Romans 8
There are three parts in this well known and remarkable chapter: first, Deliverance in the power of life from God.,-the power of God in resurrection giving life in the spirit as our portion through the work of Christ; secondly, The presence of the Holy Ghost Himself,-not merely the fruit of His operation, but His own personal presence; and thirdly, The outward security-what God is for us-not anything in us, but that for which we can count upon Him. Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God. For only the creature can pretend to separate us; and no creature can separate from God, as being mightier than He. " If God be N. us, who can be against us!" Therefore in the end we have nothing of the inward work; that the apostle had fully spoken of before. So entirely does he pass it over, that when he says, " Whom he justified," he does not add, them He also sanctified, though that is true, but " them he also glorified."
I repeat, we have, first, the inward effect and work-life-to its full result, even to the resurrection of the body. (Rom. 8:1-141There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 6For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:1‑14)) Then, secondly, the presence of the Holy Ghost in us. (Rom. 8:15-2915For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. 26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. 28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:15‑29).) And, thirdly, all the securing power of what God is for us outwardly, in His counsels, &e; not looking at His work within the soul, maintaining it, and so on.
But before I enter on this chapter, I would say a few words on the conclusion of the last. A godly person, who had come to the deliverance there is in Christ Jesus, in the end of the 7th chapter,—that is, to the beginning of the last verse,- might suppose that there was an end of conflict; but it is not so; for such is the instruction of the latter part of the same verse. It is after the soul has known deliverance by Jesus Christ, that this great principle comes out, "with the mind I serve the law of God;" therefore, until the deliverance is known, this cannot be realized; but the flesh remaining in us, after we have known deliverance, occasions conflicts after deliverance, because there are conflicting principles, contradictory one of another. In the 7th of Romans the law and the flesh are opposed to each other; but in the 5th of Galatians-where we get the real form of both conflict and deliverance-it is the opposition of the flesh and the Spirit. In Galatians, they have the Spirit, and therefore you get real power after the deliverance, which you do not get in Romans, because they have not the Spirit. Thus, in this 7th of Romans, it is not flesh and the Spirit, but man under law; and, therefore, he does not say, " the flesh lusteth against the Spirit;" but, " 0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" He delights in the law, it is true. Of course he does; for, if the new man is begotten it will delight in the law, whether under it or not. But the law has no power to give the Spirit; therefore, if under it, I cannot be led of the Spirit, I must be led of the flesh. "But we" -who believe-" are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in us." "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." " And, if we be led of the Spirit, we are not under the law." Therefore, in Galatians, where they have the Spirit, they are exhorted to " walk in the Spirit." But, if they have the Holy Ghost, why this exhortation to walk in the Spirit? Because the flesh is still there, and " lusteth against the Spirit," and there is ever a danger of acting according to it. " The Spirit," however, on the other hand, " lusteth against the flesh;" and is given for the very end that we may overcome, " that we may not do the things that we would," which is the force of the passage. If I walk in the Spirit I do not fulfill the flesh's lusts.
I now turn to the doctrine of our chapter.
In the first three verses of this 8th chapter, we have the results of the argument shown in chapters 5, 6, and 7. In the first verse we have the result of chapter 5, in the second Adam-"justification of life." In the second, we are "dead unto sin," as in chapter 6. In the third, we are "dead to the law," as in chapter 7. Under the first Adam, who brought in sin and death, there was nothing but what pressed down; while in the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, it is all lifting up—perfect liberty. God has come in, in delivering power. But you say, " How is that?" God's own Son went down under the power of death for our sins, and rose in the power of a new life without them. He left them behind Him, with the life in which He had borne them, and to which the claims and curse of the law attached, and entered into a new position before God. And by association with Him we are taken from under our sins into this new position-into resurrection-life with Christ. " There is, therefore, now no condemnation." Christ has undergone the judgment due to sin, and then arisen from the dead; and in Him we too have died to all that came upon Him as dying, and in Him risen; and because we are alive, through the life of Christ, after the judgment for sin has been executed on Him who died for it, there can be no condemnation to those who are in Him. Moreover, " it is God that justifieth." God came in. in power, and put them through a work of death and resurrection in Christ, and there is an end of their whole standing as in flesh before God, and of all that attached itself to it.
