Calvin (7/8/01)

5:6

Paul begins an argument moving from the greater to the lesser. The greater issue, is the fact that Christ died to justify the ungodly while they were still ungodly. If this be so, the argument goes, then how much more easily will Christ also save those whom He justified? Making the ungodly to be righteous was the harder part. Now that they are righteous, it is a simpler thing to keep them so, and to save them at the end. The weakness of our pre-justified state lay in our sinfulness, not in some lesser understanding under the Law. (1Co 12:22 - The parts of your body that seem weaker, more prone to sin, are yet necessary members. 2Co 10:10 - His writing is strong, but his physical presence is weak.)

5:7

It being a rare thing indeed for a man to put his life on the line for another whom he perceives as a good man, there is no case of a man so setting himself aside on behalf of one who is not seen as good. Yet, this is precisely what Christ has done on our behalf. Footnote: Those for whom Christ died were unjust, being unwilling to give God the honor due him. They were sinful, being given to the pursuit of all sorts of evil. And beyond even this, they were enemies of God, actively warring against Him and His kingdom.

5:8-5:9

God, in His act through Christ, has confirmed to us His love for us. (1Jn 3:16 - In the fact that He laid His life down on our behalf, we are shown what real love is, and what love we ought to show towards our brothers. Jn 9:31 - God does not hear sinners - those who habitually chase after evil. Lk 7:37 - A woman of the city, a sinner, came to the table at which Jesus was sitting, bringing perfume.) The sinner is condemned by his deeds. The justified have been delivered from that condemnation. Seeing as Christ has put forth such effort to justify us, it cannot be considered reasonable that He would then cease to work on our behalf midstream. To justify us once at the start would not suffice, except He continue on our behalf throughout our time in this life, so as to present us in completed righteousness before the throne of grace at the end.

5:10

By His death, He atoned for all our sins, reconciling us to the Father. His death having accomplished so much, what won't His life accomplish? What doubt can remain to our standing firm in faith by His grace and aid? We are told that in Christ's death we saw the love of God towards us, and yet, we are told that at that very time, we were enemies to Him. How is this? It holds that God had already determined in His counsels to choose us as Christ's body, as redeemed. Yet, to us, it remained unknown until the death of Christ had its proper impact upon our thinking. Until that time, we remained committed sinners, and so, were enemies yet. But God, who sees the end from the beginning, loves those He has chosen to save in Christ, and Christ, in His death, has paid the damages for our sinful ways, that we might dwell in His love.

5:11

Having thus ascertained, that God is our God, we know ourselves the possession of Him who is the 'sum and substance of all blessings.' And so, by faith, we discover that we lack nothing toward our happiness. Faith must lead us ever to see Christ's death atoning for us, as we consider our salvation. And our trust can be in no other thing, but that His expiation has covered our sins, and His intercession keeps us ever in His grace.

 

 

Matthew Henry (7/9/01)

5:6

Now, Paul moves to describe the foundations of justification - a sweet stream that runs down to us from the death of Christ, that stream being His blood, which carry all the benefits of justification to us. In amplifying this thought, Paul first describes the nature of those Christ died for, then describes the fruits of that death. [In the next section] he continues by contrasting the first Adam that brought death, and the second that brought righteousness and life. So, to our character when Christ died for us. We were in desperate straits, lost with no hope of recovery, too weak to aid ourselves, and so, we found ourselves perfectly poised for God's timing. For, we find He ever comes at the time that those to be saved are completely devoid of strength, so as to more effectively display and magnify His great power and grace. (Dt 32:36 - The LORD will save, having compassion on His servants, when He sees their strength gone, and none remaining free.) Not only were we helpless, and so likely to perish, but we were sinful, and deserved to perish anyway. Nothing in us could be found to be deserving of the favors of a holy God.

