They that are in Christ, and live according to the Spirit, are free from condemnation. What harm cometh of the flesh, and what good of the Spirit, and what of being God's children.
Anno Domini 58.
IN farther answer to the objection mentioned chap. Romans 3:31 the Apostle, in this chapter, with great feeling and energy, displays the many powerfulmotives which the doctrines of the Gospel, explained in the preceding Chapter s, suggest for engaging both the understanding and the affections of believers, to a continued pursuit of holiness.
The first motive which he mentions is, That under the new covenant, there is no condemnation to believers, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit, Romans 8:1.—This greater of all considerations the Apostle begins with, after having pathetically described the terror of the awakened sinner, arising from his consciousness of guilt, because, if mercy were not with God, he could never be loved nor obeyed by men.
The second motive is, That under the new covenant, sufficient assistance being given to all, to free them from the law of sin and death, they cannot excuse their evil actions bypleading the strength of their sinful passions, Romans 8:2.—This deliverance from the law of sin and death, God has accomplished by sending his Son in the flesh, to die as a sin-offering, to procure pardon for sinners, and to destroy the power of sin in their flesh by his word and Spirit, that they may attain the righteousness which the law of faith, the new covenant, requires, Romans 8:4.—And, to shew the nature and extent of that righteousness, the Apostle explains what it is to walk after the flesh, and what to walk after the Spirit, Romans 8:5.
The third motive to holiness is, That, according to the new covenant, all who live a wicked sensual life, shall die eternally; but every one who lives in a holy spiritual manner shall be rewarded with life eternal, Romans 8:6-8.
The fourth motive is, That the Spirit of God dwells with believers, whereby the lusts of their body are mortified, and their rational powers are habitually strengthened, Romans 8:10.—And even the animal part of their nature, after being subdued, is made subservient to righteousness, by the indwelling of the same Spirit, Romans 8:11.—Such being the effects of the gracious assistances promised in the Gospel, no person under the new covenant is irresistibly forced, either by the corruptions of his nature, or by outward temptations, to live according to the flesh, Romans 8:12.;—and therefore God has justly decreed, that all who live according to the flesh, shall die eternally, Romans 8:13.—This declaration concerning future retributions under the new covenant, the Apostle had made before, Romans 8:6.; but he repeats it here, to shew that, although the curse of the law, in so far as it allows no mercy to the penitent sinner, does not take place under the new covenant, men's obligations to holiness are not weakened. The sanctions of law are stillcontinued under the Gospel, but in a different form, and with a more happy efficacy.—Farther to correct the error of the Jews, who contended that no Gentile could obtain eternal life, who did not obey the law of Moses, and to comfort the believing Gentiles, whom the Jews thus excluded from the favour of God, the Apostle declared, that, according to the tenor of the new covenant, all who are led by the Spirit of God to mortify the deeds of the body, are the sons of God, whether they be Jews or Gentiles. And, to shew the excellent disposition of the sons of God, he observes that, notwithstanding under the new covenant the severest punishment is threatened against sinners, the sons of God do not obey him from that slavish fear of punishment which was bred in the minds of the Jews by the curse of the law, but from the filial dispositions of gratitude and love to their Father, Romans 8:15.—This excellent temper the Apostle terms the witness of our spirit that we are children of God, and observes, that the Spirit of God also confirms that witness.
Havingthus shewn, that all who obey God sincerely from a principle of faith, are his sons, the Apostle, as the fifth motive to holiness furnished by the Gospel, gives a particular account of the honours, privileges, and possessions of the sons of God. They are heirs of God. And to shew what an heir of God is, he adds, and joint-heirs with Christ; so that the whole felicity of that immortal life, which Christ now enjoys in the human nature, really belongs to the other sons of Godin their measure, whether they be Jews or Gentiles; and they shall be put in possession thereof, if, when called to it, they suffer, as Christ did, for righteousness' sake, Romans 8:17. This remark, concerningsuffering, the Apostle introduced, to teach the Romans, that their being the sons of God would not secure them against, but rather expose them to sufferings. And to prevent the Jews, who considered prosperity as a token of God's favour, from being scandalized at the Gospel, on account of the sufferings which accompanied it, and even to encourage them to suffer, he observed that that glorious resurrection, by which the sons of God are to be distinguished, is a blessing so great, that the pious Gentiles supported the miseries of life, by earnestly looking for it, Romans 8:18-19.—Nor was their expectation without foundation, inasmuch as not for their own sin, but for the sin of the first man, the human race was subjected to death by God, Romans 8:20.—in the firm resolution that he would deliver all mankind from the grave, through the obedience of Christ, Romans 8:21.—By insinuating that the expectation which the Gentiles entertained of a future life in the body, was derived from God's resolution to raise all mankind from the dead, the Apostle, I suppose, meant God's resolution made known at the fall, that the Seed of the woman should bruise the head of the serpent. For that promise,beinginsomeeffectivesensepreserved among the Gentiles by tradition, was the foundation of the hope which many of them, in different parts of the world, entertained of the resurrection of the body, and of a future state.