NO CONDEMNATION; from God. WHO WALK; live habitually. NOT AFTER THE FLESH; not as corrupt nature prompts, seeking supremely earthly good and selfish gratification. AFTER THE SPIRIT; as the Holy Spirit directs, regarding principally God, Christ, heaven, and spiritual, eternal things.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE; that new direction of the soul which is given by the Holy Ghost through faith in Christ. MADE ME FREE; delivered me from the condemning power of the divine law, and the reigning power of sin and death. This is that deliverance for which the apostle expresses his earne... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THE LAW COULD NOT DO; it could not deliver those who had broken it from condemnation and ruin. It could neither lead them to obey it, nor to repent of having broken it; nor could it lessen their disposition to violate it, notwithstanding its promises and threatenings. It could make no atonement... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE LAW MIGHT BE FULFILLED IN US; that we might be brought into that state of true righteousness which the law requires. The apostle, as the context shows, has immediate reference to deliverance from the reigning power of sin in the soul, but this can never be accomplished... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THE FLESH; fleshly in their character. DO MIND THE THINGS OF THE FLESH; devote themselves to fleshly objects. Their outward conduct flows from their inward character, as a stream from a fountain. "The flesh" is to be taken here, as in Galatians 5:19-21, and often elsewhere, in a wide sense. I... [ Continue Reading ]
TO BE CARNALLY MINDED; the same as to mind the things of the flesh, as verse Romans 8:5. So, to be spiritually minded, is the same as to mind the things of the Spirit. IS DEATH; spiritual death, and if continued will issue in eternal death. IS LIFE AND PEACE; spiritual life, manifesting itself in... [ Continue Reading ]
IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD; opposed to his character and will. If it were not, it would love and obey him. NOT SUBJECT TO THE LAW OF GOD; it does not yield obedience, but acts in opposition to what he requires. NEITHER INDEED CAN BE; the two things are incompatible, contrary the one to the other; and t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY THAT ARE IN THE FLESH; in a fleshly state; the same as "they that are after the flesh," as verse Romans 8:4. CANNOT PLEASE GOD; because a fleshly state is contrary to that spiritual state which God requires. For this reason they should no longer continue their wicked and dangerous course, but... [ Continue Reading ]
IF SO BE THAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD DWELL IN YOU; the Holy Spirit, producing and leading you to manifest the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-24. THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST; the Holy Spirit, producing in him in some measure a likeness to Christ, and leading him earnestly to desire that it may be perfecte... [ Continue Reading ]
IF CHRIST BE IN YOU; by his Spirit, producing in you a likeness to himself. BECAUSE OF SIN; the body, whether of the believer or unbeliever, must indeed die and turn to dust, on account of sin. BUT THE SPIRIT IS LIFE; it is delivered from condemnation and is spiritually alive, having been raised w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT; the Holy Spirit. DWELL IN YOU; producing in you the fruits of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-23. QUICKEN YOUR MORTAL BODIES; make them alive to God's service in the present life, so that from being "instruments of unrighteousness," they become "instruments of righteousness unto God"; and i... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE DEBTORS; owe obligation. NOT TO THE FLESH; because the minding of the flesh has never conferred upon us any real good, but always injury.... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SHALL DIE; the death not of the body merely, but of the soul-a death which shall last for ever. Body and soul shall die the second, an eternal death. THROUGH THE SPIRIT; through the influence and aid of the Holy Spirit, given to all who believe in Christ. MORTIFY THE DEEDS OF THE BODY; resist,... [ Continue Reading ]
ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT; follow his guidance. This includes the idea of minding the things of the Spirit, and through his help, mortifying the deeds of the body. THE SONS OF GOD; sonship here includes two things: first, likeness to God in character; secondly, heirship to the inheritance provided by G... [ Continue Reading ]
SPIRIT OF BONDAGE; a servile, slavish spirit, governed by fear. AGAIN TO FEAR; that ye should be again in a state of fear, as ye were under the law. SPIRIT OF ADOPTION; the affectionate confidence of children, as contrasted with the servile fear of slaves. WE CRY, ABBA, FATHER; Abba is the Chalde... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT ITSELF; the Holy Spirit. BEARETH WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT; by working in us the dispositions, and leading us to form the habits and cherish the hopes of the children of God; and by his influence, enabling us to discern in ourselves these scriptural evidences of being born of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF CHILDREN, THEN-JOINT - HEIRS WITH CHRIST; entitled to be, with Christ, partakers for ever of the blessings of Jehovah's kingdom. IF SO BE THAT WE SUFFER WITH HIM; deny ourselves for his sake, meet with calmness and bear with patience the trials which he brings upon us, and do whatever is needful... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SUFFERINGS OF THIS PRESENT TIME; those which Christians endure in this world. NOT WORTHY TO BE COMPARED; are very small, as nothing in comparison. GLORY-REVEALED IN US; Ephesians 3:16-19; Colossians 3:4; 2 THESSALONIANS 1:10; 1 JOHN 3:2. All sacrifices which men make to obey God, and all trial... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CREATURE; the creation. In this and the three following verses the word rendered creature and creation is the same in the original Greek. It seems to denote the whole of this lower creation as brought under God's curse, and made subject to suffering and abuse in connection with the fall of man.... [ Continue Reading ]
