It might be well to put to oneself the question, as to this familiar and important passage of Scripture, Is the doctrine one made good in my own soul, or does it in reality seem impracticable? Not that we would avow the latter conclusion in words; yet such may be the secret thought, and govern the life, nevertheless. Complete deliverance from the power of sin, that we may live to God, may seem too much to accept as ours, and we may remain content with less. This, indeed, is the position We naturally and constantly tend to become settled in. But let us look at the truth of the matter, and how precious a truth it is for us. We are permitted and called upon to yield ourselves to God (verse 13), and told, as to practice, that sin shall not have dominion over us. We are free then, and made free from sins bondage, that we may yield ourselves unto God. We are addressed as those whose desires are now according to the new nature, Godward, and to whom, therefore, it is joy to be free to live unto Him.
But let us compare with this truth a verse in the 7th of Romans, which many hold to as the true Christian experience to the end, that Isaiah 5:15,15And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: (Isaiah 5:15) Romans 7. “For that which I do I allow not; for what I would, that do I not, but what I hate, that do I.” Now, this experience, instead of being true and right Christian experience, is a plain contradiction of the doctrine already set forth in chapter 6, where, as just seen, we are told to yield ourselves to God, and that sin shall not have dominion over us. That is, in Romans 7:15,15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (Romans 7:15) &c., it is said, I am in bondage; I do what I hate — who will deliver me? He doesn’t know about deliverance, whereas in Romans 6 it is declared, you are not in bondage, but free. Could anything be more opposite? Again, in Romans 7, it is the law that occupies him, as being under it, and it condemns him and becomes death to him. In chapter 6, on the contrary, it is said, ye are not under the law, but under grace, and therefore sin shall not have dominion over you. There is another thing important to consider here. The experience in Rom. 7 is of one who, instead of going on as if such a bondage were a necessary thing to the end, falls right into despair. And does not go on at all nor pretend to, until he can raise the song of deliverance, which he does immediately. For no sooner does he discover his own helplessness than he looks away to Christ and sees Him as his deliverer, and cries, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. That is, first comes experience of what self is, with groaning under bondage; then comes a shout of triumph, a cry of deliverance through Christ, and the doctrine is realized with joy, that sin shall not have dominion ever us, for we are not under the law, but under grace. That is, in the sixth chapter the doctrine is stated, in the seventh the experience that conducts to the realization of it. How thoroughly different, then, instead of being the same! distress of soul at realizing what bondage to sin is, and looking away immediately to Christ and rejoicing in deliverance, from going on contentedly as if bondage were the only condition of life. If, then, it is said the 7th of Romans is proper Christian experience, it may be replied, Which experience for there are two kinds: the first of distress and bondage, the second of deliverance and joy: the first, occupation with self and law; the second, rejoicing in Christ as a deliverer. Therefore, when one has said, Who shall deliver me from this body of death; and, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, he has done forever with the bondage which forced the words, “What I hate, that do I,” and “Who shall deliver me?” He has found a deliverer. How, then, can he be still seeking one, and in bondage? If the soul has known Christ as deliverer, it is no longer in bondage: it is prepared for the word and rejoices in it, “Yield yourselves unto God.”
What, therefore, Christ has achieved for the believer as a present thing, is not only justification, but deliverance from sin, that we may live a life of holiness to God; and the verse we begin with declares we can so live, free from sin’s bondage, because we are not under the law, but under grace.
