The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 279

it so. And if you te.ke the doctrine of blood out of the Bible, how much of it have you loft? Wae it not the shedding of blood that was the feature of Abel's RaCrifice which, because it foreshadowed the need of e.n atonement for Bin, was preferred to that of Cain, in which there we.s no recognition of guilt or unworthiness? The lamb which God himself provided for a burnt offering in lieu of Abraham's intended sacrifice ; the lamb slain, and the blood sprinkled on the door-posts of the Israelites in Egypt. the so.orificio.l offerings of the Mosaic Lo.w ;-were not all these but types, pointina ~ the great Sacrifice, and teaching the children of Israel their need for his atonement? Bat those who accept Christ as e. great Teacher, and reject the doctrine of his atonement, are hardly consistent. It seems incredible how any one can accept the gospel narra- tive of Christ's own teaching, without believing that he taught that his death was a sacrifice. Just immediately after he entered on his ministry, he permitted John the Baptist to say of him, "Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." He himself said, " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, bnt have eternal life." Such words plainly convey that not only would there be the power of a good example in the life of Christ, but that there would be a Maling, saving power in his death when he was lifted up upon the cross. He speaks of laying down his life for the sheep; and when he instituted the Lord's Supper, he clearly indicated. that hie sufferings on the cross were to be the leading thought in that commemoration, e.nd that those sufferings were endured on behalf of bis people. "This is my body, broken for you; " "This cup is the new testament in my blood, shed for the remission of sins.n If men stumble at the cross, they stumble at the very threshold of the gospel. "Without the shedding of blood is no remission." If men find a difficulty in the cross, they find a difficulty in the most convincing evidence given to men of God's love for the world and of the desire of Jesus Christ for their salvation. "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." Instead o/ stumbling at it, let me ding to it, let me live under its power. "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us who a.re saved it is the power of God." II. THEBE ABE SOME THINGS IN THEMSELVES WHICH CA.USE MEN TO BTinIBLE AT CHRIST, 1. Ohrist ·is a Stumbling-block to human pride. If we are to be saved by Jesus Christ, then vte must confess ourselves to be guilty sinners, we must lay a.side all trust in e.ny merit of our own, all hope of heaven because of our own good works. This is e. stumbling-block to many. Penances are no stumbling-block. Men will freely inflict on themselves Castings o.nd bodily sufferings, to purchase for themselves, as they thin.k, the pardon of their sins and the hope of heaven ; but simply to accept the salvation provided by Jesus Christ-when they are asked to do this, they hesitate, they raise diffi- culties, they entertain doubts. God's wo.y of so.lvo.tion is too simple for many. If he would bid us do "some great thing " we would gladly do it. Here, ~cr:i.in, is it not pie.in that such e. cause of stumbling is unreasonable? If I will not take God's way of getting to heaven, how can I expect to get there by any other? And if there could be any other wo.y, what necessity was there for God to give up his own Son to death for us all? 2. Christ is a Stumbling-block to human sins. Many would like to get to heaven, but they do not like to give up their sins. Many are inclined to ask, "lfay one be pardoned, o.nd retain the offence? " How unreasonable to choose e. few hours of sin and to destroy both body o.nd soul, rather than to follow that Sa,iour whose service is perfect pence, nnd nt whose right hnnd are plensures for e,ermore 1 3. Ch,-ist is a Stumbling-block to human selfishness. Many who are not the slaves of g!'O<,..'t'r sins are nevertheless the slaves of worldliness and self. They fuar that Christ':; service would be too much of a restrnint upon them. They know that they cannot serve G,.,d and mnmmon. Their conscience tells them that if they would be conformed to this world and imitate the oustoms and fashions of those around them, they must violate the precepts nnd incur the displensure of Christ. And so they make their choice, like Esau, who fur ono morsol of meat sold his birthright. They 1\ro not pr,'pared for the service of him who said, "If nny mnn will come nfter mo, let him ,kuy himself, nnJ. tako up his cross dnily, nnd follow mo." Ilut how great is the loss of those who for a111 of these reasons reject Christ 1-C. H. L  278 THE EPI8TLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. [on. 1x. 1-88.