The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 83

deal~ "«"ith sinful men, we shall find that his 86tlffl! fudgmmts have alwl\ye had ~ t r.-ascm. In the present inst&nce, the critic vindicates the Divine procedure. A~ h<.> declares the Gentiles to have suft"ered rightly, he really becomes the ohampion of Gcid, s.J.tbough in doing so he, 1LS the apostle 8hows, condemns himself. 11. Gon's JUDGME1'"TS MAY BE PRECEDED DY A DISPENSATION OF FORDB:ARANOE, (Vers. 3---5.) While God's judgments when executed are truthful and thorough, they may not be executed immediately. In the case of the Jew under review by the apostle, God hll.8 been exercising amazing forbearance. Although the recipient of superior prinleges, he bas been sinning just as really as his Gentile brother, and wholly mis- interpreting the Divine forbearance. God, by his goodness, forbearance, and long- suffering, bas been leading him to repentance, to a thorough change of character and heart (u"1booaa); but he will not be led, but insists on regarding l\ll this forbearance a.s merited on bis part. His heart still continues hard and impenitent (a.p.ET<W&71-ro11), so that be is really tre=ing up wrath for himself which shall be revealed at the day of jndgment. And this solemn warning should be heeded by many. There a.re many still who interpret forbearance as approval; who think highly of themselves because they have been exempt from suffering; who base upon their good health, good fortune, and general comfort the mistaken conclusion that God must contemplate such people wiih a large a.mount of complacency. Bnt it is forbearance be is exercising, and no justification could be extended to such self-righteous individuals. ffi REWARD il"D PtTh"ISHME1''"T Wil.L BE METED OUT EVENTUALLY AOOOBDING TO EACH J,L.,U.--'s DEEDS. (Vers. 6-10.) To the apostle's eye men resolved themselves int.o two classes: one class was seeking, by patient continuance in well-doing, glory and honour and immortality; the other class was contentious, not obeying the truth, but obeying unright.eousness (ill.,cui). Now, t.o the one, reward will be given in the form of all that is implied by " eternal life;" while to the other shall be meted out in strict proportion "indigna.tion and wrath, tribulation and anguish." Just as, in a well-ordered state, the doer of evil is pI!llished and the doer of good rewarded, so will it be, only with infallible accuracy, under the government of God.. Now, at first sight, it seems hard to reconcile a judgment according to works with a. justification by faith a.lone; bnt if we will only consider the fruits of justification, in those good works which God bath before ordained that his people should walk in them (cf. Eph. ii. 8-10), we can see that the scheme of grace can yet include a reward proportional to work. Let us grant at once that all the work got out of the believer is divinely prompted, that it is the outcome of grace, nevertheless it has its moral value in the universe of God and deserves reward. Besides, as the judgment-scene in Matt. xxv. shows, the servants that are welcomed and rewarded receive their reward with wonder. Just as magnani- mous minds, when some acknowledgment of their valuable labours is offered, declare it t.o be beyond their deserts, and feel what they declare, so the rewarded well-doer at the Iaat will be the first to acknowledge that the reward rests, not on any absolute merit, but on abounding grace. On the other hand, the evil-doers will acknowledge that the" indignation and wrath, the tribulation and anguish," have been fully earned and richly deserved (cC. Jonathan Edwards's 'Works: Occasional Sermons,' Nos. vii., viii). And if we inquire how those who have died in infancy, and those who have been saved a.s by fire at life's last moments, like the dying robber at the side of Christ, are to fare a.t a judgment based upon works, we have only to reply that their history afi,er death ha.s doubtless attested the gracious Spirit which was given them, and will justify their reception into the joys of eternal life. IV. Goo's JUDGl[E]JT WILL BE WITHOUT RESPECT OF PERSONS. (Ver. 11.) In spe.aking of this reward and punishment according to works, the apostle is careful to note that each will be "to the Jew first, and also to the Greek ("EA'-11v1): for there is no respect of persons (,rpo11-0A.'l'/tla) with God." The reason why the Jew comes first in the order of judgwent is that he ha.s had all along such superior privileges as make hie judgment all the rnore serious matter. If he has not profited by these privileges hie jndgment shall be ol1 the more severe-he shall be beaten truly with many stripes; and ifhe profited., his reward shall be all the more glorioua. The Gentile, or Greek, on the other hand. with nothin" but natural light, sliall find himself judged fairly, although it mw;t r,eede be a. BV.,(Jndary matter under a. beneficent governmcut like God's. For he dooll 11ot accept tht peraons of men. He is not inftuenced in h1a Judgment by cB. 11. 1-29.J THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROM.ANS. 77