Bible Heaven/Bible Heaven.iso/online/mhcc03/v04800

Text File | 1994-03-02 | 9KB | 160 lines

04802
 #16,17 In these verses the apostle opens the design of the whole
 epistle, in which he brings forward a charge of sinfulness
 against all flesh; declares the only method of deliverance from
 condemnation, by faith in the mercy of God, through Jesus
 Christ; and then builds upon it purity of heart, grateful
 obedience, and earnest desires to improve in all those Christian
 graces and tempers, which nothing but a lively faith in Christ
 can bring forth. God is a just and holy God, and we are guilty
 sinners. It is necessary that we have a righteousness to appear
 in before him: there is such a righteousness brought in by the
 Messiah, and made known in the gospel; a gracious method of
 acceptance, notwithstanding the guilt of our sins. It is the
 righteousness of Christ, who is God, coming from a satisfaction
 of infinite value. Faith is all in all, both in the beginning
 and progress of Christian life. It is not from faith to works,
 as if faith put us into a justified state, and then works kept
 us in it; but it is all along from faith to faith; it is faith
 pressing forward, and gaining the victory over unbelief.

04804
 #18-25 The apostle begins to show that all mankind need the
 salvation of the gospel, because none could obtain the favour of
 God, or escape his wrath by their own works. For no man can
 plead that he has fulfilled all his obligations to God and to
 his neighbour; nor can any truly say that he has fully acted up
 to the light afforded him. The sinfulness of man is described as
 ungodliness against the laws of the first table, and
 unrighteousness against those of the second. The cause of that
 sinfulness is holding the truth in unrighteousness. All, more or
 less, do what they know to be wrong, and omit what they know to
 be right, so that the plea of ignorance cannot be allowed from
 any. Our Creator's invisible power and Godhead are so clearly
 shown in the works he has made, that even idolaters and wicked
 Gentiles are left without excuse. They foolishly followed
 idolatry; and rational creatures changed the worship of the
 glorious Creator, for that of brutes, reptiles, and senseless
 images. They wandered from God, till all traces of true religion
 must have been lost, had not the revelation of the gospel
 prevented it. For whatever may be pretended, as to the
 sufficiency of man's reason to discover Divine truth and moral
 obligation, or to govern the practice aright, facts cannot be
 denied. And these plainly show that men have dishonoured God by
 the most absurd idolatries and superstitions; and have degraded
 themselves by the vilest affections and most abominable deeds.

04812
 #26-32 In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our
 Lord's words was shown: "Light was come into the world, but men
 loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil;
 for he that doeth evil hateth the light." The truth was not to
 their taste. And we all know how soon a man will contrive,
 against the strongest evidence, to reason himself out of the
 belief of what he dislikes. But a man cannot be brought to
 greater slavery than to be given up to his own lusts. As the
 Gentiles did not like to keep God in their knowledge, they
 committed crimes wholly against reason and their own welfare.
 The nature of man, whether pagan or Christian, is still the
 same; and the charges of the apostle apply more or less to the
 state and character of men at all times, till they are brought
 to full submission to the faith of Christ, and renewed by Divine
 power. There never yet was a man, who had not reason to lament
 his strong corruptions, and his secret dislike to the will of
 God. Therefore this chapter is a call to self-examination, the
 end of which should be, a deep conviction of sin, and of the
 necessity of deliverance from a state of condemnation.
04819
 * The Jews could not be justified by the law of Moses, any more
 than the Gentiles by the law of nature. (1-16) The sins of the
 Jews confuted all their vain confidence in their outward
 privileges. (17-29)

 #1-16 The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to
 their privileges by right, while they were unthankful,
 rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every
 nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment
 of God will be according to their real character. The case is so
 plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every
 wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though
 the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring
 from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred
 of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the
 mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the
 evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the
 great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is
 needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their
 walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings
 are expressed by the strong words, "treasuring up wrath." In the
 description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law.
 It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all
 actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the
 unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all
 evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even
 Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which
 directed them what to do by the light of nature.  Conscience is
 a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or
 broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either
 acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to
 sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be
 the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall
 be then punished, and brought to light.
04835
 #17-24 The apostle directs his discourse to the Jews, and shows
 of what sins they were guilty, notwithstanding their profession
 and vain pretensions. A believing, humble, thankful glorying in
 God, is the root and sum of all religion. But proud,
 vain-glorious boasting in God, and in the outward profession of
 his name, is the root and sum of all hypocrisy. Spiritual pride
 is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride. A great evil of the
 sins of professors is, the dishonour done to God and religion,
 by their not living according to their profession. Many despise
 their more ignorant neighbours who rest in a dead form of
 godliness; yet themselves trust in a form of knowledge, equally
 void of life and power, while some glory in the gospel, whose
 unholy lives dishonour God, and cause his name to be blasphemed.
04843
 #25-29 No forms, ordinances, or notions can profit, without
 regenerating grace, which will always lead to seeking an
 interest in the righteousness of God by faith. For he is no more
 a Christian now, than he was really a Jew of old, who is only
 one outwardly: neither is that baptism, which is outward in the
 flesh: but he is the real Christian, who is inwardly a true
 believer, with an obedient faith. And the true baptism is that
 of the heart, by the washing of regeneration and the renewal of
 the Holy Ghost; bringing a spiritual frame of mind, and a
 willing following of truth in its holy ways. Let us pray that we
 may be made real Christians, not outwardly, but inwardly; in the
 heart and spirit, not in the letter; baptized, not with water
 only, but with the Holy Ghost; and let our praise be, not of
 men, but of God.
04848
 * Objections answered. (1-8) All mankind are sinners. (9-18)
 Both Jews and Gentiles cannot be justified by their own deeds.
 (19,20) It is owing to the free grace of God, through faith in
 the righteousness of Christ, yet the law is not done away.
 (21-31)

 #1-8 The law could not save in or from sins, yet it gave the
 Jews advantages for obtaining salvation. Their stated
 ordinances, education in the knowledge of the true God and his
 service, and many favours shown to the children of Abraham, all
 were means of grace, and doubtless were made useful to the
 conversion of many. But especially the Scriptures were committed
 to them. Enjoyment of God's word and ordinances, is the chief
 happiness of a people. But God's promises are made only to
 believers; therefore the unbelief of some, or of many
 professors, cannot make this faithfulness of no effect. He will
 fulfil his promises to his people, and bring his threatened
 vengeance upon unbelievers. God's judging the world, should for
 ever silence all doubtings and reflections upon his justice. The
 wickedness and obstinate unbelief of the Jews, proved man's need
 of the righteousness of God by faith, and also his justice in
 punishing for sin. Let us do evil, that good may come, is
 oftener in the heart than in the mouth of sinners; for few thus
 justify themselves in their wicked ways. The believer knows that
 duty belongs to him, and events to God; and that he must not
 commit any sin, or speak one falsehood, upon the hope, or even
 assurance, that God may thereby glorify himself. If any speak
 and act thus, their condemnation is just.