The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 203

v.retebed man," eto.l Some have been l!O shocked as to call this a miserable ohapter, and_ ha...-e shifted the difficulty by pusing it on one aide. Others have adopted the nohon that he is here deecribing, not hie actual state, but the condltlon of an unregenerat.e man such as he wa.s once. Yet the expression of the preceding verse, "I delight in the Law of God," and the change of tense from the past to the present after the ~hirteenth verse, indioate that we have here a vivid description of the struggle that oontinues, though with better success, even iu the Christian who is juatified, but not wholly aanctified, whilst he is imprisoned in this "body of death." L lNQUIBJ! KOBE CLOSELY [ls"'I'O THE GROUND OF TBD :CXOLAMATION. What is it of which such grievons complaint is made? He appeals for aid against a strong foe whose grasp is on his throat. The eyes of the warrior grow dim, his heart is faint, and, fearful of utter defeat; he cries, " Who will deliver rue ? " We may explain "the body of this death " as meaning this mortal body, the coffin of the soul, the seat and instrument of sin. Bat the apostle includes still more in the phrase. It denotes sin itself, this ca.rnal Dl8S8, all the imperfections, the corrupt and evil passions of the soul. It is a body of death, becaUBe it tends to death; it infects us, and brings us down to death. The old man tries to strangle the new man, and, unlike the infant Hercules, the Christian is in danger of being overcome by the snakes that attack his feebleness. How aflli.cting to one who loves God and desires to do his will, to find himself thwarted at every tnrn, and that to succeed means a desperate conflict I Attainments in the Divine life are not reached without a straggle, and non-success is not simply imper- fection; it is failure, defeat, sin gaining the mastery. This evil is grievous because it i.s so near and so «mstant. The man is chained to a dead body. Where we go our enemy accompanies us, ever ready to assault us, especially when we are at a disadvan- tage from fatigue or delusive security. Distant evils might be borne with some measure of equanimity; we might have a signal of their approach, and be prepared, and hope that., after a sharp bout, they would retire. But like a sick man tormented with a diseased frame. so the "law of sin in the members n manifests its force and uniform hostility in every place. IL DEBIVE OONSOLA.TIOll FBOM THE EXOLAl,liTION ITSELF-from the fact of its utter- ance, its vehemency, etc. 1. Such a cry indicate.s the 6tirrings of Divine life within the saul. The man must be visited with God's grace who is thus conscious of his spiritual natnre., and of a }onging to shake off his unworthy bondage to evil. It may be the beginning of better things if the impression be yielded to. Do not quit the fight, lest you become like men who have been temporarily aroused and warned, and have made vows of reformation. and then returned to their old apathy and sleep in sin. And this attitude of watchfulness should never be abandoned during your whole career. 2. The intensity of the cry discovers a thor01l,{Jh hatre.d of sin and a thirst after Jwl,in£88. It is a passionate outburst revealing the central depths. Such a disclosure is not fit for all scenes and times; the conflict of the soul is too solemn to be profaned by casual spectat.ora. Yet what a mark of a renewed nature is here displayed I What loathing of corra.ption. as offensive to the spiritual sense I Sin may still clog the feet of the Christian and IRlmetimes cause him to stumble, but he is never satisfied with such a condition, and calls aloud for aid. Would that this sense of the enormity of lin were more prevalent; that, like a speck of dust in the eye, there could be no ease till it be removed) Bin is a foreign body, a disturbing element, an intruder. 3. There u comfort in the "'BT1J conviction of helplessness. The apostle sums up hie experience as if to AY, "My human purposes come to no"?ght. Between my will ~nd the per- formance there is a sad hiatus. I find no help m myself." A lesson which ho.s to be learnt ere we really cry for a Deliverer, and value the Saviour's intervention. Peter, by his threefold denial, was taught his weakness, and then came the command, "'Feed my lambs." We are not prepared for service in the kingdom until we confesa our dependence on superhuman succour. ill THE CBT ADIUT8 a, A SATISFAC7l'OBY ANBWEB, A Liberator bas been found, ec, that the apostle is not in despair; he adde, "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord." (JJ,,,-ig assurned wr body of death, crucified it, ®d glorified it. 'l'hus h& "condemned sin in the fleeb." He bruised the Berpcnt's head. Since our Leiuier has conquered., we shall share hie triumph. He quic!ten8 and su11tains his followers !Jy hi, Bpi,nt. Stronger is he who is for WI than all against ua. His grace is the antidoto to OIL vrr. 1-26,] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE 'ROMANS. 201