The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 248

tlone I eo Paul himself (2 Oor. xii.) in danger of being "eult.ed above mea,rure." Great depression or o.bo.eement ho.e likewise its perils: rebellion, or deepa.ir. 4. Thi~;s p'T'es~nl end thing, to oome. Boding fears often worse than actual fightings. So we may "die e. thoueo.nd dee.the in fearing one." 6. Any othttr creatwn. The apoetle has been hint- Ing at a new creation, when the trne Paradise shall be restored. But if the former Paradise was so perilous, and this creation now has so many perile, what may not the new creation bring? Bho.ll that separate us from the love of Christ? III. LoVE's TRIUMPH, Shall theee things separate ns from God'e love? Nay, God's love is too strong; and God's gifts, already i;(iven, are too great. And, indeed, those thinge all enter into the working of God's purpose, and therefore cannot break it. :-;;-ay, more: if they enter into the working of that purpose, they shall actually subserve it; and so we shall not only conquer, bnt more than conquer (ver. 28); for that which is o.gainet us shall become for ue, evil shall be transformed to good, our enemies shall become unwitting friends. "More than conquerors I" Of onr entry into life they swell the triumph (illustrate by triumph of Roman generals), and eo an entrance jg ministered to us abundantly into the everlasting kingdom. Let this be our persuasion, our faith; so shall we be strong, and at last we shall realize the victory which ie even now assured.-T. F. L. Vers.1-4.-" No condemnation." This is a glorious beginning to a glorious chapter. As in some great musical work, we can tell its character from the opening ban. The apostle, having been treating some of the darkest human problems, delights to emerge into the brightness of the new condition achieved for our fallen humanity by Chrut Jesus. I. How CLOSE IS THE UNION BETWEEN CmusT A.ND HIS PEOPLE ! The preposition "in" denotes an altered state, men no longer reckoning themselves according to their genealogy from Adam, but as grafted into the stock of Christ. It is not hearing merely of the gospel, but being vitally united to its Author, deriving life from him, as the branches in the vine are nourished by its sap. Or, as the apostle puts it in eh. Tii., we 81'8 "married to" Christ, made "members of his flesh, of his body end of hiB bones." The relationship is effected on God's side by his Spirit, on man's side by repentance and faith. No other religion claims such an intimate association to exist bet;Ween its founder and. its votaries. The union is mystical, but very reaL Christ is onr City of refuge from the avenger, our Ark of salvation, our Haven of peace. "Abide in me" is his cheering counsel to all his disciples. II. IT IB IMPOSSIBLE FOB GOD TO CONDEMN THOSE WHO ABE THUS UNITED TO HIS Sox. This would mean severing himself from the Son of his love. He did conceal his presence from the crucified One, but only for e. season. "God hid his face, but held him by the hand," The Saviour said, "Father, into thy hands," etc. The resurrection W:1S the seal of God's approbation of the Messiah's career. And Christ's people, by their faith in the Redeemer, virtually place his Person and work between themselves and the condemnatory Law. Though metaphors are inadequste, we may assert that justice cannot demand a double payment. If Christ our Representative was accepted end glorified, we may triumphantly await the judgment. 'l'he very "weakness of the flesh" which made the Law unable to condemn sin was compelled, in the inc=tion of Jesus Christ, to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin, which tried to seduce him from holiness, and, failing, wounded him unto death. In the flesh was nn offering made for sin, demonstrating the guilt of human nature, and yet redeeming it from the deserved penalty. As the "hue and cry," or the preparation of the scaffold for the execution of some sentenced wretch, does not alarm the innocent, so the threatenings of the law L1 t sin and death do ilot concern or terrify those who have received the law of the Spirit 1Jf life, We are not saved by understnnding accurately the rotio11ale of th~ pbn of Di,i11c' mercy; but to be able, liko the apostle, to see tho truth gruuuded 011 au adequ,,te fou11b- tion, is to foel our fcot on the grnnito roe\;: which no w:we of wrnth"s sea can shs.k.e. III. 'l'm,: RIGHTEOUSNESS OF LIFE BEOUBED BY UNION WITH CHRIST RENDERS CON- DEMNA'l'ION IMPOSSIDLE. 'l'he apostle ~,.,el\ks strL1ugly of the requiremc11ts of the morn\ law being "fulfillod" in Christinns. l'hoy wnlk 1w !,,ng,'r "nftcr the flesh, but nftc-:· tho Spirit." 'l'hus tho Law seos its oud acc0mplishcd, its gual n•a.:hcd. 'l'ho t\lfoctic'tl, Mo 1ilncod on things abovo, tho tlwughts nro clc:wscd, tho will is submissiv<l t,, th~ 24.6 THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO TB~ ROMANS. [on. vm.1-39.