The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 223

e,idenre of life. It is by the Spirit of life thl\t this result is to bo effected-by tho Spirit <1f life working in the bee.rt, and changing the character into the likeness of t.he Lord, and I\Ssisting to oonquer sin, to resist Sa.tan, to a.cquire a 'character cougenio.1 and akin to Christ's. This is the Holy Spirit's choicest, holiest work; to foster and promote the spiritual life, that it may be growingly vigorous and fruitful, to the pmise .an,1 glor~ of the ever-livin~ God. And it is the office of the same Spirit to revive tho life that 1s feeble and sluggish. If, by negligence and sloth, the Christian has become rold to spiritual realities, and is not living in constant communion with the Unseen, there is but one power that can reanimate the slumbering soul, that can again enkindle the dying flame of devotion, that can save from selfishness and worldliness, that can make a man truly li,e unt-0 God. Re-nva.J. presumes that life is already in existence, but is, as it were, in abeyance or in a dormant state. In the use of divinely appointed means this condition may be escaped, this~ mischief may be remedied; but the power that alone can acoomplish this good work is the power of the Holy Spirit of God, It is the Spirit that awakens first to the sense of deadness, so to speak, and then leads to the employment of those means by which the soul can be reanimated and refreshed, A little reflection will show that only the same Spirit can perfect life in immortality, The life which is awakened by this Di vine agency is a life which knows no death. The change "hich passes upon the body at its dissolution does not affect the spiritual life; for this, begun in time, is perfected in eternity. "The Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken yonr mortal bodies." In the resurrection of the Lord Jesus we ha,e the pledge and earnest of a blessed immortality. "We through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith;" "Ye were sealed with that Holy ~pirit of promise, which is the Earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory;" "Now the God of hope fill you '\\itb all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." T"ers. 15, 16.-The Spirit readve.d by Ohristwns. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God to his people in Christ-" the promise of the Father;" the Comforter whose advent was foretold by Christ, accompanying Divine truth, and characterizing the new dispensation of God's mercy and love. In this passage the Spirit is mentioned, not so much as the Gift of God, as in the aspects he assumes in the conscious experience of God's people. L THE HoLY SPIBIT lB THE SPIBIT OF LIBERTY. Man in a state of sin is under bondage to the Law, to sin, to fear, and slavishness. But by the emancipating power of the Spirit, the disciple and friend of the Divine Saviour is set at liberty, is freed from the dominion of sin, from the trammels of the world, from the inner bondage of fear and distrnst. He posse.sees "the glorious liberty of the sons of God." IL THE HoLY SPIBIT lB THE SPIRIT OF ADOPTION. This is indeed a marvellous truth, a marvellous privilege. All mankind are the creatures of Divine power, and it is in this sense the poet affirmed, "We are all his offspring." The reflective man perceives that in a higher sense we are children of God, inasmuch as our reason and co.iscience are the reflection of the Divine nature. But it was reserved for Christianity, as the highest form of revelation, t-0 introduce the conception of man's spiritual sonship ln JesUE Christ. The establishment of this relation is a proof of God's condescending kindness. " Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God I " Here is no question of a merely external relationship; a change of heart, of character, of life, ie here implied. Where this relation is realized, the cry, "Abba, Father I " ascends from the affectionate and filial heart. IIL THE HoLY SPIRIT IB TRE SPIRIT OF WITNESS. Tho personality of tho Spirit is compatible with the personality of the human recipient of his blessed influences. '!'here is a unity, and yet a diversity. God's Spirit is in contact with the spirit of Chri6t's disciple, and witnesses with it, assures of Divine favour and fatherhood. Tho W urd i.s revealed to the soul; the soul is enlightened to apprehend the WorJ ; tho tr_uth iE realized., the privil1:ge appropriated; the reepo11se ia rcnd~rcd. 'l'hc sa~e Spirit g_1~es puwer t/J the Word ar,d receptiveness to the b<iart, and bnnga the two 1nto oxqu:s1te Eymr,a~Ly and harmony. And thiB witneE& is effected, not by a vision or a voice, not l,y far,cy or enthu~iagm, but by Divine, conclusive evidence, 'l'he Spirit of truth aud on, vm. 1-39,J THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 221