Therefore, now it is no question of hope where faith is simple. I do not hope anything in speaking of the effect of the cross. I do not hope that the work of Christ puts away my sins; it has put them away,-it is a past thing, executed and done. He "put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Moreover, we do not now trust in promises for our peace, but in a fact, in an accomplished promise. Of course we do trust in promises for our every day's need and deliverance, but that is quite another thing. As to salvation, we rest in that which is already done. “By the righteousness of one the free gift is of many offenses unto justification of life." We are brought in living power into God's presence in resurrection. We are in Christ Jesus, who not only died, but having passed through death is beyond it all, in an entirely new position. There is our position, in Christ Jesus, in God's presence. There is no condemnation there. There is an end of the whole condition to which it applied: for it has exercised all its force on Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Here, too, is the secret of the walk of the Christian-" who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Now we get that of which we had nothing in the end of the last chapter, that is, Christ and the Spirit. Indeed, we get more of the Spirit than of Christ and His work, for He is talking of that which results from what Christ has done. I find here the living power of the Spirit in Christ Jesus, setting us, as associated with Him, in a position where we are sitting out of the region of condemnation, made free from the law of sin and death.
Notice now the connection of the three first verses of this chapter, with the argument of the three preceding chapters. The first verse looks back to the 5th chapter, and asserts that we are justified because Christ is dead and risen; and that there is no condemnation if we are in Christ Jesus. The second looks back to the 6th chapter, and answers the question, " Is this free justification a principle of sin:" No, for how have we got into Christ? By death and resurrection. Then you have the life of Christ, and that is the very principle of holiness. The law of the Spirit of life has made us free. The third verse looks back to the 7th chapter, and shows that what the law could not do, God " has done;" viz., condemned that sin in the flesh which so troubles and besets us; and that through Christ's coming in the likeness of it, and as a sacrifice for it, so taking us from under its dominion. The righteousness of the law is now fulfilled in us; the principle of it is planted in us, " for he that loveth hath fulfilled the law." Thus we get the practical result, besides "no condemnation" and standing in Christ. The law could never give that.
I desire to call your attention again to the first verse, as there is extreme force and power in it. " There is, therefore, now no condemnation." It does not merely say that they are not condemned, but it goes a great deal further -" there is no condemnation." And the soul needs this full assurance. For conscience is more lively the nearer we are to God. And the nearer to God the more miserable, if there is anything at all as a question between the soul and Him. There is, then, no condemnation to them that are in Christ. Is there any condemnation for Christ? Why! He is the Blessed One of God, the very substance and principle of being and accomplishment of what God delights in. How then can there be any condemnation for the one who is in Him? lie makes our standing. In Him is our peace. All the old sins are gone, and there is perfect peace and security in God's presence, for we are there " as he is."
Verse 2. " For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus bath made me free from the law of sin and death." In the 7th chapter, we saw the power of the flesh, which was constantly subjugating the man, whose will was set right. There was a law in his members. But the Spirit has a law-a constant uniform principle of action-just as much as the flesh had. There is power too-living power- in Christ. It is not taking a man and saying to him; here is the law, and keep it. Man would put this first, and get out of condemnation by it. Now we are quickened by the life-giving second Adam, and have part, as we have seen, in His resurrection, in order to getting out of condemnation; Christ having first wrought the atonement, we enter into life discharged from sin. But man would get his conscience free by the movings and actings of this life, that it might be as to his consciousness-himself; but this cannot be. There must be submission to condemnation, and the sense of helplessness, so that Christ may be our hope; in other words, there must be submission to God's righteousness. Until the conscience is clear, we cannot be dealing with God as a God of power. God will not let us have the power until we submit to the condemnation, and get it settled by Christ. But having submitted to God's righteousness, there is living power in Christ, which sets the man free from the law of sin and death. In Rom. 7, there are the desires of the new life, but working in. relation to the law, and therefore no power; but here it is life bowing to Christ.
