An Exposition of the Epistle to the Romans, Volume 2

In attentively studying the Epistle to the Romans, nothing is more manifest than the direct opposition between the doctrine of inspiration with respect to the state and prospects of mankind, and the doctrine of human science. The Apostle Paul contemplates all men in their natural state as ruined by sin, and utterly unable to restore themselves to the Divine favour. Philosophers, on the contrary, survey the aspect of society with real or affected complacency. They perceive, indeed, that imperfection and suffering prevail to a considerable extent: but they find a vast preponderance of happiness and virtue. They cannot deny that man is of a mixed character; but this is necessary, in order that his virtue may be his own, and that in pressing onwards to the summit of moral excellence, his strength of principle may be more illustriously displayed. His happiness is thus promoted by his progress in virtue, as well as by his advancement in knowledge. Nor is this remarkable difference altogether confined to philosophy. Even many professors and expounders of Christianity cannot entirely accord with the Apostle Paul in his representations of human nature. Man, it seems to them, is not so completely lost but that he may do something to regain the Divine favour; and if a sacrifice were necessary for the expiation of sin, its blessing must be equally bestowed on all mankind.

In reference to justification in particular, how wonderful is the contrast between the justification of which this Apostle treats, and the justification which critical ingenuity has often extorted from his epistles! While Paul speaks of the believer as possessing a righteousness perfectly commensurate to all the demands of the law, and standing at the bar of God spotless and blameless, human wisdom has contrivied to exhibit his doctrine as representing salvation to be the result of a happy combination of mercy and merit.

The doctrine of salvation by faith without works has ever appeared to the wise men of this world not only to be a scheme that does not sufficiently secure the interests of morality, but one which tends to disparage the Divine authority. Yet its good effects are fully justified in every age; and while nothing but the doctrine of salvation by grace has ever produced good works, this doctrine, so far as it has been received, has never failed of its designed object. In all the ways of God there is a characteristic wisdom which stamps them with the impress of divinity. There is here a harmony and consistency in things the most different in appearance; while the intended effect is invariably produced, although in a way which to man would appear most unlikely to secure success.

By studying the Epistle to the Romans, an exact and comprehensive knowledge of the distinguishing doctrines of grace in their various bearings and connexions may, by the blessing of God, be obtained. They appear here, in all their strength and clearness, untinged with the wisdom of man. The human mind is ever prone to soften the strong features of Divine truth, and to bring them more into accordance with its own wishes and preconceived notions. Those lowering and debasing modifications of the doctrines of Scripture, by which, in some popular works, it is endeavoured to reconcile error with orthodoxy, are imposing only in theory, and may easily be detected by a close and unprejudiced inspection of the language of this epistle.

In the five first chapters, the Apostle had established the doctrine of the justification of believers by the righteousness of Christ without any regard to their works. This doctrine manifests in all their extent the guilt, depravity, and helplessness of man, in order to magnify grace in his pardon. But as it might be thought to set aside the necessity of obedience to God, the sixth and seventh chapters are intended to prove, that so far from this being the case, that doctrine stands in indissoluble connexion with the only foundation of holiness and obedience. This foundation is union with the Redeemer, through that faith by which the believer is justified. On the contrary, the law, instead of sanctifying, operates by its restraints to stimulate and call into action the corruptions of the human heart, while at the same time it condemns all who are under its dominion. But through their union with Christy believers are delivered from the law; and being under grace, which produces love, they are enabled to bring forth fruit acceptable to God. The law, however, is.

in itself holy, and just, and good. As such, it is employed by the Spirit of God to convince his people of sin, to teach them the value of the remedy provided for sin in the Gospel, and to lead them to cleave unto the Lord from a sense of the remaining corruption of their hearts. This corruption the Apostle, by giving a striking description of his own experience, shows, will continue to exert its power in believers so long as they are in the body.

As a general conclusion from all that had gone before, the believer’s entire freedom from condemnation, through union with his glorious Head, and his consequent sanctification, are both asserted in the eighth chapter, neither of which effects could have been accomplished by the law. The opposite results of death to the carnal mind, which actuated man in his natural state, and of life to the spiritual mind, which he receives in his renovation, are clearly pointed out; and as the love of God had been shown in the fifth chapter to be so peculiarly transcendent, from the consideration that Christ died for men, not as friends and worthy objects, but as “without strength,” “ungodly,” “sinners,” “enemies,” so here the natural state of those on whom such unspeakable blessings are bestowed,

is described as “enmity against God.” The eiFects of the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit on them who are regenerated are next declared, together with the glorious privileges connected with it. Amidst present sufferings, the highest consolations are presented to the children of God, and their original source and final issue are pointed out.

The contemplation of such ineffable blessings reminds the Apostle of the mournful state of the generality of his own countrymen, who, though distinguished in the highest degree by their external privileges, still, as he himself had once done, rejected the Messiah. Nothing in all this, however, had frustrated the purpose of God; his word had taken effect so far as he had appointed. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty is fully treated of in the ninth chapter, and that very objection which is daily made, “Why doth he yet find fault?” is stated and silenced. Instead of national election, the great subject is national rejection; and the personal election of a small remnant, without which the whole nation would have been destroyed. So devoid of reason is the objection usually made to the doctrine of election, that it is a cruel doctrine.

The Apostle is thus led to the consideration of the fatal error of the great body of the Jews who sought justification by works, and not by faith. Mistaking the intent and the end of their law, they stumbled at this doctrine, which is the common stumbling-stone to unregenerate men. In the end of this chapter, and also in the tenth, it is shown how the Jews thus excluded themselves from salvation, not discerning the true character of the Messiah of Israel as the fulfiller of the law, and the author of righteousness to every believer. And yet when they reflected on the declaration of Moses, that to obtain life by the law, the perfect obedience which it demands must in every case be yielded, they might have been convinced that on this ground they could not be justified; on the contrary, by the law they were universally condemned. The Apostle next exhibits the freeness of salvation through the Redeemer, and the certainty that all who accept it shall be saved. And since faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, the necessity of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles is inferred and asserted. The result corresponded with the prediction. The righteousness which is by faith was received by the Gentiles, although they had not been enquiring- for it; while the Jews, who sought after righteousness, which they were earnestly invited to accept, nevertheless rejected it.

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