5:7

Yet, in a manner unparalleled, He showed His love to us in Christ's death, clearly exemplifying the truth that His ways are above our own. (Jn 15:13-14 - There is no greater love than that displayed by one who puts his life on the line for a friend. In doing as He commands, we show ourselves His friends.) Were the man innocent, we would certainly pity him in his unjust condemnation, although it's doubtful that any would truly be willing to die in his place. For one who was not only innocent, but useful - actively good - perhaps there is a somewhat greater chance of this. Such as are constant in doing good for others will have the greatest likelihood of engendering such behavior in those they have aided. Paul was of such a nature (Ro 16:3-4 - Prisca and Aquila put their lives on the line for Paul, enabling him to continue his mission to the Gentiles.)

5:8

Yet, Christ died for those of us whose death would have served greatly to magnify God's justice. One might see the standard Jewish distinction of the divisions of their people in these last few verses: The righteous, the merciful, and the wicked. In this action, God went beyond proving His love, to making it an object of great wonder to those who beheld what His love had done. So, in this most convincing fashion, He displayed that very love which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. That love ought to bring change. "He died to save us, not in our sins, but from our sins." [emphasis mine.] In v10, we are told we were even active enemies of His government. Indeed, the sinful mind is not only an enemy to God, but an enemy to itself, and, as concerns God, the enmity caused by this sinfulness is mutual. (Ro 8:7 - The mind set on fleshly lusts is hostile to God, and refuses to be subject to His law, for it cannot do so. Col 1:21 - We used to be hostile in mind, as we joined in doing evil things. Zech 11:8 - I killed the three shepherds because My soul was impatient with them, and theirs were weary of Me.) It is a great mystery that Christ should die for such as we were, and so it is our business to spend eternity in adoration and wonder at this love. One who has so loved us in that condition has every right to command us to love our enemies.

5:9-5:10

The first fruits we have of Christ's death are justification and reconciliation, as we find our sins pardoned, and ourselves accepted as righteous. These things occur immediately upon believing. Justification is by His blood, because there can be no remission of sins without the shedding of blood. (Heb 9:22 - According to His Law, all things are cleansed with blood, and without its being shed, there can be no forgiveness. Lev 17:11 - Life is in the blood, and that blood is given on the altar to atone for your souls. It is because of the life that is in that blood, that the sacrifice is able to atone.) Having thus removed the things that blocked our salvation, salvation must come. And having done the greater act of making friends of His enemies, how will He not perform the lesser act of treating His friends in a friendly fashion? Having been declared His friends, we will assuredly be saved from the damning wrath of God. (1Th 1:10 - We wait for His Son, raised from the dead and returning from heaven, to deliver us from the wrath to come.) That final justification, and the preparations made in us against that time, are the salvation spoken of here, "it is the perfecting work of grace." In dying, He laid the foundation of reconciliation, in that life He attained to after His death, He works our salvation. (Ro 14:9 - He died and lived again, so that He would be shown Lord of both the dead and the living. Rev 1:18 - He is the living One, who was dead, but is now alive forevermore, holding the keys of death and Hades. Heb 7:25 - He is able to save, for He always lives to intercede for us.) By His humiliation, we were reconciled, by His exaltation, we are saved. (Ro 4:25 - He was delivered for our sins, and raised for our justification. Ro 8:34 - Christ died to deal with our condemnation, and now lives at God's right hand to intercede for us against any further charges.) In His death, He left us an inheritance as though by a will. In His resurrected life, He is the executor of that will, paying out our inheritance to us. And, if He has so paid the purchase price of our salvation, He will assuredly avail Himself of the benefits so paid for.

5:11

Knowing all this, we no longer find cause for terror in God, but cause for great joy. (Jer 17:17 - Don't be a terror to me, for You are my refuge in the day of disaster.) So reconciled, our sins will not be our ruin, for we have been given victory over sin, and will enter heaven triumphant in our Christ. We will enter with Him our salvation, our strength, and our song, for even in this current life, we have received that atonement, 'our actual reconciliation to God in justification.' To receive that atonement is to agree to and approve of the gospel method of atonement by the blood of Christ, and to take comfort in that atonement, as the foundation of our joy in God. God has received the atonement, and if we do the same, the work is done. (Mt 3:17 - A voice from heaven: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." Mt 17:5 - A bright cloud, and a voice from within the cloud: "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" Mt 28:2 - An earthquake, as the angel of the Lord came down and rolled away the stone.)

 

 

Adam Clarke (7/10/01)

5:6

In contrast to the wonderful state the believer finds himself in, Paul offers reminders of where he came from. He was weak and dying, with no resistance to sin and no ability to do good. He was godless, neither knowing nor worshiping God, ruled by Satan. He was a sinner, having missed the mark and deviated from the path of righteousness, so exposing himself to eternal misery. (Ge 13:13 - The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked, and sinned against the LORD.) He was an enemy of God, hating Him and holiness, and hostile to both. Here we see the progress of the fall, from spiritual weakness, to an inability to worship God as we ought, to wandering far afield in search of happiness without God, and so, multiplying our offenses against Him, to being so sin-poisoned that we become enemies to our own Maker, and indeed, to our own souls. Each of us arrives in life with the seed of this evil within us. It remains to the effects of bad influences and Gospel influences to determine how well that seed may grow in us, thus creating the variety of morality we see in the people around us. There is no solid basis for restricting this progression of the fall to the Gentiles, for it is applicable to all. Christ's time was right in many ways. It was the time of the world's greatest need. It was the height of Greek and Roman culture, in which the greatest efforts toward achieving happiness had been made. It was the nadir of Jewish corruption, at which point, their need for a Deliverer was at its greatest. It was the fullness of the prophesied time. It was the point at which both Jew and Gentile were best poised to detect the lie from the true. In all, it was the time when Christ's life and message could have their greatest impact for the glory of God (Lk 2:14 - Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth.) His death came instead of our own, who so deserved death. (Lk 22:19 - This is My body, given for you.)

5:7

The Jews see four classes of men: (1) the just, who render each his due, neither giving their own, nor taking another's, (2) those who will borrow and lend, (3) the good and pious, who will give of their own, and ask nothing in return and, (4) the impious who take from all, and give nothing in return. One who is merely just, does nothing in that to engender a devotion that would be willing to die for him. This devotion is reserved, when it is present at all, for those who are good and pious. (Jn 15:13 - There is no greater love than that of one who would give his life up for a friend.)

5:8

But God has made His infinite mercy conspicuous, so as to be noticed and admired by all, in saving us who were so fully unworthy of His kind intentions. [Not only were we not good and pious, we couldn't even be construed as just, falling more naturally into the fourth category of the impious.]

5:9

If, in His infinite compassion, He gave His life for us who were His enemies so as to justify us, we shall most certainly be saved from the punishment of our old sins through Him.

5:10

Every heart is in some measure hostile to holiness, and so, to God, although in our blindness we may not suspect this to be so. His resurrection stands as the proof that His death accomplished His purpose, and in that resurrected life, He now lives to intercede for us (Heb 7:25), so that we are both spared and blessed. It is IN His life that we are saved, for the life of God in our soul is necessary to our salvation. His earthly life also stands as an example that we are to follow. (Jn 8:12 - I am the light of the world, and he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.)

5:11

Now, we know ourselves reconciled to God, who has received the atonement of Christ's death, and so forgiven us the punishments that we deserved, giving us, instead, expectation of glory. It is not so much the act of atonement that is in view here, as its effect; thoroughly changing us from hostile enemies to loving friends. And to boast of God's mercy in so reconciling us is no sin, for that boasting is solely in the work of the Lord, and none of our own.

