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PAUL’S LOVE TO HIS BRETHREN
TO seek the salvation of our fellow-creatures is but an unthankful office. The intimations which we are obliged to give them respecting their guilt and danger, are considered by them as uncharitable censures, rather than as friendly admonitions; and thus we call forth only the resentment of those, whose eternal interests we are most anxious to promote. St. Paul, who was most abundant in labours for the salvation of his brethren, experienced, beyond all others, their hatred and contempt. Aware that this would be the effect of his exertions, he was always studious to counteract it; and scarcely ever mentioned an offensive truth, without testifying, by some following observations, that it was dictated by love. Throughout the whole Epistle to the Romans, this appears in a very striking light. Having shewn, in the second chapter, that the Jews, notwithstanding their being in covenant with God by circumcision, were as much in need of salvation as the idolatrous and abandoned Gentiles, he corrects the apparent severity of his remarks, by saying, “What advantage then hath the Jew? Much every way [Note: Rom_2:28-29. with 3:1, 2.].” Proceeding afterwards to shew that the law could not justify any man, and fearing that he might on that account be thought an enemy to the law, he removes all ground for that suspicion; “Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law [Note: Rom_3:28. with 31.].” Comparing afterwards his connexion with the law to the state of a woman that has lost her husband, who is therefore at liberty to be married to another; and observing, that sin took occasion from the law itself to bring forth fruit unto death; he guards them against imagining that he meant thereby to cast any reflection upon the law, as though it was itself sinful; “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid [Note: Rom_7:1-6. with 7.].” Having yet further, in the prosecution of his argument, asserted, that the incapacity of the law to save men was the reason of God’s sending his own Son to save them, he (after some enlargement on this subject) appeals to God in the most solemn manner, that, instead of speaking these things from any ill will to his Jewish brethren, he “could wish himself even accursed from Christ for them,” if by that means they might be saved [Note: Rom_8:3. with 9:1–5.]. Thus also, in the passage before us, having shewn that the Gentiles were admitted into the Church and made partakers of salvation, while the Jews were cast out, he assures them that nothing could be more adverse to his wishes than this awful dispensation; “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
The same caution would we also use in ministering to you the Gospel of Christ. We are of necessity obliged to declare to you many unwelcome truths: but God knoweth, that our only motive in declaring them is, to benefit and save your souls; and that, while that is the object of our public ministrations, it is also the frequent subject of our secret prayers.
Let us, in elucidating our text, consider,
I. What it was that the Apostle desired in their behalf—
St. Paul had no wish to proselyte men to a party, or to procure followers to himself—
His object was to “save” them—
[Salvation comprehends not only a deliverance from all the penal effects of sin, but a restoration to the favour and image of God, and an exaltation to all the glory and felicity of heaven — — —
This is the greatest of all blessings. The concerns of time and sense are of no value in comparison of it: yea, crowns, kingdoms, worlds, are lighter than vanity itself — — — It is a blessing which all equally stand in need of. There is no man that is not a sinner before God, and therefore no man that is not exposed to his everlasting displeasure. Though men may differ with respect to the degrees of their guilt, there is no difference whatever with respect to their liableness to the wrath of God, and their need of his saving mercy — — — It is a blessing, without which existence itself will prove a curse. If those who did not partake of it could be annihilated, or if there were a purgatory, where those who die unprepared for it may be rendered fit to enjoy it, we might account our present life a blessing. But there are two states, in the one or other of which all must be fixed for ever: and they who enjoy not the felicity of heaven, must endure for ever the miseries of hell. Let us consider for a moment what those miseries are, and we shall need nothing more to shew us the value of salvation — — —]
This object lay near his heart, and called forth his most earnest exertions—
[He was not contented to obtain salvation himself: he was anxious for the welfare of his fellow-creatures, and laid to heart their interests, as though they were his own — — — Nor did he rest satisfied with good wishes and desires: he laboured with incredible assiduity and self-denial, suffering all things cheerfully, not excepting imprisonments and death itself, for the advancement of their happiness [Note: 2Co_11:23-29. 2Ti_2:10.] — — — In secret also did he “labour fervently for them in prayer night and day.” He knew the efficacy of intercession; and therefore besought God, with strong crying and tears, to take the veil from their hearts, and to enlighten them with the saving knowledge of his truth — — —]
For our own information, it will be proper to inquire,
II. In what way he directed them to seek it—
The whole Epistle to the Romans was written with the express view of setting forth the way of salvation. It shews at large that we are fallen and ruined creatures; that God has sent his only-begotten Son into the world to redeem us; and that all who would be saved, must seek for mercy through his meritorious blood and righteousness. But in a more peculiar and emphatical manner did he urge these truths in that part from whence our text is taken.
