The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 96

if our unright.eommM! commend the rlghtoousness of God, what she.II we eo.y? Is God unri~hteous who ta.keth vengeo.nce? (I speak &Sa man.) God forbid: for then h0w ~h11.ll God judge the world?" (vers. 5, 6). 1. God judges not consequences, but c:harocler. He looks at the heart and at the motives. The Jews' unbelief we.a over- ruled by God for his own wise and gracious purposes. He brought good out of evil, But that did not ma'k:e their unbelief the less guilty. In the eyes of the lo.w, the guilt of ll fraudulent person is not always estimated by the consequenoes of his acts. A man may forge his employer's signature to cheques; but the employer may receive rmrh information as will enable him to stop the cheques in time, and prevent the loss which would otherwise ha'l""e resulted. But the forp:er's guilt is not diminished because the con11e4uences of his acts have been overruled. The law is not considered unfair or unrighteous if it punishes him, though his employer may not have suffered one penny of pecuniary loss. And even though the criminal's conduct served in some way to bring out more clearly the integrity or kindness of his employer, yet even this would not be regarded as any mitigating circumstance in his guilt. So it is right that I should still be judged as a sinner, even though the truth of God hath abounded through my lie unto his glory (ver. 7). 2. Man is not ;'u.stified in using sinful means to gain a good end. From the fact that God overrules sinful actions for his own glory and the good of humanity, it might appear to be a natural inference that it matters not what the morality of the action itself is so long as its object or result is good. "Let us do evil, that good may come" (ver. 8). Stated in this broad way, the immorality of the principle is apparent. And yet it is a principle which is too commonly acted upon. If you oppose some method of raising money for religions or charitable purposes, you will be constantly told, "Oh! it is for a good purpose." That is, simply, it does not matter 1ww you get the money so as you get it. It does not matter what the means are so long as the end is good. Now, it :is time that the Christian Church and Christian teachers should set themselves resolutely against such demoralizing ideas. How can the Christian Church rebuke the dishonest practices too common in the com- mercial world, money-making by unfair or questionable methods, so long as its own hands are not clean, so long as almost any method of making money is considered justifiable if it is in connection with a Church bazaar? The end does not justify the means. Let us not do evil, that good may come.-C. H. L Vers. 9-18.-Total depra'IJity of kuman nature. Here we have a dark picture of human nature in its fallen and unregenerate state. (The Bible view of human nature is more fully enlarged on below, on vere. 21-26.) Here the apostle, as it were, calls up before him the different parts of human nature, and obtains from each of them an admission and an evidence of the moral corruption with which they are tainted. "My C01l8Cienoe bath a thousand several tongue&, And every tongue brings in a different tale, ; And every tale convicts me for a villain. All several sins, all UBed in each degree, Throng to the bar, crying all-Guilty I guilty I" L A DEPBAVED m:ABT. "There is no fea.r of God before their eyes" (ver. 18). There ill no motive-power to regulate the life. There is no reverence for God's Law within their Bpirit. There is no fear of offending the great Judge. There is no filial fear of grieving the heavenly Father. The conscience and heart have become seared and blunted. Remove the fear of God from heart and conscience, and what influence remains to check evil pusions and to reset the insidious allurements of temptation? " The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ; and to depart from evil is under- standing." II. A. DEPB.AVED trliDEBBTABDDTG. "There is none that understandeth" (ver. 11). It is fashionable in some circles to speak as if it was a sign of weak intellect to be a Christian, to believe in the Bible, or to regard with reverence the Law of God. Yet lllll!uredly it may be claimed without any presumption or prejudice that there has been at lc:a.st as much of the world's best intellect arrayed on the side of Ohristlanity u Oil die aide of ite opponeot.e. If there be credulity &Dywhere, there ia credulit7 dlapla7ecl C!J. ur.1-31.J TllE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TRE ROMANS 91