—Then, by a beautifulrhetoricalfigure,theApostleintroducesthewholeGentileworldassuffering extreme pain under the miseries of life, and earnestly wishing for deliverance, Romans 8:22.—Believers also groan within themselves, while they wait for the redemption of their body from the bondage of corruption, Romans 8:23.—But they wait patiently, and thereby shew the strength of their faith, Romans 8:24-25.—And to this exercise of patience they are helped by the Spirit of God, who produces in them such a disposition of the mind, as is an effectual complaint to God, Romans 8:26.—and, being wrought in them by the Spirit, is justly termed the Spirit's complaining for the saints, Romans 8:27. The sixth motive to holiness, furnished by the discoveries made in the Gospel, is this: God having determined to save persevering believers, they know that every providence, whether prosperous or adverse, shall work together for that end. The reason is, God has called or denominated believers the seed of Abraham, and the sons of God, 1 John 3:1 and heirs of immortality, Romans 8:28.—And whom he foreknew that they would be his sons,—that they would yield to be saved by grace, them he also predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son Christ, both in their body and mind, Romans 8:29.—Moreover, whom he predestinated to be conformed to the image of Christ, them he also called or denominated the seed of Abraham, and gave them a right to all the blessings promised to Abraham's seed; and whom he so called, them he also justified, Romans 8:30.—And having thus described the salvation of the faithful saints of God, in its origin, its intermediate steps, and its issue, the Apostle, strongly impressed with his subject, asks, What shall we say to these things? Since God is for us believing Jews and Gentiles, no person can hinder our being accounted the seed of Abraham, and the sons of God, Romans 8:31.—For he who delivered his own Son to death for us all, for the Gentiles as well as for the Jews, will with him also freely give us all the blessings promised to the seed of Abraham, that is, to all the faithful sons of God, Romans 8:32.—Then, as enraptured with the view which he had taken of those grand subjects, and to shew that there is no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus, he cries out, Who shall dare to bring any accusation against God's elect,—against his faithful people,—since God has declared that he will justify such by faith? Romans 8:33.—Who is he that will pretend to condemn them, since Christ hath died to procure theirpardon, and now governs the world for their benefit, and makes intercession with the Father in their behalf? Romans 8:34.—Then personating the whole body of the faithful, stronglyaffected with the goodness of God shewn in their salvation, and highly elated with the view of their privileges so unanswerably established, he, in their name, professes their firm resolution of adhering to the Gospel, that they may continue the objects of Christ's love, however many or strong the temptations may be with which they are assaulted, Romans 8:35 to the end of the chapter.
The latter part of this chapter, beginning at Romans 8:31 if compared with the most shining passages of the so much admired writings of the Greeks and Romans, will be found not inferior to any of them in sublimity of thought, variety of figures, and beauty of language. It contains a description, in most forcible and glowing expressions, of the privileges, the hopes, and the temper of a true Christian; and shews what magnanimity and what greatness of sentiment the Gospel is able to infuse into them who understand and believe its doctrines. It is therefore a most proper conclusion of a discourse, in which, by the strongest reasoning, practices are recommended, which ennoble the human mind, yield the greatest and the most permanent joys, and prepare men for becoming the companions of angels, and for living with God himself through all eternity.
On reviewing the encouragements to holiness proposed by the Apostle in this and the three foregoing Chapter s, the reader must be sensible that the scheme of salvation revealed in the Gospel suggests motives to persuade men to forsake sin and follow holiness, and even to suffer for well-doing, more in number and of infinitely greater efficacy than any preacher either of the law of nature (which can do nothing but condemn) or of Moses ever proposed, or indeed had it in his power to propose. And therefore the calumny of the Jewish scribes and heathen philosophers, mentioned chap. Romans 3:31 that by teaching the justification of sinners, through faith without works of law, the Apostles of Christ made void the obligations of morality, and encouraged men to sin, was altogether without foundation. That doctrine, instead of weakening the obligation of law, strengthens it in the highest degree.—Farther, because in the Chapter s above mentioned, the Apostle has shewn that God's counting men's faith to them for righteousness, on account of the death of his Son, furnishes such a variety of powerful motives for persuading sinners to repent and return to God, these Chapter s do in effect demonstrate the natural efficacy of the death of Christ, in delivering believers from the power of sin. Whence it follows, that the Gospel method of pardoning sinners through the death of Christ, is an exercise of mercy, which, instead of weakening, has greatly strengthened the authority of the law of God; consequently, it is perfectly suitable to his character, and subservient to the ends of his moral government. The efficacy, therefore, of Christ's death, in delivering us from the power of sin, being thus evident, we cannot doubt of its efficacy, as an atonement in delivering us from the punishment of sin, notwithstanding we are in some measure ignorant of the manner in which it operates for that end.