 

 

Barnes' Notes (7/11/01)

5:6

Another argument is made to show our hope well founded. This consists in showing that in Christ, God had given proof that He could save us, and then, building upon that, recognizing that God has done the harder task of reconciling His enemies to Himself, and so, will no doubt complete the salvation of His friends. The word used for weakness here generally speaks of those made feeble by disease or sickness, but may also carry a moral significance, indicating the inability to perform one's duty. (Mt 25:39 - When did we see You sick, and come to You? Lk 10:9 - Heal the sick, and let them know that the kingdom of God has come to them. Ac 4:9 - Are we on trial for making a sick man well? Well, then, let me explain how he was healed! Ac 5:15 - They carried the sick out so that Peter's shadow might touch them as he passed.) In this case, the issue in sight is our condition prior to atonement, unable to do anything that might atone for our sins, and secure our salvation. The passage has nothing to do with the question of our ability to repent and believe after that atonement. This atonement was made at the proper time (Gal 4:4 - When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son.) It was the proper time in that four thousand years of attempts by Law and by reason had failed to bring an answer. A better plan was needed. It was the proper time in that it was that time God had appointed and declared by the prophets. (Ge 49:10 - Judah will rule until Shiloh comes, to whom the people will give obedience. Dan 9:24-27 - Seventy weeks are declared in which you are to put an end to sin, so as to bring in everlasting righteousness. It will begin with a decree to rebuild Jerusalem, and end with the arrival of Messiah. He will be cut off, and the city will again be destroyed. A covenant of peace will be declared with the people, but it will be broken, the sacrifices stopped, until such time as the destruction of that destroyer is completed, as decreed. Jn 13:1 - Jesus knew His time of departure had come as the Feast of Passover approached. Jn 17:1 - He lifted His eyes to heaven and said "Father, the hour has come; glorify Thy Son, that He may glorify Thee.") It was the proper time in that it was so favorable to the spread of the gospel; the peoples expecting, the world peaceful under Roman rule, etc. (Mt 2:1-2 - Jesus was born in Herod's reign, and magi came to see the prophesied king, and to worship Him.)

5:7

In these verses, the best of man's efforts is described, to better illustrate what God had done in Christ. Man might occasionally be willing to die for a good man, expressing purest friendship with that man, but certainly not for one who sought to wrong us, libel us, or otherwise harm our happiness. Yet Christ died for bitter enemies. Rare indeed would be the instance of one dying for a man of simple integrity, with no claims to great benevolence or friendship. In fact, such a case has not been heard of. But, one might expect such an occurrence on behalf of one who, in addition to being just, was also kind, and benevolent, and friendly. Records of friends of such men giving their life for his can be found. David and Jonathon might fit this category. (Jn 15:13 - There is no greater love than that of a man who dies for his friends.)

5:8

Yet, God displayed this very love for us, in that Christ died instead of us, even though we were still His enemies. "In this, His love surpasses all that has ever been manifested among people."

5:9

If He was able to overcome all that kept us from salvation while we were enemies, much more can we expect that He will protect us who are His friends. Here lies a firm foundation for the hope we have. By His death, we have been accepted as friends, sanctified by that death, and so, sacred in God's sight, given a value in His view equal to that of the price paid to make us so. In that purchase, we have a pledge that He will keep what He has bought, saving us from the punishment our sins deserved (Ro 3:25 - God made a public display of His propitiating act on the cross to demonstrate His own righteousness in passing over our sins. Ro 2:8 - Wrath and indignation come upon those who disobey truth, and chase after their own selfish ambitions.)

5:10

The concept is repeated to strengthen belief and understanding. The work of atonement was done for us while we were still enemies, changing us to friends. He was determined to do what He would do, and He has pledged that the work begun in our hostile state will be perfected. In this, God overcame obstacles that existed for both sides pursuant to our being friends, which is the great purpose of the plan of salvation. (Mt 5:24 - Be reconciled to your brother before you come to make offerings to your God. Col 1:21-22 - Although we were hostile, and given to doing evil deeds, He has reconciled us in His body through His death, so as to present us holy and blameless before Him. Eph 2:16 - He has reconciled Jew and Gentile together to God through the cross, ending their hatred. Ro 3:26 - He has demonstrated His righteousness, so as to show Himself just even in justifying those whose faith is in Jesus.) The obstacles for God were the maintaining of His honor, His Law, His truth, and His justice as He pardoned us. The obstacles for us were our unwillingness to reconcile, which He subdued by working a sanctifying change in our heart, allowing us to submit to His governance. Given what He has accomplished already, we have all the more reason to expect those benefits that accrue due to His resurrected life. His death seemed a humiliation and a defeat of His plans, yet it was this very death that reconciled us to God. Now, He is alive, exalted and triumphant. If the weakness of His death could reconcile us, consider what His full vigor and power will accomplish in preserving us in our salvation. (Jn 14:19 - In a while, the world will no longer see me, but you will. And, because I live, you will, too.)

