The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 472

door, bocoming indeed but an appanage of Judaic Christianity, A yet baser aitn as wo learn here, and from 2 Oor. xi. ~ and Phil. iii.,2, 19, was their own sensual aggr~ndize- ment: they served their own belly. They would come to Rome, for they poeeoseod truly a missionary zeal, without missionary love ; they would come to Rome, ·and "their smooth an<l fair speech" might easily "beguile the hearts' of the innocient," That these presentiments were sadly fulfilled, we learn from Phil. i. 16-17, nud over t-hese false t<'achers he weeps, as he tells us, in Phil. iii. 18, 19. Whnt was to be the atU- tude and action of the Romans? The prescription was e. simple one: they could tell from their observance of other Churches the fruit of their teaching, vie;. "divisions and occasions of stumbling," and by their fruits they were to know them. And knowing; them ? to " tum from them." '.l'here was to be no parleying, no disputation ; the bird was not to cat.eh the glare of the serpent's eye, lest it be fascinated and drawn into the jaws of de.ath ! ",Vise unto that which is ~od" they might be, using their powers of thought to advance themselves in all well-doing. But "simple unto that whioh is evil;" for any argumentation here is fatal, and a strong, sharp, unhesitating stroke is needed, that shall sunder us for ever from the deadly peril. Such was to be their notion : an absolute avoidance of him who was obviously, at first sight, Satan, but who, if they nlrried to gaze and hearken, might soon be "transformed into an angel of light" ~~ri~ • IL Tm: PROMISE. Wbat I was he against them? Yes, the great foe. They well might tremble. But there was a greater One for. them, even God himself; and. the ancient promise of Gen. iii. 15 should be fulfilled to them, if they had faith in God. " The God of peace," who will conserve the harmony of his people, and the peace of the believer's heart, if there be faith in him; who caii control all the confusions and malice of his foes, to work out his designs of good-he shall soon bruise Satan under them! The battle now may seem long, but when we look back from the heights of our triumph, it will be "but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.n Then "Fight, nor think the battle long; Soon shall viotory tune your song I " And meanwhile, "The grace of our Lord Jesua Christ be with you."-T, F. L. Vers. 25-27.-Tlul final eommendatiO'fl,. The :final commendation, •left: imperfect as regards mere form ; but hearts were full, his and theirs, and full hearts do not utter all they feeL "I commend you "-so in Acts xx. 32. But they will understand his meaning. without the utterance of the words, and he need but point upwards; e.nd say, "'To him," etc. Shall we reverently gaze on this prayer of an apostle's·full !heart? ·Bo we note-the power. of God; the principles of ~he exercise of God'~ ;power;• the glad committal to that W1Be power through Jesus Christ. ., •• , 1 • L God was "able to stablish" them. Paul had expressed the desire in eh. t. 11 to impart to them some spiritns.l gift, that they might be established. He yet· hopes. to see them with that intent. And surely he may well trust that this letter, written in fulfilment of his mission from Christ, ma.y have such result. But only God's power can effe.ct the result, when man has done his best. And God's power can aocomplish· all thin,,.s; he is "able to stablish." The manifold stablishment: · we need but gfo:nce alon,,. the line of the Epistle to det.ermioe that. In their faith, surely, in God's foi- gi~g Jove, which was the basis of the new life; in their death to sin, and new }i.fe unto God, which such true faith in God's love through Christ ·must work; in their h11mility and love amongst one another as Christians; in their submission•· to the rightful powers of the state, and their true, love-inspired justice t.owards their felltiw- citizens; in their hope of the coming of God's perfect kingdom; .and in their determined· resiet:aoce of all incoming evil: in this God could stablish them, and God alone. , •' IL And, "according to my goapeL" The reception of God's power was conditioned· upon the reception of God's truth, for "the power of God can act only in agreement with the thought of God O (God.et). If they would be firm in the faith, and in the new life of faith, they must intelligently believ~ the gospel of .Christ. Yes, for ~aul'a ~ospel wa.i; Christ'ri goapel, and he preached not himself, but Chnst Jesus. And this preaohmg of Chrii;t wr.11 nut accord in;; to hiK own skill and wisdom; it had been revealed from Le-.i.,·cu (&:.c G-.i.l i. 11, 12, Hi). It lia•l not been always revealed; a" mystery" once, llll. XVl.1-27.J ·rrrE EPIS'rLE QI!' PAUL TO 'l'HE RO}IANS. 171