The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 466

Such pPaoe presupposes conflict. War with cl'il, until evil is vanquished, dethroned and silent; and then peace, and only then ;-such is the principle of the gospel, such is the purpose of God, such is the law of the Chiistian's life. Divine pooce is pure and sincere and lasting. Remember that word of our Lord Jesus," I am not come to eend peace, but a sword." III. TBB RESISTANCE AND THE VICTORY. Here we are, as Christians, members of the Church militam. But Christ is the Captain of our salvation ; and the language of the apostle implies tbat, through the might and grace of our Leader, we shall conquer in the holy war. Christ is the Victor, who has conquered/or us. The history of our Sanour's earthly career is a history of conflict. The ministry of the Redeemer was a struggle with the prince of darkness. Witn&ls his temptation, in which he encountered the foe in various guises, and ever vanquished his adversary and ours by the "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Witness the crisis of his humili- ation and suffering: "This is your hour, and the power of darkness." Yet in that crisis the Lord Jesus beheld Satan as lightning O&St from heaven, and he spoiled prin- cipalities and powers, making a show of them openly. Then was fulfilled the promise, "The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." Christ is the Victor, who conquers in us. For it is in our own hearts that the real conflict is waged, that the true victory must be won. By the cross of Christ, through the presence and strengthen- ing of the Spirit of Christ, the soldier who follows his Captain must come to share the Captain's triumph. He himself has promised that it shall be so. In his humiliation he encouraged his disciples, saying, "Be of good cheer; I haTe overcome the world." From his glory he cheers them on, saying, " He that overcometh shall sH down with me in my throne." The individual Christian shall, by Divine grace, be victorious over the tempter who is the foe of his soul. He shall not yield to the blandishments or fall before the onsets of Sat.an; he shall learn submission to God's will without mur- muring; he shall serve without fainting; he shall rebuke without harshness; _he shall trust without donbting. The world shall have less hold upon his affections, and heaven shall have more power to attract and charm. "We are more than conquerors through him that loved us." The Church, too, sb&ll go, with the Lord himself, from conquest to conquest.. It shall shake off dependence upon earthly and carnal weapons ; it shall learn the hard lesson of charity; its pity shall be practical, and its purity shall be glorious; and it shall realize the picture painted by the glowing imagination of the inspired artist. IV. THE CHAB.ACTEB AND THB TIME OF TBIUlilPH. On these points the text is espe- cially explicit. God shall "bruise Satan under your feet." From this it appears that the victory shall be complete. Human wisdom is prone to pronounce this impossible, and represents the moral conflict as one most uncertain in its issues, in which the advantage seems now to be with this party, and anon with that. And so far as this life is concerned, we have no reason to believe that we shall reach a position from which we look down and back upon the battle-field, as those superior to Satan's assault.s, delivered altogether from danger and from fear. Yet here we have au 888ura.nc.e of complete and lasting victory. If Satan is to be bruised beneath our feet, that implies that he shall be crushed. The figurative language depicts a. conqueror, with his foe at his mercy, possessing no further power fo: resistance and mischi~f.. "Is it possible " you ask, who have wrestled long and hard with the foe of souls-'' 1s 1t pos- sible that; over such an adversary, so feeble a. soldier of righteousness as I shall ever triumph? " Here is the answer : " They overcame the accuser of the brethren by the blood of the Lamb." Nor have you long to wait; for this shall happen "shortly." The strife is fierce, but it shall not be protracted. When your fidelity is tried and proved, the power of the enemy shall be crippled, and he himself shall be thrust down, lllld you shall have the crown of life. " 'Tia but a little while, And he shall come ago.in, Who died that we might live, who lives That wa with him may reign I" Ven. 25-27.-.4 ovmpreheruive <1,(w)logy. It baa often been noticed that the thoughts of the Apostle Paul ruahed with such swiftness through hie mind that they on. xvi. 1-27.J 'l'HE EPI8'l'LE OF PAUL TO THE RO;\,IANS.