5:11

We were told before that we rejoice in tribulation and in hope. To that is now added that we rejoice in God Himself; in all that He is, and in His rule of the universe we occupy. Once opposed to Him, we now find pleasure in His perfections, as we find them revealed in Scripture. In Christ, we have seen the true character of God. In this verse, it is the effect of the ransom that is in sight, rather than the price of the ransom, thus, this is the singular instance of the word 'atonement' in the New Testament [and that, only in some translations.] This translation is due to the early meaning of the English word: at-one-ment - a being at one, or a reconciled condition. In the Greek, there are different words for the offering and the effect, the word here clearly indicating effect rather than offering.

 

 

Wycliffe (7/12/01)

5:6-5:8

It is possible that one would die for a good man, but it is incredible that one should willingly die for his enemies, as Christ did for us. The full impact of the fact that Christ died for us requires that we recognize that it was for our benefit, on our behalf, and in our place that He did so.

5:9

If He did this when we were still His enemies, then we can be assured that He will save us by His blood now, and in the future, preserve us from God's wrath. (2Th 1:9 - That wrath is the penalty of eternal destruction, removed from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.)

5:10

Saved while His enemies, we now share in the resurrection life of Christ, and so, are preserved by that very life. (1Co 6:17 - The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Col 3:4 - Christ is our life. When He is revealed, you will be too. Heb 7:25 - He is able to save forever, because He lives forever, making intercession on our behalf.)

5:11

The boasting we now do of our love for God, is done through Christ, in whom God acted upon man to reconcile them to Himself. (2Co 5:18-20 - He reconciled us to Himself through Christ, and passed that ministry of reconciliation to us. In Christ, He was reconciling the world to Himself, choosing to pass over their sins, of which reconciliation we have been commissioned to preach, being ambassadors for Christ, begging you, on God's behalf, to become reconciled to Him in Christ.)

 

 

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (7/12/01-7/14/01)

5:6

Three properties of God's love to us are examined here, as they relate to the work of Christ. The first of these is for whom the work was done, which expands on the earlier point that justification was fully gratuitous, being given for the ungodly (Ro 4:5 - Faith is reckoned as righteousness to the one who believes in Him who justifies the ungodly.) It is clear, in this passage, that 'for' indicates 'on behalf of,' and not 'instead of,' although the same word is used elsewhere with the latter significance (Mt 20:28 - The Son of Man came to give His life as a ransom for many. Ro 3:25 - God displayed Him as a propitiation through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness in passing over our prior sins. 2Co 5:15 - He died for all, so that they would live for Him. 2Co 5:20-21 - We are ambassadors for Christ, begging you to be reconciled to God. God made Him, the sinless One, to be sin on our behalf, so that we could become righteous in Him. Gal 3:13 - Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, becoming the curse for us. 1Pe 3:18 - He died for sins once for all, for both the just and the unjust, to bring us to God, all having been killed in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.) Having established for whom Christ's work was done, we move to the question of the circumstances in which it was done. This was done when we were weak. But that weakness spoken of here has not to do with the ability to obey the Law, but with our complete inability to justify ourselves, or reconcile ourselves to God, these being the things Paul identifies as benefits in the following verses. Finally, the question of when this was accomplished is answered by the statement that it was in due time, at the appointed season, when the necessity of outside intervention had been made clear to us, and when all necessary preparations had been completed. (Gal 4:4 - When the fullness of time had come, God sent His Son out as born of a woman, and so, under the Law. Heb 1:2 - In these final days, God has spoken to us in His Son, the one appointed as heir of all things, the One through whom the world was made. Heb 9:26 - He was not required to offer Himself annually, as the Temple priests made their offerings, but now, at the end of the ages, He manifested Himself to put away sin completely by the singular sacrifice of Himself.)