What, then, can be said of the position so many Christians take as to this doctrine? On this point we purpose saying a few words; but before doing so, let us consider the way of this deliverance as set forth in the last verse of the 7th chapter, and in the first few verses of the 8th, which may help in the after consideration of the other point. So then, says the Apostle, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. That is, there is within him abidingly the flesh, which is incurably corrupt, as well as his own renewed will to serve God. This he can now calmly consider and declare (though before the cause of distress). “For there is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” It is not now self that occupies him, and the attempt to change the flesh; but Christ and the law of the Spirit of life in Christ, Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For we have life now in Christ risen from the dead, having been identified with Him in His death; and we are therefore clear out from and beyond all place or question of condemnation and the power of sin, being in Christ. This is known not by experience, but by faith, It is a truth to be received and rejoiced in; for what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh (which explains the bitter experience of chapter 7), God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh (which shows the way of deliverance), that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit. That which troubles us, sin in us, we now know has met its just and full condemnation upon the cross, and we are not identified with it but are free. We are now therefore undeceived, and know that we carry an enemy within, to whom we are to give no license, while we live unto Christ and do all things in His name. Before, the back was to Christ, whilst all attention was given to vain wrestling with self. Now all is changed. The back is to self, and the eye ever upon Christ; and if ten times a day we are reminded of the unchangeableness of the flesh, it is no longer to sink discouraged, but to give thanks for our deliverance through Christ; and in result there is growing in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, a path of increasing knowledge of our weakness and wretchedness, but also of joy and peace in the deliverer.
Thus we have completed, in these first few verses of the 8th chapter, the statement of the doctrine as to our position; begun in the 6th chapter, and interrupted, so to speak, by the 7th, to give the soul’s experience in realizing it.
Thus is it true that we are no longer in bondage to sin, for Christ has delivered us. We are not compelled to do what we would not, but having got our freedom from sin, we may now yield ourselves unto God. Certainly the flesh is not eradicated. On the contrary, we have now begun to know what it is, that we may deny ourselves and live to Christ. Watchfulness is produced against the deceitfulness of the heart, prayerfulness through knowing where our strength lies, and love as we know the love of Christ, and grace is apprehended. Groaning because there is nothing within us to rest upon is now vain. What takes its place is praise for what He is, and we glory in the Lord. Which, then, is the more honoring to the Lord — to profess still to be in bondage, or to acknowledge and rejoice in our deliverance, wrought by Himself and at such a price? And do we not know the purpose? — that we should not henceforth live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again.
What can he said, then, of all experience such as that of Romans 7 continuing to the end of life, so that we have to say, “What I would not, that I do?” It is plain that such a thing could not be; for the experience of the 7th Romans conducts immediately to the knowledge of deliverance. The soul is so deeply in earnest that there is no rest short of deliverance. And, to such, deliverance comes immediately; for we no sooner know our own nothingness than we discover all fullness in Christ. The real difficulty is being content with shortcoming instead of holiness. That is the position of many rather than being in the 7th Romans, as it is said, which sets forth no continuous condition or experience, but just where strength does not lie, and where it does, that we may live unto God; for holiness is here the subject. The only resting-point, then, for the soul, is to know our sweet privilege and power to live wholly to God; and that state in which we had to say, “What I would not that I do,” we have been delivered from. In fact, father, we were never in such place, but it only states the experience of one renewed in mind, but looking in the wrong direction for help. Therefore, to say, “What I would not, that I do,” is simply contrary to Christian doctrine, and for one to use it thus, as often wised, is using error for truth, and is just as if a traveler were to go a certain road, when a guide-board was distinctly pointing in the opposite direction. Paul used the words, it is true, but as the words of one not yet knowing the full truth. The truth set free, and gave joy and thanksgiving, not bondage and distress. To be content, then, with shortcoming as necessary Christian experience is another thing: it is the very opposite.