Verse- 3. "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh." The law was not in fault; it only failed. through the weakness of the flesh. You cannot make anything perfect out of bad materials. A man may be a very skilful workman, but if you set him to work upon bad materials, all his skill will be of no avail. For instance, a man. might carve on wood, and display the most exquisite taste and workmanship, and produce that which every one would admire; but if he were to attempt to do the same in clay instead of wood, it would only crumble to pieces beneath his hand, and all his skill would go for nothing. So the law attempting to work on the flesh only crumbles it to pieces. The material breaks down under it. The law never effected the giving of righteousness.
It promises life to those who keep it, but it never gives life. Christ alone gives life.
What man could not do, that God does; and. that is the secret of the whole chapter. " For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh." The question is, How can sin in the flesh be condemned?-not our sins merely, but this terrible thing, sin in the flesh. Well, God is going to deal with it. God condemns it. I see He ought to condemn it, and that frightens me. Well, how has He done it? " By sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin." Thus He condemned sin in the flesh, and put it away in Christ's sacrifice. He executed it in Christ's dying for us. The whole condemnation has run out on Christ. This terrible thing, which I do not know what to do with, God has done away with-outside of us altogether-in Christ. Christ died, not only for sins, but for sin. It is a real, thorough redemption. If God sets about delivering, He does it perfectly. He would not deliver you from your sins and leave you under your sin, to worry your conscience about it. For the grand point here is not merely pardon, but deliverance, so as to stand in liberty before God. Therefore, what the true heart wants is power over the sin with which it is in conflict every day, and a conscience really freed in God's sight, that if past sins are put away they be not working in power in him as a law in his members, by which he is captive to sin. Yet he knows and feels that its root is still there. But root and branch have been condemned by God's sending His own Son. It was He who thought of this. His own Son. There we learn the extent of His grace and His firm purpose to accomplish that work of deliverance for us.
Verse 4. " That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Here He takes up the walk. The righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us. It is not a law which is given outside us, and has to act by a flesh whose lusts refuse its requirements, and whose will rebels against its authority. It is a new life in power which discerns, indeed, and brings to light, the lusts of the flesh, but which makes me walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. The flesh is not changed, therefore I am not to walk after it. The flesh is there, but that is no excuse for walking after it, for the Spirit of Christ is in us. And, moreover, " God will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear." The flesh is still present, and must be judged and kept down. We all, as believers, have the flesh in us, though we are not in the flesh; but that does not necessarily make the conscience bad,-it does not hinder my communion if it is not allowed to act in any way. I go and talk to God about it. I am in communion with Him about it. I go and say, " Father, help, or I shall fail." If I allow it to act in any way, conscience gets bad, and I lose communion, and I have to go and confess my sin before communion can be restored. Thus, the mere fact of indwelling sin is-if we walk with God-all occasion of communion; (I do not say the cause of it;) whereas, in so far as I allow it to act, it is a barrier, though grace comes in and restores.
Verse 5. " They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit." " After the Spirit" gives the condition and position of the man looked at as a spiritual man. Every nature is suited to certain objects. The vile nature has its objects; and they who have the Spirit will delight in the things which are according to the Spirit's nature. They who are after the Spirit have a mind which has objects on which it rests, and towards which it tends in its desires.
"For to be carnally minded is death." The carnal mind, fruitless in its nature, lies under the death of the old Adam-death comes in to seal the condition. "But to be spiritually-minded is life and peace." Here we get the inward thing in the power of the Holy Ghost -life and peace.
