The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 354

The Holy Spirit imparts new &ffections, new principles, new desires; encourages to nPw 11-ssociati0ns, and inspires with new aims and hopes. III. AK n.-ui:rcE!,r&?>--r; viz. by following the apostolic instructions the Christian will pr,we what l1'.xi.'s will is. It seems a somewhat singular motive to present, Yet t<' a belie,er in God, it must be a ,ery p,,wcrful motive. The great question which interests men's minds t.o-day is just this-Are there in the universe signs of the presence and. energy, the moral character, and conscious purpose of Deity? Is there, in ~ word, ~uch a thing as God's will? and, if so, what is it? According to the apostle, the consecrated and obedient Christian is in the way to settle this question in his own experience. It seems almost presumptuous to propose the testing of God's will. The boy proYes the calculation he has made with figures; the armourer proves the temper of the gun or sword; the steel-maker, the strength of the spring; the machinist, the resisting power of his boiler. The vessel is sent upon a trial trip; the electrician tries his principle practically in the working of e. railway. So in the moral realm. The apostle bids us "pro,e all things." Still, to speak of proving God's will does seem marrellous, and scarcely reverent. But it must be borne in mind that Paul speaks of that will, not so much as the action of the Divine mind, e.s the Divine law of the human life, of that will to be done on ea.rth as it is in heaven. Now, it is one thing to look at the Divine will as something to be admired e.nd reverenced, and another thing to regard it as something to be done. And by doing it, we, as Christians, prove it; we discover for ourselves what it is, whe.t are its qualities. It is good. The old Greek idea of what., in moral life, is to be sought, was summed up in this word-the good, the truly good, the highest good. This is equivalent to ihe natuxe, expressed in the will, of the Supreme. It is acceptable, or well-pleasing. That is to say, the performance of the Divine will by man is well-pleasing to him who has revealed the law of human life, and who is gratified when his own idea is taken up, and wrought out into practice Tith vigour and sympathy. It is perfect, admitting of no amendment, no censure, no improvement. To attain to it is to reach a moral height above which nothing towers. The connection between the will of God and the consecration and sacrifice commended in the previous verse is obvions. As the apostle elsewhere says, "This is the will of God, e,en your sanctification." Walking as children of the light, we" prove what is acceptable unto the Lord." It is only thus that we show ouxselves to " understand what the will of the Lord is." To understand it as a mere matter of theorv is ,alu.eless and vain. .APPLicATION. L The 'lll,()tive to this new life is to be found in the love and sacrifice of the Redeemer. 2. The power for this new life is to be found in the gracious influences of the Holy Spirit of God. Let this motive have force and sway in your nature; let '11.is power be sought., to control, transform. and renew your life. Vera. 3--5.-Membership in Ohrist. The great principles laid down at the outset of this chapter have to be followed out into practice. Paul shows how consecre.tion and renewal a.re to manifest themselves in actual life, and how the will of God is to be practically proved. In so doing-perhaps b_eca~se he is w:iting ~ ~ C_hurch, and not to an i.ridividual-he first treats of the obligations of socw,l Christ1.amty, and shows how members of a brotherhood o~t to act in their e.ssociation with one another, in their Church-life. Yet he does not lose sight of the fact that a congregation, a com- munity, is composed of individuals; accordini(ly, the message he delivers he delivers expressly to'.' every man that is ~ong yo17" His first caution ~ aga~t self-i:xa}tation and self-praise; his first counsel 1s to un.:ty and mutual cons1derat10n, This 1s very natural; for the early Christians were but few in number, and, being so decidedly distin.,UUlllhed from the world around, they were thrown very much into one another's society, and their Christian life had both the advantages e.nd de.ngers attaching to itB social character. L PRIDE IS OONDElDIED AND IIOBBIETY OF JUDGMENT ENJOINED. 1. Thie was a ~sa,ry CQAJ,tion and admwnition. It is a besetting temptation of human ne.ture to thinii: too highly of ounelves. Men are prone to e:u.ggere.te their own abilities and meriui, and to extenuate their own faults ; and, at the same time, e.lae I to depreciate the gi&i and deaerte of their neighbours, and to magnify their fe.ilings, It ie the infirmity of 11elfuih.ness, of 11elf-importance, of self-glorifice.tion. In old times, tbu on. xu. 1-21.] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS.