CONTENTS.
PAUL had now finished his exhibition of the plan of salvation. He had shown that we are justified gratuitously, that is, by faith in Jesus Christ, without the works of the law. He had proved that, so far from this freedom from the law leading to the indulgence of sin, it is necessary to our sanctification, because the law is as inadequate to the production of holiness in the sinner, as it is to secure pardon or acceptance with God. That such is the insufficiency of the law, he proved by exhibiting its operation both on the renewed and unrenewed mind. Having accomplished all this, he leaves, in the chapter before us, the field of logical argument, and enters on the new and more elevated sphere of joyous exultation. As, however, there is always warmth of feeling in the apostle’s argument, so also is there generally logical arrangement in his highest triumphs.
His theme here is the security of believers. The salvation of those who have renounced the law, and accepted the gracious offers of the gospel, is shown to be absolutely certain. The whole chapter is a series of arguments, most beautifully arranged, in support of this one point. They are all traced back to the great source of hope and security, the unmerited and unchanging love of God in Christ Jesus. The proposition is contained in the first verse. There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus: they shall never be condemned or perish.
- Because they are delivered from the law; all its demands being fulfilled in them by the mission and sacrifice of Christ, vs. 1—4. 2. Because their salvation is actually begun in the regeneration and sanctification of their hearts by the Holy Spirit. Those who have the Spirit of Christ have the Spirit of life, vs. 5—11. 3. Not only is their salvation begun, but they are the children of God, and if children, they are heirs, vs. 12—17. 4. The afflictions which they may be called to endure, are not inconsistent with this filial relation to God, because they are utterly insignificant in comparison with the glory that shall be revealed in them; and under these afflictions they are sustained both by hope and the intercessions of the Holy Spirit, vs. 18—28. 5. Because they are predestinated to the attainment of eternal life; of which predestination their present sanctification or effectual calling is the result, and therefore the evidence, vs. 28—30. 6. Because God has given his Son to die for them, and thereby to secure their justification and salvation, vs. 31—34. 7. Because the love of God is infinite and unchangeable; from which nothing can separate us, vs. 35—39. Thus from the proximate cause of salvation, or the indwelling of the Spirit, does the apostle rise with ever-increasing confidence, to the great source and fountain of all, in the love of God.1
Although, according to this view of the chapter, it is one whole, it may, for the sake of convenience, be divided into three’ sections.
ROMANS VIII. 1—11.
ANALYSIS.
THIS section contains the development of the first two of the apostle’s arguments in favour of the position, that those who are in Christ Jesus shall never be condemned. The immediate reason is assigned in the second verse—they are delivered from the law. For, in view of the insufficiency of the law, God sent forth his Son as a sacrifice for sin, ver. 3; and thus secured the justification of all believers, ver. 4. Being thus delivered from the law, they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, and this possession of the Spirit is incipient salvation: because the carnal mind, which, of course, all who are in the flesh possess, is death; whereas a mind under the government of the Spirit is life and peace. Such is the very nature of the case. Holiness is salvation, vs. 5—7. The reason that death is the necessary consequence of being carnally minded, is the essential opposition between such a state of mind and God. Hence, those who have this state of mind are the objects of the Divine displeasure, vs. 7, 8. As, however, believers are not under the government of the flesh, but of the Spirit, their salvation is secured, even to the resurrection of the body. For if the Spirit of Him who raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in them,-he shall also quicken their mortal bodies, vs. 9—11.