There is a two-fold peace; peace in the conscience, and peace in the heart. The former the blood of Jesus has obtained and gives; the latter, of which this verse speaks, is a far higher thing; it is peace in the heart and affections. There is peace in the heart when the affections in quiet are at rest in the steady delight in and pursuit of a perfectly satisfying object, for the pursuit of which the conscience will never reproach us. If we are delighting in the Lord, there will be peace. If we are ever disquieted, it is with ourselves we are occupied; but if the Spirit is at work, He takes us away from self to God. And herein lies the contrast between Ecclesiastes and Canticles. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon is taken up with himself: it is "I, Solomon, the king; "singing men and singing women; gardening, and knowledge, and all that the heart can desire; and "what can be done after the king?" But the things of the flesh cannot fill the heart: " all is vanity and vexation of spirit." For let him exhaust all that the world can afford, the energy that exhausts it is never satisfied; the greater the energy to find out all the world can afford, the more is it found out that it cannot satisfy. But when we get Christ, as in the Canticles, we want, on the contrary, the capacity to seize it all. What peace and joy is found in communion with Him! But if self comes in the rest is broken.
Verse 7. " Because the carnal mind is enmity against God." Here we get a deeper thing still. Here we find that the flesh has a will that will not be subject to God. It would not be will if it were. The flesh has not only desires that are contrary to God, but a will that is not subject to His law. The law declares not only right things, but also the authority of the lawgiver; and when the authority of God comes in it brings out the rebellion of the flesh; for the flesh immediately says, I will, and I will not.' So if you break one commandment you are guilty of all; because unwillingness to submit is as much shown in the breaking of one as in the breaking of all. If I bid my child do three things, and he does only two of them, which he likes, and in the third takes his own way, insubjection of will is as much brought out by his disobeying in one point as if he had disobeyed in all. " So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Its lusts are contrary to His nature-it goes against His will and authority. This will, by its existence, is hostile to God,-for our place with Him is to obey. To have a will of my own is not to obey.
" But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit." Our standing before God is not in the flesh-not in the first Adam and in his nature and will. We are looked at of God as alive in the Spirit. The flesh is there and lusts, but he is in the Spirit; the living power of God having come and wrought the new man and working in it. Hence by His power there is liberty-holy liberty. All that the Spirit delights in and desires characterizes the man before God; for a man is what the object, thought, and feeling of his mind is. You are not in the flesh-He does not say the flesh is not in you. There is another life, even that of the risen Jesus, which is in. you, and is that in which you live before God, though the flesh may seek to guide you; if it does lead we are not walking in the power of the Spirit.
" If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you." It is not merely God working for us, but God in us;-not merely producing a new nature, but dwelling in it and working in it. For besides the new nature we want power.
If we have the new nature only, we have good desires, but we do not ac-complish them, as is the case in the 7th chapter; but if the Spirit of God dwell in us not merely have we new thoughts and desires, but there is living power to accomplish them. It is most precious to see how he brings in God as the real practical deliverance of the man who was be-fore in the flesh. For it does not say, " ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, "if born of the Spirit-though that is true; but, "if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you;" showing that it is God Himself working in power-as the Spirit of God. Such is His form and character as working in man in power, in contrast with flesh and man.
As to practical character He is called the Spirit of Christ in man, for there the life of the Spirit was perfectly displayed.
Verses, 10, 11. Finally, for the full and complete accomplishment of deliverance from the body of sin and death, we are assured that if the Spirit of Him that raised up Christ dwell in us, He that quickened Jesus shall quicken our mortal bodies by reason of His Spirit that dwells in us. The body is not left until it, too, is brought to participate in the full result of resurrection power. Meanwhile, this is realized in the power of the Spirit and new life. I hold the body for dead; for, if its will works as alive, its movements and fruits are nothing but sin; and I hold the Spirit as my alone life, for its fruits are righteous-ness. And how entirely this testimony of the resurrection of the saint being by virtue of the Spirit dwelling in him, separates him from the whole condition of the world. The world will not be raised because the Spirit of Christ is in them. They have it not. We however shall be raised by His Spirit who dwells in us.