5:7

There is no basis to look at this verse as describing merely ideals; as suggesting that men might occasionally die for the concepts of good and righteousness. Furthermore, it seems unlikely in this case, that Paul is using the parallelism common to Jewish writing. Thus, the distinction is being made between the case of man who, while just, is not particularly exceptional, and the case of the one who, in addition to his just character, is also noted for his benevolence toward the society he is in. For this latter case, Paul says, one might find the occasional instance of another dying in his place, but beyond this, to the one who is merely just, such devotion will not extend in the hearts of men. By contrast, look at the love of God toward us.

5:8

His love was so expressed toward us when we were far from that benevolent goodness, not even able to claim to be just, but were rather sinners in a state that He hates from His very soul. Yet, this is the situation He showed His love forth into, making that love evident in His actions. (Ro 3:5 - If our unrighteousness makes His righteousness the more evident, is He then unrighteous to be wrathful toward us? No. Ro 16:1 - I commend Phoebe to you, making her goodness toward the church evident to you. 2Co 3:1 - Are we commending ourselves to you again? Do we need letters of introduction to be welcomed among you?) His actions are declared in that Christ died for us. In this, Paul clearly views Christ as more than just a 'great man,' seeing also the full divinity of Christ. Otherwise, the conclusion does not properly fit the argument. In His death, as far as is possible in the perfection of His nature, God truly did, as it were, die for us.

5:9

Now, that conclusion is amplified. If He did this in dying, consider what He is able to do in living.

5:10

We were enemies in that we were objects of His righteous hatred, not in that we were actively warring against Him. So, also, the reconciliation had not to do with our feeling toward Him, but rather, with His feeling toward us. [Not sure I'd agree with that. Actually, fairly sure I wouldn't.] We see here, the work of Christ divided into two parts. The first is our justification, the immediate turning aside of God's wrath toward us, which was fully accomplished in His death on the cross. The second is His continued salvation, his sustaining of the turning of God's wrath from us from the time of our justification, until the time of final judgment. (Jude 24 - He is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory as one blameless and with great joy. Having already accomplished the first stage, we can be confident that He will accomplish the second. The enormity of what He has already done in dying for enemies is so great in comparison with the effort required for the second stage of salvation that we can be absolutely assured of its completion.

5:11

In addition to those fruits of justification already noted, Paul now adds our reconciliation to God, in which we find great joy. Although the word here is translated as 'atonement' in older translations, the latter translation of 'reconciliation' better transmits the meaning, as the meaning of 'atonement' has changed from the idea of bringing two estranged parties to be 'at one,' to the idea of that by which the reconciliation was made possible, the atoning sacrifice, as it were. In this, the swelling gratitude of our initial salvation is seen to bloom, for Him of whom we had great dread is now a cause for rejoicing to us, He has become, in our eyes, 'altogether lovely.' The divine origin of this Gospel is evident in its resting on God's gracious work on our behalf, rather than on our own vain struggles to obey. Only believers have that patience under trial that allows them to count it all joy, even though they doubtless find it grievous at the time. (Heb 12:11 - All discipline is painful at the moment, but it produces righteousness in the one so trained. Jas 1:2-3 - Count your trials as joy, knowing that they test your faith, and so produce endurance.) Hope is not a weakened faith, but is rather founded upon a pre-existent faith, confidently expecting what faith has found reason to be assured of. [Note that faith and hope do not act in a vacuum of reason, but rather are confirmed by reason.] The office of the Holy Spirit is to bring full conviction of God's love toward us, and so bring assurance of our salvation. Christ's death for His enemies stands out as a unique case unparalleled among men, and so, particularly poignant as a display of the greatness of God's love. Our justification is sometimes referred to Christ's blood, or His obedience, or His righteousness for cause. Yet, we must recognize that where any facet of His mediating work is mentioned, the whole is still recognized, and the particular facet chosen only as it more directly fits the current thread of conversation. (Ro 5:9 - Being justified by His blood, we will be saved through Him. Ro 5:19 - Through the obedience of the One, many will be made righteous. Ro 5:18 - Through one act of righteousness, justification came to all men.) Thus, when looking at the sacrifices men might make, the blood of Christ's sacrifice is brought out for contrast. But, when looking at the character of Adam, through whom sin entered, the contrast is to the character of Christ's life, through whom righteousness entered. There is no call to focus upon one particular aspect as being the whole cause of our justification, for the whole must be held in view. Gratitude for redemption, by itself, would be a vain and worthless feeling. But, when it rises to delight in God, it becomes sanctified by that higher feeling.

