The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 63

been reacl1ed, that unrighteousness haR prevailed amongst men, that in the hio-hest sense "there is none that doeth righteousness "-none who has no failin"S 0 to ack~ow- ledge, none who has a perfect obedience to present. II. 'l'HE IMPORT OF TUE PREACHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 1. The standard of righteous- ness has to be maintained, It would be base indeed on the part of the preacher were he to substitute an inferior standard for the Law of God, were he to accommodate hie teaching to the corrupt nature and the ungodly life of the sinful. The Law, which j9 holy, just, and good, must be upheld in all its purity and in all its rigidity, And this may be done with the assurance that the conscience, even of the iniquitous, will in all likeli- hood acknowledge that the right is a higher and better standard than the agreeable or the customary, however human infirmity may have practically adopted and followed the latter. Every minister of religion is bound to insist upon a scriptural rule of ri"ht, to apply the laws of morality to all parts of human nature, to all relations of hu~an society, 2, The violators of the Law of righteousness have to be rebuked. Probably the reference in the text is especially to this aspect of the preacher's service. It is not enough to say, "This is what men should be and do!" It is necessary to address to the disobedient the remonstrances, the rebukes, the warnings, which are authorized by the Word of God. Expostulation, reproach, and admonition are not the most agreeable or the most easy parts of a preacher's work ; yet they are indispensable, and are often most valuable in their effects. Many faithful preachers have, like Noah, to lament that their rebukes and warnings seem to have been in vain; yet they have the satisfaction of having done their duty and delivered their soul. 3. The restoration of righteousness by means of the Divine Mediator bas to bo proclaimed. There is a righteousness which is by the Law; but there is also a higher righteousness which is by faith in Christ unto those who believe, and this is exactly adapted to the needs of sinful men, who upon repentance and faith may become" just with God." It is the privilege and the delight of the Christian preacher to exhibit the beauty and appropriateness of this spiritual righteousness, and to invite men to use those means by which they may secure this for tbemsel ves. III. TnE METHODS OF THE PREACHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. The most natural and obvious method is by the utterances of the living voice, the organ by which, according to the constitution imposed upon man, truth is communicated and impression produced by the rousing of deep and divinely implanted emotion. 2. Yet there are other means of preaching righteousness, for which some may be qualified who are not gifted with effective speech. 'l'he press affords in these days an outlet for much consecrated Christian energy, and most important is it, when gifted authors are found endeavouring to lower by their writings the standard of human morality, that Christian thinkers and writers should wield their pen, in all departments of literature, in the service of righteousneRs and of God. 3, In any case righteousness may be, and should be, preached in the impressive and effective language of the life. IV. THE RESULTS OF THE PREACillNG OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. Such preaching must be witness of condemnation against those who refuse it. 2. But to those who accept and obey the Divine message it is the means of salvation and of life eternal.-J. R. 'l', Ver. 9.-Deliverance and condemnation, No human government is perfect. The knowledge of earthly rulers is limited, and they are utterly incapable of discriminating among individual cases; and it often happens that they have not the power to do all that is desirable and expedient. In contradistinction from the necessary imperfections of human governments is the perfect adaptation and sufficiency of that which i:; Divine. "The Lord knoweth" how to rule and to judge, for his wisdom and his equity arc alike faultless; and his power is as irresistiblo as his knowledge is all-em bracing. J. 'l'llE DISTINCTION IN HUMAN CHARACTER DRAWN DY TUE LORD AND JUDGE OF MANKIND. Men discriminate often upon unsound principles, always with insufficient data. They arc guided very much in their estimate of their fellow-men by such con- siderations as social position and social acceptableness. They cannot take into their tlelibern.tion the thoughts and intents of tho heart. Hence the inadequacy of all human attempts to create a moral distinction among men. Now, according to St. Petor, our Divina Ruler distinguishes men into (1) the godly, or those animated by true piety, by a reverence for God's Law, and a responsive appreciation of God's love;  58 THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. [en. n. 1-22.