Here is the link. Saints are raised, because livingly united to Christ. " He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit." This shows in what a place we are set. Thus we have three characters of the Spirit: He is called the Spirit of God, as contrasted with the flesh; the Spirit of Christ, as characteristic of our walk in the world; and the Spirit of life, as connected with our resurrection.
Thus we get, up to the end of this 11th verse, the answer to the 24th verse of the 7th chapter, 0 wretched man that I am! For here, there is full deliverance, not for the Spirit only, but even for the body. The Holy Ghost, in the working of His power in the saint, does not leave the body until it is fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body. The desires are there according to the new nature -liberty and power,—all in and through the working of the Spirit by real life communicated, and, finally, glory. It is the forming of the new man—power; while the flesh is there resisting the working of the Spirit; and finally, a body fully conformed to the life which we have by the Spirit. This communication of life, so that it may be our nature, and the presence of the Holy Ghost Himself, causes the effect of that presence to be spoken of in two ways; for Scripture speaks of Him as our life, and as separate from it and acting in it. Hence He is both nature and power. The new nature given to us, but the Holy Ghost dwells in us. And, as the fruit of His operation, we read, " The Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." A groan comes forth. I may not understand my groan, but the Spirit in me does. I may not have the intelligence to know what is the just answer to it; but God finds the working of the Holy Ghost sensible of what is around me according to God. " He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit." It is my heart, but also the Holy Ghost who has produced it as a real feeling in my heart. It is me, for it is done in me; and yet it is not me, looking to its power. We thus get the working of the Holy Ghost in us, and the comfort of knowing that it is us, and the Holy Ghost too. For, from the 14th verse, we have the second form of this truth, that is, the Holy Ghost acting personally in us, as Himself there in power and sympathy. It is not merely that He is a source of life in us, but He acts in and on this life—He leads and guides us as Christians. He Himself acts in us, though here as in connection with this life.
" The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, &c. When He wants to show the source of power in our spiritual life, He points to the Holy Ghost. " The Spirit is life," and so He is. Without the Spirit we cannot believe; "after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise;" yet it is very important to remember that after having believed the Holy Ghost Himself is given to dwell in us. " Because ye are sons, God bath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." The indwelling of the Holy Ghost is a different thing from the quickening power of the Spirit. Old Testament saints had the quickening power of the Spirit, but the indwelling of the Holy Ghost could not be until Jesus was glorified. (John 7) Instances are given in the Acts, where there was an interval between these two things, to make us sensible of the distinction between them. We real, " that which is born of the Spirit is spirit," that is, the new nature. But then the new nature wants power; it has neither strength nor power. The very characteristics of the new nature are dependence and obedience. But there must be power; and that is the Holy Ghost,—ours in virtue of redemption and uniting us to Christ; and then the leading of the Spirit. Then it is said, are " led of the Spirit." Now the Spirit does not lead the flesh, but the new man. It teaches me to reckon the flesh to be dead; and if I reckon it dead, it is not me. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, then ye are temples of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, which we have of God. A temple is that in which God dwells; and our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost. What a solemn reason for holiness of conversation! And again it is said, in John 14, He shall be in you, as the other Comforter. He was not in them before. Jesus went away; but there is this new Comforter, not merely with us as Christ was, but in us; and He abides, He does not go away as Christ did. There is no power in us to apprehend the truth, or to walk in the power of it. But the Holy Ghost not only presents the things of Christ, but gives us the capacity of apprehending them; and moreover it is by Him we are enabled to enjoy them, and `to walk in the power of them.
In 1 Cor. 2:12-1512Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (1 Corinthians 2:12‑15), we find these three things stated regarding the Spirit: 1st, Divine instruction received by the Spirit. Ver. 12. "We have received the Spirit which is of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God. 2nd, Communicated to others by the Spirit. Ver. 13. " Which things we speak in the words which the Holy Ghost teacheth." And 3rd, Spiritual capacity to discern, through living power in the souls of those taught. Ver. 14, 15. " He that is spiritual, judgeth [discerneth] all things."