 

 

New Thoughts (7/15/01-7/16/01)

Once more, Paul has shown us the full extent of our godless nature, of the state we were in prior to Christ's work on our behalf. Why? In part, as Mr. Clarke has pointed out, it stands as a warning, showing us, as it does, the progression of the fall. While the work of Christ is not subject to somehow failing, for He is fully able to accomplish that which He has promised, yet we need that constant reminder as to why we must battle our temptations and our inclinations to sin. Look again at the sequence. First comes spiritual weakness, as our proclivities drive a wedge between us and our God. Sensing that wedge, we begin to hide, even as Adam did, and so we are no longer able to worship God as we ought to. Our delight in Him is returned to fear of His wrath. No longer having our delight in Him, we begin looking anywhere and everywhere for some balm of happiness to soothe us in His absence, and so, begin chasing harder after those very sins that caused the separation in the first place. Fully plunged into this downward spiral, we move past fear of God to anger at Him for so afflicting us, we begin to actively oppose Him, seeking to free others of their belief in Him, so they can join us in our miserable attempts at joy. How blind we become! From a tiny wedge that He longs to forgive, we have moved all the way to active opposition not only to Himself, but to our own best interests! But praise be to God, that He is faithful! Praise be to Him that he never fails in His promises and in His will! He has willed our salvation. He has willed us to be reconciled to Him, and so we are, even in the worst of our valleys of doubt. And in those valleys, faithful Father that He is, He sends such trials and afflictions as are necessary to bring us to the end of our own strength and effort, so that we might once more turn to Him for the help He's been waiting to offer. For, as Mr. Henry points out, we find He ever comes at the time that those to be saved are completely devoid of strength, so as to more effectively display and magnify His great power and grace. So, again, why is it that Paul brings this into view for us? On top of the warning aspect, there is the matter of evoking in us an understanding of the full scope of our need, so that we may the more fully recognize what He has done for us. As Christ taught, the one who is forgiven little is only a little thankful. Look, then, at what has been forgiven you, and at what great cost to the offended party. How, then, can we spend so much as a moment doing other than to thank the One who has saved us! Finally, in recognizing how deep our need was, in seeing how much He has done, who has saved us from that wreck, we find firm foundation for our hope in Him, that we shall be kept by His grace. Wisdom has led us to see our need, as God has opened our eyes. Faith has led us to see Christ's death atoning for our sins, which we could never do, again, as God has opened our eyes. Hope has looked into these things, and found in them the sole basis for trust, knowing that as His atonement covered our sins, so His intercession will forever keep us in His grace.

