The Pulpit Commentary — Colossians — Section 35

the multitude of sins" (1 Pet. iv. 8). We are not to grieve our brother with our meat else "we walk not charitably" (Rom. xiv. 16). (d) Cherishing R forgiving spirit (Eph'. iv. 31). (2) The manner of this love. (a) it is to be brotherly. We are" to love the brotherhood" (1 Pet. ii. 22). (b) It is to be sincere. "Without dissimulation" (Rom. xii. 9); "Not in word and in tongne, but in deed and in truth" (1 John iii. 18). (c) It is t.o be from" a pure heart" (1 Tim. i. 5). (d) It is to :t,e fervent. "Have fervent charity among yonrselves" (1 Pet. iv. 8). (e) It is to be full of labours (1 Thess. i. 3). (f) It is abc.e all to be catholic. " All the sa.ints," without distinction. (3) The reasons for this love. (a) Christ's example and command (John :xiii. 34). (b) It is a sism of l!TSCe. It is a t.oken that "we are translated from death to life" (1 John iii~ 14). David's delight was "in the sainb!" (Ps. xvi. 3), (c) It is the "fulfilling of the I.Aw" (Rom. xiii. 10). (d) There is comfort in it (Phil. ii. 1). (e) It commends the gospel to the world. We ought, therefore, to be " sound in love" (Titus ii. 2), and II to provoke one another to love and good works" (Heb. x. 24). 3. The relation between faith and urr,e. They are necessarily joined together; for: (1) Faith" worketh· by love" (Gal. v. 6) and ought never to work without it. (2) The grace of God abounds in "faith and love ,,hich is in Christ Jesus" (1 Tim. i. 14). Faith and love are the two members of the Christian religion. -4. The graces of the saints are easily known and heard of. The apostle heard of the faith and love of the Colossians. "Since the_day we heard of them." They ought, therefore, to be bright in their heavenly lustre. III. THE MOTIVE OB llllPULSIVE CAUSE OF THESE GRACES. " Because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens." 1. The nature of this hope. (1) The sense of the word oscilla.tes, it has been observed, between the subjective feeling and the objective realization; yet the thing hoped for is rather more prominent in the passage. It centres in the inheritance, in "the recompense of the reward," in "the good founda.tion against the time to come," in "the eternal life that God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began." (2) It is Divine in its origin, unlike the false hopes of men. We are"' begotten to a living hope" (1 Pet. i. 3). (3) Its true fulcrum, or point of support, is in the merits of Christ (1 Ti1n. L 2; Heh. vi. 19, 20). 2. The security ef this hope. "Which is laid up for you in the heavens." It is secure liecause: (I) It is la.id up in the country where onr Father dwells. And who can destroy it in such keeping? (:.!) It hi linked to "the two immutable things "-the oath and the promise of God, which are fastened within the veil by our Forerunner, even Jesus (Heh. vi. 19). (3) It is where the devil cannot come. (4) It is in heaven, not on earth, and therefore free from all the corruptions that the moth and rust of the world may inflict. 3. The quickening power of this hope. It has great influence upon our faith and love. God makes one grace cause another. " It is hope that plucks up the heart of man to a constant desire of union with God by faith, and of communion with man by lo.-e." Moses had respect to the recompense of the reward (Heh. xi. 25, 26). The saints will find that it is not in vain to serve the Almighty. They ought, there- fore, to remember (1) that their hope is not in this world; (2) ~hat they should walk as "pil~ims and strangers," using the world as if they used 1t not; (3) that they should despise the scorn and hate of a world which "will always love his ?wn." 4. Buw i.s this hope to be increased, Though it cannot be made more secure, 1t may be more fully realized. To this end, we need (1) true grace, for we can only have" a good hope through grace" (2 Thess. ii. 16); (2) experience (Rom. v. 4); (3) patience and comfort of the Scriptures (Hom.xv. 4); (4) joy and peace in believing (Rom. xv. 13). IV. THE SO{;BCE OF OUR DIVINE BOPE. "Whereof ye heard before in the Word of the truth of the gospel, which is come unto yotL" 1. It is by the hearing of the Word we l.earn of (IU,r hope. ~'here is no other way of learning it. 'l'he Lord bas sent us the news of 63.lvation. Nature tells us nothing of a Divine hope. The importance of this hearinu is manifest because: (1) It is the source of faith. "Faith cometh by hear- ing, and h~ring by the' Word of God" (Rom. x. 14); "Hear, and your soul shall live" (Isa. Iv. 4). (2) It opens men's hearts (Acts xvi. 14). (3) It causes the stony h£:art to n,elt, and the proud heart to tremble (Isa. !xvi. 2). (4) 'l'he afflicted con- science is curtd by it (Ps. Ii. 8). Let us, therefore, thank God for it, love hie gospel, receive his coruma.nds, and submit to his guidance. 2. The preciousness of the Word. It is" tLE: Word of the truth of tbe gospel" As if to signify the contrast between the simI>le truth taught them by Epaphras and the errors of the false teachers. Ita OH, I, 1-29.] THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS. 29