The solemn truth is this, that the Holy Ghost has been really given as indwelling power. " Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh to live after the flesh;" for, besides life, there is this indwelling power of the Holy Ghost. The Comforter could not be given in this way, until Christ was gone, and redemption fully accomplished; for by the coming of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost, the seal was put on the value of the work which Christ came to finish. The seal was put, not on what we had done, but on what Christ did. The Lord's own anointing, when baptized, was a seal to His personal perfection. Him bath God the Father sealed; but could God put the seal on me in whom sin is found? No. " In him after that ye believed ye were sealed." Even if I am born of the Holy Ghost, righteousness is not accomplished in me according to God. Therefore He could not seal the whole result. The Holy Ghost was also given to testify of Christ's glory as the risen man. It is not merely that Jesus personally was accepted, when He went up on high-lie was present for us, and as the Head of the body; and He received from the Father the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost's coming is declared to be dependent on Christ's perfecting His work, and taking His place on high as man-the Head of the body; and He bears witness also to the personal glory of Christ. The effect of this was manifest in the difference in the apostles before and after Pentecost, and before the giving of the Spirit. Peter was born again; yet we find ignorance, stupidity, and fear. What do we find after? We find the same Peter, who had denied Christ worse than the Jews, (for he was in fellowship with Him,) charging home this very sin on the Jews. Was he afraid? No; his conscience was purged, for Christ had died meantime; and besides we find he was filled with the Holy Ghost. " They perceived the boldness of Peter and John." I am not here speaking of miracles, the mighty signs and wonders which were wrought by the power of the Holy Ghost; but of the boldness with which the apostles spake after they received the Spirit, as we see all through the Acts. It was not the boldness of the flesh, but the fruit of the presence of the Holy Ghost working in them spiritual energy and power, so as that the conscience should be in perfect liberty before God, and the fear of man disappear through the acting of a power which made God present to the soul in love. We have a beautiful type in Aaron. After he was washed, he was anointed without blood, but his sons were not anointed until sprinkled with blood, So Jesus was anointed down here with the Holy Ghost, and with power, as the seal of His personal perfection, before the blood had been shed; but we are anointed and sealed after we are perfected through the blood of Christ. (2 Cor. 1) Christ sends the Holy Ghost, and He is in us as the Spirit of adoption; the effect is to put us into direct communion with the glory and place of Christ in the presence of the Father. This gives the character of our walk. We are to mind the things of the Spirit. Do they who are after the Spirit mind the law? No; they keep it, because they do not mind it, nor are under it. They mind the things of the Spirit. And what are they? Anything in the world? No! nothing. " He shall take of mine and shall show it unto you." He gives us the knowledge of past redemption, present peace and liberty, and future glory. He occupies the soul with Christ; thus bringing joy, and thankfulness, and power, into the soul. The Spirit turns the eye back, and teaches the glory of the cross, after we have known its saving power, and this we can then peacefully contemplate, for we are on God's side of the cross. Whatever is morally glorious we see it in the cross. There we see love, obedience, holiness, righteous-ness, and law; there, too, we see what-ever Was morally bad; condemnation, sin, and death. God and sin met together in the person of Christ on the cross. When I have found peace, I can say, " now is the Son of man glorified;" not now I and saved, though that is true; but, " now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him." And surely there is no joy like the joy of knowing that, in that act of deepest suffering for our salvation, both God and Christ were most deeply glorified. If Christ suffered all that agony for my sin in obedience to the Father's will, surely there never was a moment when God could look on Him with deeper delight: and. I have now all the effect of it. The heart gets impressed and penetrated with the sense of His love, if I now look at what I am in Christ, such as that Christ is satisfied in me and the Father too. I am the fruit of the travail of Christ's soul. The light of God's love rests on Christ Himself, and we are in Him. " In that day," when ye obtain. the Comforter " ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." We have the blessing of union with Him now, and there is but one thing more—to be with Him forever. The Comforter is the perpetual remembrancer of that word, " so shall we be ever with the Lord."