He shewed them that they must found all their hopes on Christ alone—
[Consult the preceding context. There he states a matter of fact well known to all; namely, that the idolatrous and abandoned Gentiles, who had never thought about salvation, had been prevailed upon to seek after it, and had actually attained it, because they were willing to accept it in God’s appointed way, by faith in Christ alone: whereas the Jews, who had shewn considerable attention to the concerns of their souls, had failed of attaining salvation, because they disdained to seek it in this way. He tells them, that this fact agreed with the prophecies, which actually foretold this very event, and declared (many hundred years before) that Christ would thus become a stumbling-block to that self-righteous people [Note: Rom_9:30-33.].
The same he sets forth also in the following context. He confesses that his Jewish brethren had a zeal to serve God; but it was a mistaken zeal. In three things they fatally erred: they were ignorant of the plan which God had devised for justifying sinners—they were seeking to establish a righteousness of their own, by which they might be justified before him—and when a better righteousness was proposed to them, even the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, they would not trust in it, or submit to be saved in such an humiliating way—That these were errors, even the law itself might teach them; for “Christ was the end of the law for righteousness:” He was the very object to whom both the ceremonial and moral law directed them, for the obtaining of such a righteousness as should justify them before God: and this righteousness they were to obtain by faith in him. The moral law shut them up to this method of obtaining salvation, because it denounced nothing but curses against every one that had violated it even in a single instance [Note: Gal_3:10; Gal_3:23-24.]: and the ceremonial law taught them to look to that Great Sacrifice which Christ was in due time to offer for the sins of the whole world [Note: ver. 2–4.].
Thus plainly did he direct them unto Christ, as their only, and all-sufficient Saviour.]
In pointing them thus to Christ, he did most effectually consult their everlasting welfare—
[The way of salvation by faith in Christ is plain, suitable, safe, and glorious. Nothing can be more plain. Suppose a person about to be imprisoned for debt has that debt discharged by a surety; he will see as clear as the light what is the true ground of his deliverance. Such then is the deliverance which we have by Christ — — — And this way of salvation is suitable. If you were to propose any other method whatever, it would be altogether unsuitable for fallen man — — — but this is suited to the greatest of sinners; and that too even in their dying hour — — — How safe it is, must appear to all who consider that Christ is God equal with the Father; that he assumed our nature, and died upon the cross, on purpose to make atonement for us; and that the promise and oath of Jehovah are pledged for the acceptance of all who truly believe in Christ — — — And glorious will it be found to all eternity, inasmuch as all the perfections of the Deity are honoured by it, and the happiness of all that shall be saved is enhanced by it beyond all calculation or conception — — —]
Address—
1. Those who are careless about their souls—
[We are bound to desire and pray for your salvation: and we hope that in some small measure we can adopt respecting you the language of the text. But you must desire salvation, and pray to God for it yourselves; or else it will be in vain ever to expect it. We appeal to you, Whether God will or can bestow it upon those who are too proud to ask for it, and too thoughtless to desire it?]
2. Those who are seeking salvation, but in a mistaken way—
[Do not think it sufficient that you desire to be saved; or that you are zealous in seeking after salvation. The Jews were not only zealous in their way, but confident that they were right; and yet never attained the object of their pursuit. Remember, you must be humbled; you must be contrite; you must rely on Christ alone — — —]
3. Those who have obtained mercy of the Lord—
[While we desire, and pray to God for, the salvation of others, we rejoice and bless our God for you. We consider the prosperity of your souls as the richest recompence of our labours. Ye have “received Christ Jesus the Lord:” see to it then that ye “walk in him,” and “abide in him,” and “cleave unto him with full purpose of heart.”]