The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 352

& !'en~ of the holiness of the Being who was appl'Ollched. All who officiated were to be cer<'monially clean. The substance, of which these symbols were the shadow wna holiness, spiritu11l purity, freedom from iniquity. There is nothing upon which g:Mter !'tress is laid than the reqnirement that every offering to God shall be such as a Being of perfect purity can RCoept. A sprinkled body is not sufficient; a pure heart is the demand of him who is himself the all-holy Lord. 3. And such an offering is well pl-..,·ng to God. This, indeed, may be inferred from a consideration of (rod's moral character 8S a truth-loving and holy <rovernor, who cannot endure dissimulation and hypocrisy. The enlightened among the ancient Hebrews saw clearly enough that ceremonial purity and ritual correctness were not enough to secure Divine acceptance and favour. And none who enters into the teaching of our Saviour, and sympathizes with the spirit of his religion, can fail to discern the necessity of a living and holy sacrifice in order to ple.ase the Searcher of hearts, and satisfy the requirements of Christ. IT. The offering of the Christian is further represented as .a. REASONABLE BEBVIOE ou '\l,OBSHIP. The Revisers ha,e, in the margin, " spiritual." It is a service rendered by the intelligent, reasonable, spiritual part of our nature. Though the body is presented, he presentation of the body is the expression of inner, spiritual worship. For the word means "worship"-" an outward act of religious worship." Worship is'a universal expression of the religious nature of man. The heathen practised their ritual of cere- mony, sacrifice, prayer, adoration; and the Jewish religion imposed an elaborate system of public worship. The superiority of Christian worship is marked. Obedience is the highest and most accepte.ble form of worship which can be offered to Gild. This "reasonable worship " is distinguished from worship that is merely mechanical and formal It is similii.rly distinguished from all substitutionary worship. It is personal, not representative; not by a priest who worships for the congregation, and professes to offer sacrifice as their representative, but by each individual Christian who has bis own tribute to offer, his own service to render. APPLICATION. The language of the text appeals to those who neglect or withhold this sacrifice, this service, and.reproaches them as unreasonable, ungrateful, indefen- sible, disobedient, self-destructive. It urges them to yield what God asks, through Christ, who makes obedience and praise acceptable offerings to God. Ver. 2.-Spi,ritwil transformation. The Apostle Paul was great both in theoretical and in practical thought. Truth and duty were equally bis themes. He could intro- duce new ideas into men's minds, and that with a force which made the ideas part of the minds into which they were introduced. And, at the same time, he could show the bearing of the grande.st ideas upon the commonest actions and the homeliest life. This is a combination of qualities not always found even in the greatest of men. It was found in Paul; and accordingly we go to him for the loftiest representations of Christian truth, for the most elaborate expositions of Christian doctrine, and also for the counsel we need in circumstances of difficulty, and the instructions we need in the development of social and individual life. It was a grand conception, that with which the apostle begins t~e practical part of ~his treat~e. What devout ~ea.rt does _not~ upon having this conception brought before it, burn with an ardent desire to reahze it-to preaent the body, the self, the all, a living and holy sacrifice unto God? But then comes the question-How is it to be done? And, indeed, what is it, precisely and actually which is to be done? The apostle proceeds to show us. And in translating the noble idea of the first verse into the language of practical life, be proceeds wisely and carefully first givin" us the general rule and law, and then drawing out from it the special applic'ation.e in detailed duties of Christian morality. In studying this chapter we must ever and anon revert to the great principles contained in the first ar..d second verses. The principle 1B barren without the precepts; the precepts are lifeless, fla.vour- le111,, and impossible without the princ)ple. The verse contains- L A mssuA.Bio1'; i.e. from confomuty to the world. Human character and life are treated u something to be formed and fashioned. by the _personal will. We are de_o.I t with as bcings responsible for the form and fashion we impart to charaeter and hfo. Tbt ap<..stle does not take it for granted that those Jiving in a ChriBtian community mllft, as a matter c,f cc,urtie a.ILd neceuit1, attain to tho Divine ideal, There is a temp- DlI. xn. 1-21.] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 351