the Scriptures that it was no new- fangled doctrine which the apostles preached. The difficulty in controversies is to find e. common court of appeal. The position of the Jews as custodians of the genuineness of the Old Testament has weight in argument to-day. 3. Shows the gospel to have been no a,fter0 thought in the mind of God. The Lamb was "slain from the fonndation of the world." The plan of Providence is gradually unfolded as the centuries pass. Looking back, we can see how the beautiful petals of the mature flower were foretold by the markillgs of the bud. 4. The predictions which animated the l,reastii of mm of old have their confirmatory value for modern faith. The patriarchs" died in faitb.D The prophets " searched diligently what time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify." And the fact that they were "heralds..,, proclaiming the advent of the King, prepares us to receive him with less fear of delusion. It is seemly that so grnnd a Monarch and kingdom should not be established without the pomp of previous notice. The battle of criticism rages most furiously at present around the Old Testament prefigurations of the new covenant, for men discern the impregnableness of Christianity unless the outworks of Jewish history and expectancy,,can first be stormed and demolished, II. THE PROMISE REDEEMED. 1. In th6 Man Christ Jesus. In answer to the inquiry of Herod, the scribes were able to give the place where the Messiah should be born, and the royal house of which he should be a direct descendant. 'l'b.e genealogies of Matthew and of Luke alike acoredit the olaims of Jesus to be of the stock of David. At the birth of Jesus wns there great "joy that a man was born into the world." Incarnation is more than temporary residence amongst men; it is "taking pru:t of the ehildren's flesh and blood." '!'he Epistle to the Hebrews reasoned from the statemrnt respecting the "seed of David" that the priesthood we.s intended to oo trnusferred frc'lll tho tribe of Levi to that of Judah, nnd therefore ebsngod in charactor. 2. In thd ri<ifl"li Son of God. Horo is the truo gospel, the Divine humanity of Christ, the conjunction ui honvon 11ud earth. _ Either apan would have no ada,Ptatiou to our ueoos.  TRB BPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [cu. L 1--82.