As God has opened our eyes… Oh, the joy to be found in knowing that the Holy Spirit, that Advocate promised by our Lord, has come, and in His work has opened our understanding. Praise to the One who has brought recognition of that great love God has toward us! There is no greater love, than that of a man who gives his own life on behalf of his friends (Jn 15:13), and yet, to quote Mr. Barnes, "in this, His love surpasses all that has ever been manifested among people." We know of no earthly love that could do as He has done, that would do so. For He died not for those friendly to Him, but for those who were yet His enemies. This is the enormity of what He has done. Even though we were deservedly objects of God's wrath, He rather chose to display His love. In Christ, He died for us. He died for our benefit. Face it. He had nothing to gain from this, but in His death, we have gained everything. He died on our behalf. By His own arrangement and plan, He made a way for His Law to be satisfied, for His justice to be upheld, and yet, in such a way as we could enjoy the results. Had justice been carried out without mercy, we would not be alive in Him, but rather in that eternal death promised to His enemies. He died in our place. The penalty of the Law was our due, and that penalty was clearly a death sentence. Justice demanded a death in payment for these violations of His righteous rule in accord with that rule, and so Christ died. He who had known no sin in Himself was made to be sin, taking on all our transgressions and dying as those transgressions demanded, so that we might be reconciled to our loving God, and live forever in Him. Oh Father, knowing this, how can I return to those sins? How can I, knowing that they add in some way to the price You paid, allow myself to fall into those very sins that You saved me from? How can You stand it, Lord, that I show so little gratitude, so little comprehension of what You have done? And yet, though I am a weak and faithless thing, You are faithful. You are steadfast, and so, I know my salvation stands. But oh, my Lord, how I long to be free to live a life worthy of what You have done for me. How I desire to walk as You have required. How I hunger and thirst for the righteousness I have in You. Lord, burn off all that keeps me from being fully Yours. Cut away those things that distract me from Your voice, oh God. Though I have never been fond of discipline, yet I will welcome Your corrective trials, if they will work in me the righteousness You desire of me. Do as You must, oh Lord, and by Your Spirit in me, enable me to comply with Your will.

I cannot end this here. I must remind myself, and whoever might be reading this besides, of the joyful outcome of this lesson. Mr. Henry points out what an incredible mystery, what a shocking thing, it is that Christ should die for such as we were. The whole point of this passage has largely been to bring us to the recognition of just how great a thing this is, just how great God's love for us is, and as we recognize this, we must recognize that it is our business, an obligation of our own love for God, to spend all eternity in adoration and wonder at this love He has shown toward us! And that eternity started when He made clear to us that we had been saved from our past, and that He continues to uphold us in our present. Nothing can separate us from that love He has for us (Ro 8:39). Nothing we did could save us, and nothing we can do will end His love for us. Nothing. Contrary to what the enemy would have us to believe, God will not walk away from us for our inability to fully comply to His will. If He would turn away now, why would He have bothered to turn us around in the first place? His love is not the fickle love we find in our fellow man, but the steadfast love that only He can offer. We have been shown how much that love surpasses all that we have ever known of love in this life. Don't ever allow yourself to be convinced that love eternal has come to an end in your case. Never lose sight of His love for you. Will you fall? Certainly, you will. Will He pick you back up? Absolutely! You and I will doubtless find times in our lives that require the loving chastisement of our Father to bring us back to the paths of righteousness, but He will never leave nor forsake you. He will not leave you to your own devices, who once has called you His child (I speak to myself in this, as much as anybody). He has enabled us to love Him, too. We could stop at thankfulness for our redemption, and, I suppose many do. Sad, though, is the one who only finds cause for thanks in knowing he'll not taste the condemnation he earned. No, our thankfulness is nothing, until and unless it is moved to delight in God. This is the greater gift He has given us! By the Holy Spirit working upon our hearts, we can truly delight in our God, we can indeed begin that eternal adoration that is called for. We can cling to the ability to fulfill the call we have to rejoice in our reconciliation to Him!

Oh, LORD! No matter how bleak things may appear moment by moment, no matter what trials we may be called to face daily in this walk, we can rejoice in You. We can delight in You, knowing that whatever may come against us, in the end, there is You! Too often, I do lose sight of this cause for rejoicing. Too often, I allow the circumstances of life to overwhelm me, and determine my attitude. No more! I rejoice in Your love for me! I rejoice in the knowledge that You will certainly work in me a greater and greater ability to comply, to persevere, to walk worthy of Your call upon my life. I will worship You with all that I can, and be the more thankful that You are there to help in all that I can't. Lord, help me to be faithful to call upon You in my weakness, to seek from You the ability to comply, when my flesh is unable. Help me, Father, to fully lay hold of Your promise, of Your righteousness, of Your sanctification in my life.