The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 197

the Law of God aft.er the inward man" (ver. 22), That in itself marks him out as a truE' Christian. He takes pleasure in the Divine Word, although it reve&.ls to him the sinfulness of his own heart. He delights in the Law of God, because it shows to him his Fat.her's will. He delights in the Law of God, because it shows to him the ideal of human cha.raoter, the standa.rd of good to wbioh he desires to a.ttain. Here, then, is t.he k>st., the evidence, of a true Christian. When we delight in the Law of God after the inward man, making it our constant study; when we humbly, but with earnest reoolution, set ourselves to obey its precepts; this is evidence of the renewed nature &nd the ~enerate spirit. Do we delight in the Law of God, or do we find God's commands e. burden? Is the sabbath a delight, or is it wearisome? Are the services of God's house a pleasure which we would not miss if it were possible, a pleasure into which we throw all our ce.pacities and energies; or are they a routine form which we go through because we think we must-a kind of cold, uninteresting task, which we are anxious to get over just as soon as possible? And how is it with the duties of the Chrisliian life-with the duty of charity, the duty of forgiveness, the duty of liberality? If yon do not delight in the.se things, then there is much reason to doubt if you are a Christian at all. IL Co~""FLI~ AND OA.PTIVITY. Paul was making an an&.lysis of his own mind. It WBS a complete analysis, and he has left behind a. true record of it. " But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity t.o the law of sin which is in my members" (ver. 23). We know what is right, but we oft.en fail to do it. Probo meUora, deteriora sequor. But some one may say-This conflict with sin and captivity to it were not the experience of a truly regenerate man. Are we not told that "he that is born of God sinneth not"? The previollS stat.emen.t.s of the apostle are an answer to this. He tells us that he delights in the Law of God after the inwa.rd man-a statement which none but a true Christian could make. The fact is, the Apostle Paul was no perfectionist. He did not believe in sinless perfection. Like every true saint of God, the older he grew and the holier he became, the more he felt his own sinfulness. The more he knew of Christ, the less he thooght of self. It was a humbling experience, this conflict with sin and subjection to its power. Yet we are not to suppose that when the apostle said, "When I would do good, evil is present with me," he meant that in every instance when he wanted to do good he was absolutely prevented from e.ccomplishing his purpose, and drawn away intD positive sin by the corruption which still adhered to him. What he means is evidently this-that in all his endeavonm to do the will of God, the power of sin so intafered with his efforts that he could not do anything as he wished to do it; that the power of evil seemed to pervade his whole life, and to taint all his actions, even the best of them. I, not this the experience of every chud of God, Let any one who really loves and fears God, a.nd desires to serve him, form a purpose, any one morning of his life, to repress all sinful influences, and to set such a guard upon feeling, and iemper, and word, and action throughout the day as that there shall be no ea.use for regret or repentance in the evening; and I think it will be found that, if the work of self-examine.tion be faithfully and honestly performed at night, the language of the apostle will accnrat.ely describe the experience of such a one: "I :find a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me." Ill. TmAL .A.liD TBIUXPB. It was a great trial to the apostle, this indwelling preaence and power of sin. Under its power, clinging constantly to him, as the dead body which the ancients used sometimes to fasten to their prisoners, he cried out, "0 wretched man that I am I who shall deliver me from this body of death?" (ver. 24). This very agony of spirit was a further proof that he was a child of God. Had he been an unregenerate man, sin would have been a delight to him, instead of a wearisome a.nd loathsome burden, from which he is anxious to be delivered. Here again is a test whether you an a OhriBtian or not. What are your feelings in regard to 111n? Is it a source of shame and grief to you when you yield to sin? Or do you aee no harm in doing thoee thing11 which God'• Word forbids? Dr. Arnold, of Rugby, once said in that famous school, a11 is recorded in his life, "What I want to see in the school, and what I caonot find, ill abhorrence of evil I always think of the psalm, 'Neither doth h1., abhor that which in evil.'" The true Christian will abhor sin. It le in this sense th&t .. he that is born ;,f God sinncth not "-does not love sin, He wiU look upon It RB cu, vu. 1-25,] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 195