The Church is to be brought to Christ, as Eliezer brought Rebecca to Isaac. All along the road he was telling her of the one to whom she was going. Just so the Holy Ghost is leading us up to Christ-the cross being the starting point of the journey, and the whole character of the road all along the way answering to it; and meanwhile He is telling us of all the glory of Christ and of the Father's house. There may be trial in the way, but what is that to the heart whose affections are set on Christ. Poor Rebecca! if she thought of' her father's house when she was in the wilderness with an uncertain future; but if she thought of what was before her, then all was joy, and there was certainty as to the future. The cross is the commencement of this journey, as separating us from the world; and if we know the Spirit's power in our souls we must keep in this narrow path (in heart I mean) all the journey through. Be-loved, you have to go through the world, but do not make the wilderness the object of your hearts. Israel did this. You may desire earthly good, and you may get it; but it will bring leanness into your souls. Rather let us be, like Paul, doing one thing-so pressing on to the glory, as that we can forget the world and all that is in it, as things which are behind us-on which we have turned our backs.
I add a few words on the rest of the chapter.
As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit giving us the assurance that we are sons, we have no longer in any wise the spirit of bondage to fear. Fear has torment. Our relationship with God is of quite another character. He has loved me, blotted out my sins, made me His child, and I am now in that relationship with Him. I do not know Him otherwise than as a loving Father, and I a saved son.
But then I am an heir, an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ. Such is my joy and hope by the Spirit. But in this world of sorrow and evil Christ was a sufferer; if led by His Spirit I must be so too, like Him and with Him; but then it is the path to glory. But then this very apprehension of the glory by the Spirit makes us sensible according to God of the sorrow and suffering of the whole creation, which is waiting for the manifestation of us the sons of God-and not only do we see the creation groaning around us; but, as to our bodies, we are of it, and we groan ourselves being burdened; not because the heart is uncertain of God's love, but because, having known our share in the glory, we are therefore sensible of the contrast of the state in which we are as in the body, and thereby connected with the first creation. But then the Spirit enters into all this sorrow, not in the selfishness which dreads it for itself, but in the sympathy which is according to God, as it was shown in Christ Himself. We may not know the remedy, but the groan of the heart is the movement of the Spirit sensible of the sorrow and misery that is around. Besides, if we do not know what to ask for as we ought, we know that God makes all things work together for good to them that love Him. This leads to another very important point -what God is; not as working in us by the Spirit, but what He is for us. Hence, sanctification is omitted. He foreknew, predestinated, called, justified, and glorified. Nothing shall separate us from His love.
Thus, after the first three verses we have, first, the Spirit as life. Then, secondly, the Holy Ghost acting personally as present with us. In this we have the double character. He gives us the knowledge of sonship and joy of inheritance, and He takes part in our sorrow and infirmities as in this world. And thirdly, we have God for us, so that none can lay ought to the charge of God's elect, nor anything separate them from His love. Blessed thought it is. We have life in the Spirit, the Holy Ghost in us, and God ever for us.
HYMN.
O Jesus, when I think on Thee,
My heart for joy doth leap in me;
Thy blest remembrance yields delight;
But far more sweet will be Thy sight.
Of thee, who didst salvation bring,
I shall forever think and sing:
Thy love, O Jesus, ne'er can cloy,
Fountain of bliss, and source of joy.
For me Thy precious blood was spilled,
To seal the pardon of my guilt;
And justice poured upon Thy head
Its heavy vengeance in my stead.
O let me ever share Thy grace;
Still taste Thy love and view Thy face;
Wher'er I am, wher'er I move,
Be Thou the object of my love.
Blest Jesus! what delicious fare,
How sweet thy entertainments are!
Never did angels taste above
Redeeming grace and dying love.
To Thee I'll be forever joined,
Joy of my heart, joy of my mind,
And in Thy Father's house above,
Unhindered taste Thy perfect love.