The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 151

0f his "wk 0f love; and it is beoause we believe in the fact that wo realize the love which gi,es us such a blessed life. Yes," God commendoth his love towo.rd us;" and 1hc> gmn fnct of commendation is this, "Christ died for us." 1. THE LOn:. We may never forget that it was because God loved us we wore sa,ed. The originating impulse t-0 salvation was in him. ,vrath and love were mingled, but the 10,e strove so to act that the wrath should be put away. 'l'he claims of ~ighte,,nsness on aocount of sins that were past were strong; but what if, by & supreme o-elf-s..'lcrific-e, he himself should meet those claims? Even so it was; thus God's love w,,rket.b all in all. ll. Tm;: SELF-SACRIFICE. Some object to the doctrine of a vicarious atonement, tbo.t to punish the innocent for the guilty is not just. But here we behold God himself ,tooping to death for man I And may not love make such a sacrifice? Nay, this is the only sacrifice which true love can make--to sacrifice itself. "God commendeth hia own love toward us, in that Christ died for us." The son of a father, dearer than self: Abraham; William Tell. But such illustrations utterly fail; for God's Son is indis- solubly One with him-the Communication of himself. IIL THE SACRIFICE FOR SINNERS. Such love the great prototype of all self-sac1i.ficing human lo,e. There may be the sacrifice of husband for wife, of mother for child. But this, in a sense, is self for self; God's was God for man. There may be more disinterested sacrifice: subje.ct for monarch, friend for friend. Yes, there may be self- sacrifice e,en unto death "for a righteous man," "for the good man "--there may be: "peradventure," "scarcely." But God's love--for the weak, for the ungodly, for sinners ! For such as were averse from himself, transgressing the laws of holiness, impotent to att.empt or desire the good-for snch he died! A love which not merely pitied the .ictims of weakness, but gave itself for those who were most repulsive in t:ieir love of sin, most unblushing in their hate of God: herein is love indeed I And >Xh was his lo,e to us, in Christ. • Onr faith in him, then, must be a faith which shall never let go its hold, which sb.all trnst unto the uttermost. Also, our love must be a reflex of his. Even for those who are most distasteful in their sin, a redeeming love must be felt and shown......; T. F.L. Vera. 9-lL-The assurance of redemption. But what an argument of aesurance is such a love I If the love itself works hope, how does this assured love work an assured hope! It is an af orliori of the strongest kind. L THE REOONCILliTION. 1. We were enemies. God was opposed to us; we were opposed to God. Something terribly real in this twofold opposition. We know its reality on onr side; conscience, nature, revelation testify to its reality on God's side. The wrath of God. 2. Ghrist died for us. Justifying WI by his blood, reconciling ue to God through his death. The great demonstration of righteousness; the Divine concession to its claims. Also a great demonstration oflove ; the Di vine provision for its claims. Yes; God sacrificing himself for man. 3. We are reconciled. God's love h.aB free course now through Christ ; our love is won for God in Christ. So then peace, amity, mutual love; identification in Christ I "Behold, what manner of love," eto, (1 Joim iiL 1). Il. THE BEJOIClliG. A reversion to argument with which chapter opened, and which is more or less maintained through all thelle verses. We look forward and fear. Nay, says the apostle, ~-k to the past; _think how grea_t things God hath done_ for you; think of the conditwns under which all that deliverance was wrought. And now cuntraat: see conditions of present salvation, and be glad as you look to the future, a1111ured that your salvation shall be unto the uttermost. Follow the a fortiori. 1. Not eMmiu, but frienda. Wbat we were I But he loved ue then, laid down hie life for us then. What we are I how much more shall ho save us now I "Thou art mine!" 2. Not hia death, but his Ufe. Two sides of Christ's saving work. Think of the suffering and d8'1th : that did so much I Think of tho exaltation and life : how much shall not that do I 3. Not only reconciled, but rejoicing. The new-found love ; tht living Fmr,d. Let 1lll take this Divine "much more" into all our life. The dark background of rd.el.lilm and deatL; the present love and life: much moro I 'fhc overcoming of th~, ou. v.1-21.J THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO 'fHE ROMANS 147