But the fact is, when Christians come short — when they sin, it is not doing what they would not, but the sad truth is they are doing what they would and to say we do what we would not, is only palliating what we are not prepared to unsparingly judge. The Lord has provided deliverance. Who, then, is wanting? Shall we put the blame upon Him by saying we would live to Him only, but we cannot? Because the conscience is exercised, through consciousness of shortcoming, that doesn’t show that we do what we would not. It may be there is desire to do better, and even live wholly for Christ; and yet the will is unbroken. We would like to be happier in the Lord, but we also like something else better; for we are free, as we see by the words, “Yield yourselves,” &c., and “Yield not,” &c., and we choose to yield ourselves to self and sin. Of course, one may be in bondage, not knowing yet the way of deliverance; but, as already said, that cannot be an abiding condition if there is sincerity. Deliverance will soon follow, for Christ is not wanting. But we speak of resting contentedly, or avowedly at least, in bondage as if a necessary state. The obstacle in the way of souls getting deliverance from this state is, sad as it may be to say it, indifference; being contented to go as in the past, and as others, making shortcoming our standard and not Christ, and the consequence is dullness, weariness and weakness, and love of the world instead of joy and strength in the Lord. The same is true of the failure of those who have truly known and rejoiced in deliverance. It is not at all the experience of Romans 7 over again, that is, doing what we would not. This is impossible, for deliverance is ours; but we have yielded, through lack of watchfulness, to the power of Satan and the deceitfulness of our own hearts. Let us remark again bow totally different all this is from the state of soul in Romans 7. There it is altogether another thing. It is not a yielding to temptation that is spoken of, but perfect and sincere, desire to serve God, but not knowing how: ignorance of the truth; that is, it sets forth the utter helplessness of the renewed mind apart from Christ. Complete dependence, ever looking upwards, is the only strength. But yielding to temptation, need it be said, is another thing, and demands, in order that communion and joy may be restored, self-judgment: real self-judgment, that goes deep and reaches the root of the difficulty. Sincerity will now bring, in failure, not knowledge of truth already known, but confession of sin; that the soul may get free from the darkness with which carelessness and disobedience had for the time surround it, and the eye be again set upon Christ. But in the soul whose case is set forth in Romans 7th, self-judgment is not wanting, but the knowledge of the truth. No one who knows the truth has to say he is not able to live altogether to Christ. How precious and joyful to know it!
It is not denied, there may he again and again in failure a groping fur light without result, joy being absent, which may seem similar to Romans 7; but true confession is all that is wanting for restoration. It may be long delayed, the difficulty great, but the difficulty is only in the subtlety of the flesh, which leads us not ugly to do evil, but to cherish it in secret, to our sorrow.
As in the case of Achan in the camp, the evil must be brought to light and judged, before we can go on with God. But this is not bondage, for we are delivered and remain so; but it is yielding to sin and clinging to it. How important to see and ever keep in mind the distinction, that we may realize the blessed truth that we are not under the law, but under grace.
It is not, then, said, “Ye shall not sin,” but, “If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father.” But it is said, “Sin shall not have dominion over you.” Therefore, if I am conscious of shortcoming, I am sure where the fault lies; for I am free to live to Christ. Therefore, put side by side the facts that I am conscious of not living wholly to God, and on the other that I am free to do so, and we see how grace brings the sin home to one’s own door and produces confession; and with real confession there is immediate restoration, for through grace our shortcoming has brought no cloud upon God’s favor, and no change in our position in love before Him in Christ; for as He is, so are we in this world. Therefore, I am still as ever in God’s presence, and with this truth made good in the heart comes action to correspond to such a blessed and holy place. How far, then, is grace from producing carelessness! We see, rather, how it is the only power for holiness. But what keeps us often in trouble is, that we forget grace, and having come short, we deem ourselves to be then at a distance from God. And, as in grace we are conscious of being near to God, and action corresponds, so, forgetting grace and taking a place of distance, action will equally correspond, and there is no fruit to God. We have not, then, to work our way back to God’s favor when we have sinned but, through grace, the knowledge of that unchanging favor being ever ours finds us in our sin, produces confession, and lifts the eye again to Christ, we change: He changes not. Hardness of heart had made it seem as if a mist or cloud had come between us and His countenance of love; but a broken will has opened the eye to see Him we had forgotten, and His countenance of love unchanged. He seeks us from all the places to which we wander, for He gave Himself to save us. He is the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls. How sure a dependence! But we need to learn that He is our dependence, that we may know the meaning of the words, we are those that “rejoice in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.” May the Lord keep us from self-confidence, which so sadly betrays, and give confidence in Christ, which is strength for the whole way. E. S. L.