The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 150

ho.vo poo.oe." 1, The natwre o/J?_eace toward God. (1) A quiet mind in view of God's new relo.tion to us in Christ. (2) A calm assurance of God's help in all our grr,wth nnd fight with sin. (3) A confidence that all our relations to tbe world shall be rightly ordered by him. 2. Tlie grounds of peace toward God. "Through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1) Wo have found favour through him (ver.2). (2) We live through him. (3) We and'. our interests are controlled and governed by him. So then peace in all things toward God, by reason of the great mediation between God a~d me~. II. GLORYING, It is much to have peace ; a quiet heart; freedom from all fear of evil. But it is better to have joy; an eager heart; the exultant anticipation of all good. This joy is ours-a hope of the glory of God. 1. The hope of glory. Called God's glory. Because he, the Perfect One, is perfectly blessed. And as we approxi- mate towards his holiness, we shall approximate towards his happiness. He is enswathed in light ; he is leading us into light. "The glory of God." More than imagination can conceive or heart desire, he is preparing for them that love him. 2. The joy of the hope. The brightness already irradiates us; the new life bonnds in our veins. What vigour and hopefulness this lends to the doing of duties now : We are the heirs of a boundless future. What power to ignore the imperfectness and despair of life I Despair? with such a hope? "Let us rejoice! " Are we justified? Then it is our privilege to have peace and joy. What God has done, is doing for us. It is our duty also; for then what may we do for God-!- T. F. L. Vere. 3-5.-Vi.e joy of tribulation. Paul has taught us that peace, nay glorying, may be ours, though this be a world of trial. He now teaches that we may glory in the very trials themselves. And this teaching he enforces by a chain of arguments. In other words, he taught in the previous verses that we are conquerors; now he teaches that we are "more than conquerors." L TRIBULATION WOBXETH PATIENCE. No character can be truly formed without the opportunity of endurance; we must learn to resist. Tribulation affords this oppor- tunity ; it calls us to resist. II. PATIENCE WOBKETII PROBATION. Or, as the word means literally, "triedness." We must be as the genuine metal, which rings true. This can only be, in the case of character, as we have become true, III. PROBATION WOBKBTII HOPE, Triedness works hope in a double sense: the tested strength we have warrants confidence; and past triumphs are pledges of future. So a veteran soldier, by reason of victories that he has won, and because he is a veteran, looks forward to future victory. IV. HOPE PUTTETII NOT TO SIIAME, The hope of victories to come is merged in the great hope of the crowning victory, the standing approved in God's presence at last. But shall this be? Axe we not most unfit for such a presence? And may we not, therefore, when we confront him at last, confront his wrath? So would our hopes belie themselves, and by them we should be put to shame I Nay, but this =not be. For is not all the spiritual education, upon which partly we build our hope, an educa- tion of God? Does not he mercifully suffer tribulation to befall us, that we may endure? and that, enduring, we may be approved ? and that, being approved, we may have hope? This hope is of him. But, beyond all this, does not he himself now a._ssure us of his love? Is it not shown to us by the Spirit, which searcheth all thin,,,~ yea, the deep things of God? Nay, is it not transfused through all our nature, "shed abroad" by th«r Spirit given to us? Yes, truly, all our consciousness pulsates with the assurance of the tender mercy of our God ; all the voices of our experience say to us," God loves you." And Cl\n such a hope be put to shame? Never, while God's Word lasts I God is eduoo.ting us ; but in and through ell, and above all, God loves us ! Let us hold fo.st to this blossed fact. While yielding to the discipline, let us at the same time hold his hand, and be strong in hie mighty love.-'1'. F. L. Vora. ~.-The gr«JI love. The realization of the love of God in the Christian ooneoiousneee ls the crowning Ohristian evidenoe; 1md i \ is the work of God him:self' by his Spirit. But an historioal fact is used by the Spirit of God RS the iustrumentality ~~n L  THE EPISTLE OF PAUL .'l'O 'l'HE ROMANS. [on. v, 1-21.