The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 372

,ery c\ueless in regnrd to the spiritual instruction of their children. Let us not boar the world's likC'ness. "Come ye out from among them, and be yo separate;" "Bo not conformed t-o this world." II. LIKE:S-El'S TO Goo. "But be yo t.rangformed by the renewing of your mind." 1. Th,~. ,s the way to drive out W·eness f.o the tl'orld. Likeness to God will exclude likeness to the world. The more desire we have for God, tho loss wo shall have for the world; the more we think of the soul, the less we shall be anxious about tho body; the more we think of eternity, the less we shall think of this present world; the m0re we think of the judgmcnt of God, the less we shall think of the judgment of men. :!. The first step is the renewing of your mind. An external influence is here implied. We cannot renew our own minds. " Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This is rightly called the saving change. 'l'o experience this change is the starting-point of the Christian life. It is to pass from death to life. Old things pass away; all things become new. There is a new way of looking at things. Things which we once took pleasure in have no attraction for us now; duties which we once thought irksome now become our delight. This is the result of the Holy Spirit working in us, producing in us likeness to God, transform- ing us into his image, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Jesus Christ. 3. Thi.s transformation will soon affect your whole life. (1) It will affect your business. You will no longer regard your business dealings from the merely worldly, but from the Christian standpoint. Your question will not be merely-Will it pay? but-Is it right? (2) lt will affect your companionsliips. The question will be, not-Are they pleasant? but-Are they pleasing to God? are they helpful to my spiritual li:"e? (3) le will affect your amusements. The question will be, not -May I? but-Ought I? Not-Is there any harm in this? but-ls there any good in it? Is it the way in which I would enjoy myself if I knew that I was to die to- morrow? When Achilles Daunt, late Dean of Cork, was a student at Trinity College, Dnblin, be was passionately fond of the drama, and used to go often to the theatre. One e,ening, after coming home and taking up his Bible for his usual evening reading -feeling that the scenes he had just witnessed made it a little irksome to do so-his eye lit on our Lord's words, " He that is not with me is against me.'' 'l'he passage seemed to seize him with an iron grip. He then and there battled out the matter with his own he.art, and did not rise from his knees till he had.resolved to dedicate himself to the Lord. to take his stand boldly as his servant, and never again to enter a theatre. 4. Thu transformation is to be d,eveloped by living near to God. Prayer, and the study of God's Word, are the means of obtaining this likeness to God. It is note- worthy that the same Greek word which is here translated "transformed" is the word which is mied to describe the transfiguration of Christ: " And he was transfigured before them." And when did Christ's transfiguration come to him? When he was on the mountain-top in prayer. "And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering" (Luke ix. 29). Prayer is the nue transformation, the true transfiguration, of the soul. Thus here on earth we shall reflect in some measure the image of God until we reach tha.t land where " we shall ba like him, for we shall see him as he is."-C. H. I. Vere. 3-8.-Divenity and T/111,ity in the <Jhurch of Ohriat. The subject of union among the various branches of the Church of Christ is one to which much attention has of late years been turned. The efforts of the Evangelical Alliance bave been largely directed to secure a more brotherly relationship and more hearty co-operation between the different denominations of Christiane. Some Christians desire an organic union of all sections of the Church, but the passage before us indicates that there may be outward diversity alon" with inward and real unity. L D1VEBBI;Y AND UNITY Il!I' THE BODY. "We have many members in one body, aod all members have not the same office'' (ver. 4). There we have diveraity. What diversity there is between the organs of hearing and seeing, tasting and touching, speaking aod smelling I What a _complex organism is that of he~rt and, brai~, and veins and arteries, and nerves and s10ews I Yet ,here too we have wnity. 'Ihere 1s one body. One life throbs in all the part8. Il. D1VElibITY AND UNITY DT THE Cuoncr.c. "So wo, being many, aro one bodf CH, xn.1-21.] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 371