The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 376

Such, then, are the Christian's duties to himself. Diligence. El\rncstness. Ro\igious spirit. Hopefulness. Patience. Prayerfulness. Let us cultivate them.-0. H, I. Ver. 21.-7"e Ohristian'11 assumnce and tM Christian's duty. "Be not overcome of en!, but o'\"ercome evil with good." There is a great danger to the spiritual life of mirny, which arises from underraluing t.he power of sin. But there is another danger. It is the danger of thinking too much of the power of evil. A Christian may be over- come by evil, not because he thinks too little of it, but because he thinks so muob of its power that he regards the struggle as hopeless, and gives up striving against it. Ae,'ll.inst this spirit of pessimism or despondency the exhortation of this verse ls well fit.tea to fortifr us. I. THE CHBISTIAN's ASSURANCE. When the apostle says, "Overcome evil with good," he implies that tM good hlu power to overco11Ul tM evil. He implies even more tllan this; he implies that tM good, as manife$ted and practised by tM Ohristian, will prove a sufficient weapon with which to vanquish the forces of sin. It is not merely that the good, in some general or abstract sense, will overcome the evil, but that you Christians, men and women, flesh and blood though you be, may overcome the evil by the good which you can exhibit aud exercise. Is not this something worth ba'l"ing the assurance of? Is not this something worth living for? My life, if it be a good one, shall not then be in vain. Humble though my position, my talents, my ioftuence, I may, nevertheless, be a part of the Divine power against evil, a labourer together with God, and a partaker of the great and final triumph of righteousness over sin. This is faith in Jesus Christ in its practical side. In ourselves we could not -ranqn.ish sin. But we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us. This is the Christian's assurance. Ever afraid of evil, yet never afraid of it. Ever on the wat.ch a,,,aainst sin, yet never disheartened by its power. Ever distrustful of self, yet never distrustful of God, never wavering in our confidence that when God is on our side sn.ccess and vict.ory a.re sure. If men bad only this trust in God, they would never tr&n~"Tess his law to obtain a temporal blessing or a temporary success. They would not be so impatient to vindicat.e themselves. Committing their character and their ea.use into God's hands, they won.Id not be so ready to revenge themselves on those who do them injury or wrong. Let this, then, be on.r confidence, that tM good is always be:tter than tM ef1iJ.; that it ill always best to do tM right, no matter how hard it may be ; and that tM day is coming WMn evil, shall be entirely vanquisMd and overthrown, and righteoulmal Nll1ll pr,:r,aiJ, throughout tM r,arth. " Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cw; down like the grass, and wither e.s the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good . . . . Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust al.so in him; and he shall bring it to pass." II. THE CmusTUB's DUTY. "Be '.not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." Not only is there a warfare between the evil and the good, a warfare which shall ultimat.ely result in the triumph of what is good; but it is the duty of every Christian to ta.ke pa.rt in that warfare. This duty applies first to his own character and life. The best way to drive out evil thoughts, evil passions, is to fill your mind with what is good. Seek the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Be filled with all the fulness of God. Let your thoughts be much occupied with the precepts and promises of God's Word, and then sin will not easily gain dominion over you. Those who occupy their days with all the good they may do will not have time to think of what things they may not do. The same rule of duty holds good in regard to others, in our relations to th.e world without us. When evil things are said of us, when unkind or angry words are spoken to us, it is hard not t.o feel provoked, it is hard not to answer back, it is hard to ke.ep down the desire for revenge. But here again we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us. Divine grace can wonderfully restrain such tendencies of our human nature. To feel anger, or to exhibit anger in such a case, is to be "over- come of evil" To look upwards for help, and in the strength of Divine grace to restrain our anger-this is to "overcome evil with good." To crucify the flesh, this is the Christian's work. Thie t.o so show that Cbriat ii! our Life, when we try to a.et as h1:1 would have acted, and speak ae he would have spoken. Christians may overcome the evil in the world both by being good and by dovng good. By being good, For every con- llistent Chr.il!tian lae tellil upou the world. It is a light shining in the da.rknee~. It. Olt, itn.1-21.] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 875