VANITY; suffering and abuse. NOT WILLINGLY; not by their own choice. HIM WHO HATH SUBJECTED THE SAME; God, by his wise and righteous constitution of things. IN HOPE; of deliverance from the evil endured.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE BONDAGE OF CORRUPTION; the bondage which consists in a corruptible state, with all the suffering belonging to such a state. THE GLORIOUS LIBERTY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD; literally, "the liberty of the glory of the children of God"; that is, the liberty from corruption and suffering which the cre... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHOLE CREATION; every part of creation which, without its own choice, has been subjected to evils, or is perverted and abused through the sins of men. GROANETH AND TRAVAILETH IN PAIN; experienceth and manifesteth deep distress under the evils which sin has caused. The sufferings which sin bring... [ Continue Reading ]
NOT ONLY THEY; the creatures which unwillingly suffer, or are perverted and abused through the sins of men. BUT OURSELVES ALSO; true Christians, who are born of the Spirit, and have the foretastes of heaven. GROAN WITHIN OURSELVES; under the evils which sin still occasions us. WAITING FOR THE ADO... [ Continue Reading ]
SAVED BY HOPE; hope of future, everlasting glory; sustaining us in trials, animating us in duty, and leading us to persevere in keeping the commands of God. HOPE THAT IS SEEN, IS NOT HOPE; what we have in possession, we do not hope for; we hope for future good, and persevere in the course which is... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SPIRIT; the Holy Spirit, who dwells in believers. HELPETH OUR INFIRMITIES; all the weaknesses that belong to us as fallen sinful beings, subject to suffering and death. In respect to these the Holy Spirit helps us by enabling us rightly to bear them, to overcome the evils they occasion, and in... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT SEARCHETH THE HEARTS; God. KNOWETH WHAT IS THE MIND OF THE SPIRIT; he understands the feelings and desires caused by the Holy Ghost in the hearts of men, whether uttered in words or not; they are in accordance with his will, and he delights to answer them 1 John 5:14. This is an unspeakable... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD; love to God distinguishes true Christians from all other men. He that loveth God is born of him, and all things shall work together for his good. THE CALLED; those who have been called by his grace out of the darkness and bondage of sin into... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM HE DID FOREKNOW; as his people. He did not simply foreknow that they would be his people, but his foreknowledge of them as his people included the gracious purpose of bringing them into a state of salvation, as the apostle proceeds immediately to show. HE ALSO DID PREDESTINATE TO BE CONFORMED... [ Continue Reading ]
THEM HE ALSO CALLED; called by his word and Spirit, taught them to feel their need of Christ, and led them to believe on him. THEM HE ALSO JUSTIFIED; accepted as righteous. THEM HE ALSO GLORIFIED; made heirs of eternal glory in heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THESE THINGS; in view of the above-mentioned truths. IF GOD BE FOR US; if he is our friend, has led us to believe on his Son, and thus showed that he has determined to save us, and to cause all things to work for our good. WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? who can hinder our salvation, or on the whole do... [ Continue Reading ]
FREELY GIVE US ALL THINGS; as he has, self-moved, given us his only begotten Son to be our Saviour, and renewed our hearts by his Spirit, pardoned our sins, and justified us by his grace, who can doubt but he will give us all needed good? The death of Christ is conclusive evidence that nothing which... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS HE THAT CONDEMNETH? who can prevail against God, so as to destroy, or ultimately injure us? IT IS CHRIST; who from love, died in our stead when we were his enemies. But Paul cannot leave the subject here, since without the resurrection, ascension, and intercession of Christ, his death would b... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO SHALL SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST? that love which was stronger than death; which led him, when we were his enemies, to die for us, to give us his Holy Spirit, to reconcile and unite us to himself, and make us joint-heirs with him to all the blessings of his Father's kingdom. Who or what... [ Continue Reading ]
AS IT IS WRITTEN; PSALMS 44:22. WE ARE KILLED; constantly suffer, and are exposed to death.... [ Continue Reading ]
MORE THAN CONQUERORS; over all our trials; they shall not only fail to separate us from the love of Christ, or to diminish our love to him, or to do us any real harm, but they shall do us great good; showing us the evil of sin and the vanity of the world, quickening us in duty, and making us more ho... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LOVE OF GOD-IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD; "the love of God" here, like "the love of Christ," verse Romans 8:35, is his love towards us, which, however, always includes love on our part towards him.... [ Continue Reading ]