CHAPTER VIII. _The happy state of those who believe in Christ, and walk under_ _the influence of his Spirit_, 1, 2. _The design of God in sending his Son into the world was to_ _redeem men from sin_, 3, 4. _The miserable state of the carnally minded_, 6-8. _How Christ lives and works in his fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:2. _FOR THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE_] The Gospel of the grace of Christ, which is not only a law or rule of life, but affords that sovereign _energy_ by which guilt is removed from the conscience, the power of sin broken, and its polluting influence removed from the heart. The law... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:3. _FOR WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO_] The law could not pardon; the law could not sanctify; the law could not dispense with its own requisitions; it is the rule of righteousness, and therefore must condemn unrighteousness. This is its unalterable nature. Had there been perfect obedience... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:4. _THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED_ _IN US_] That the guilt might be pardoned through the merit of that sacrifice; and that we might be enabled, by the power of his own grace and Spirit, to walk in newness of life; loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and s... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:5. _FOR THEY THAT ARE AFTER THE FLESH_] And here is the great distinction between _Jews_ and _genuine Christians_: the former are _after the flesh_-are under the power of the carnal, rebellious principle; and consequently _mind_, προνουσιν, _relish, the things of_ _the flesh_-the thin... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:6. _FOR TO BE CARNALLY MINDED_ IS _DEATH_] To live under the influence of the carnal mind is to live in the state of condemnation, and consequently liable to death eternal: whereas, on the contrary, he who is _spiritually minded_ has the _life_ and _peace_ of God in his soul, and is i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:7. _BECAUSE THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD_] Because it is a _carnal mind_, and relishes earthly and sinful things, and lives in opposition to the pure and holy law of God: therefore, it _is enmity against God_; it is irreconcilable and implacable hatred. _IT IS NOT SUBJECT TO... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:8. _SO THEN_] Because this carnal mind is enmity against God, _they that are in the flesh_-who are under the power of the workings of this carnal mind, (which every soul is that has not received redemption in the blood of the Lamb,)- _CANNOT PLEASE GOD._] Because of the rebellious wo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:9. _BUT YE ARE NOT IN THE FLESH_] Ye Christians, who have believed in Christ Jesus as the sin offering which has condemned sin in the flesh; and, having been justified by faith and made partakers of the Holy Spirit, are enabled to walk in newness of life. _IF SO BE THAT THE SPIRIT O... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:10. _AND IF CHRIST BE IN YOU_, c.] This is the criterion by which you may judge of the state of grace in which ye stand. If Christ dwell in your hearts by faith, _the body_ is _dead because_ _of sin_, δι' ἁμαρτιαν, in reference to sin the members of your body no more perform the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:11. _BUT IF THE SPIRIT_, c.] This verse confirms the sense given to the preceding. He who here receives the grace and Spirit of Christ, and continues to live under its influence a life of obedience to the Divine will, shall have a resurrection to eternal life and the resurrection of C... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:12. _THEREFORE, BRETHREN_, c.] Dr. Taylor is of opinion that the apostle having spoken _separately_, both to Jews and Gentiles, concerning holiness and the obligations to it, now addresses himself to _both_ conjointly, and, I. Draws the general conclusion from _all_ his arguments upo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:13. _FOR IF YE LIVE AFTER THE FLESH, YE SHALL DIE_] Though μελλετε αποθνησκειν may mean, _ye shall afterwards die_, and this seems to indicate a _temporal_ death, yet not exclusively of an eternal death; for _both_, and especially the latter, are necessarily implied. _BUT IF YE THROU... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:14. _FOR AS MANY AS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT_, c.] No man who has not Divine assistance can either find the way to heaven, or walk in it when found. As Christ, by his sacrificial offering, has opened the kingdom of God to all believers and, as a mediator, transacts the concerns of their... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:15. _YE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE_] All that were under the law were under bondage to its rites and ceremonies; and as, through the prevalence of that corrupt nature with which every human being is polluted, and to remove which the law gave no assistance, they were ofte... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:16. _THE SPIRIT ITSELF BEARETH WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT_] αυτο το πνευμα, that same Spirit, the Spirit of adoption; that is, the Spirit who witnesses this adoption; which can be no other than the Holy Ghost himself, and certainly cannot mean any _disposition_ or _affection_ of mind whi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _AND IF CHILDREN, THEN HEIRS_] For the _legitimate_ children can alone inherit the estate. This is not an estate to which they succeed in consequence of the death of a former possessor; it is like the promised land, _given by God himself_, and divided among the children of the family. _HE... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 18. _FOR I RECKON THAT THE SUFFERINGS_, c.] If the glory that is to be revealed be the enjoyment of God himself, (see above,) then the sufferings of this life, which, when compared with _eternity_, are but as for a _moment_, are not worthy to be put in competition with this glory which shall b... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _FOR THE EARNEST EXPECTATION OF THE CREATURE_] There is considerable difficulty in this and the four following verses: and the difficulty lies chiefly in the meaning of the word ἡ κτισις, which we translate _the creature_, and _creation_. Some think that by it the _brute creation_ is mean... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 20. _FOR THE CREATURE WAS MADE SUBJECT TO VANITY_] The Gentile world were subject to vanity of mind; but how? _not_ _willingly_, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same. May we not say, _it became vain willingly_, but was made subject to vanity _unwillingly_? For, let us recur to the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _BECAUSE THE CREATURE_] This and the preceding verse should be thus connected: _in hope_ THAT (οτι) _the creature itself_ _also shall be delivered_. The word φθορα denotes, very frequently, _sinful corruption_. So, 2 Peter 1:4: _Corruption through lust_, της εν επιθυμια φθορας. 2 Corinthi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _THE WHOLE CREATION GROANETH AND TRAVAILETH_] If it be inquired how the Gentile world groaned and travailed in pain; let them who explain this of the fabric of the material world, tell us how _that_ groans and travails? They must needs own it to be a borrowed and allusive phrase: but in th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _AND NOT ONLY THEY, BUT OURSELVES ALSO_] Neither the _Gentiles_ only, but we _Jews_ also, (however we belong to a nation envious of the heathen,) to whom God hath granted the first fruits of the Spirit; we sigh among ourselves for their sakes, waiting for the adoption; that is, the redempt... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 24. _FOR WE ARE SAVED BY HOPE_] We are supported and are comfortable in the expectation we have of receiving from the hand of our God all the good we need in the troubles and adversities of this life, and of having our bodies raised from corruption and death at the general resurrection. _HOP... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _BUT IF WE HOPE FOR THAT WE SEE NOT_] If we have a well-grounded expectation of our resurrection and final glorification, knowing that such things are necessarily _future_, and must for a certain time be delayed; then _do we patiently wait_ _for them_, continue patiently to endure the comm... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _THE SPIRIT ALSO HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES_] The _same_ _Spirit_, τοπνευμα, mentioned before as bearing witness with ours that we are the children of God; and consequently it is not a _disposition_ or _frame of mind_, for the disposition of our mind surely cannot help the infirmities of our... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _HE MAKETH INTERCESSION FOR THE SAINTS_] The word εντυγχανω signifies to apply one's self to a person in behalf of another; to _intercede_ or _negotiate for_. Our Lord makes intercession for us, by _negotiating_ and _managing_, as our friend and agent, all the affairs pertaining to our sal... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 28. _AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD_ _to them that love God_] To understand this verse aright, let us observe: 1. That the persons in whose behalf all things work for good are they _who love God_, and, consequently, who live in the _spirit of obedience_. 2. It is not said... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _FOR WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW_, c.] "In this and the following verse the apostle shows _how_ our _calling_ is an argument that all things work together to advance our eternal happiness, by showing the several _steps_ which the wisdom and goodness of God have settled, in order to complete our... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _WHOM HE DID PREDESTINATE_, c.] The _Gentiles_, whom He determined to call into his Church with the Jewish people, _He_ _called_-He invited by the preaching of the Gospel, to believe on his Son Jesus Christ. It is worthy of note, that all that is spoken here refers to what _had already tak... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _WHAT SHALL WE THEN SAY TO THESE THINGS?_] What conclusion should we draw from the above premises? From all that was already laid down in the preceding chapters, but especially in the preceding verses, from Romans 8:28 inclusive. As if he had said: What comfort may we derive from these do... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _HE THAT SPARED NOT HIS OWN SON_] And can we, his sincere followers, doubt of the safety of our state, or the certainty of his protection? No: for if he loved us, Gentiles and Jews, so intensely as to _deliver up_ to death his own Son _for us_ _all_, can he withhold from us any minor bles... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. This and the two following verses contain a string of questions, most appropriately introduced and most powerfully urged, tending to show the safety of the state of those who have believed the Gospel of the grace of God. I shall lay these verses down as they are pointed by the best Greek c... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _WHO IS EVEN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD_] To which he has exalted our human nature, which he took in conjunction with his Divinity; and there he _maketh intercession for us_-manages all the concerns of his own kingdom in general, and of every member of his Church in particular.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST?_] I do think that this question has been generally misunderstood. The apostle is referring to the persecutions and tribulations to which genuine Christians were exposed through their attachment to Christ, and the gracious provision God had m... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 36. _AS IT IS WRITTEN_] And these are no more than we may naturally expect from the present constitution of the world, and the positive predictions of the prophet, Psalms 44:22, who foresaw that a wicked world would always persecute and oppress the true followers of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 37. _NAY_] as the prophet adds in the same place, _all_ _this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, nor dealt_ _falsely in thy covenant_, Romans 8:17; Romans 8:18, so all these things may happen unto us; but _in all these things we are more than_ _conquerors_; WE abide faithful in t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 38. _FOR I AM PERSUADED_] After the blessed experience we have had of support by the grace and Spirit of him that loved us, that neither fear of _death_, nor hope of _life_, nor evil _angels_, _nor principalities, nor powers_, persecuting us for Christ's sake; nor the _things_ we endure at _pr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Romans 8:39. Nor _height_ - of honour, nor _depth_ - of ignominy, _nor any_ _other creature_, ουτε τις κτισις ετερα, (nor any other thing whatever,) _shall be able to separate us_, who love God, _from the_ _love of God, which_ he has vouchsafed to us _in Christ Jesus_. See _Whitby_. And for fa... [ Continue Reading ]