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Observe here, 1. That this epistle was written and directed, not only to the Jewish natives, but to the Gentile proselytes and converts; this is evident from the apostle's putting them in mind that there was a time, namely, before their conversion, when they wrought the will of the Gentiles.
Observe, 2. The black and dismal sins which the Gentiles were guilty of, and wallowed in, before their conversion to Christianity, namely, all manner of sensuality, uncleanness, excess in drinking, reveling, banquetings and idolatries, joined with the rest of their abominations. Lord, how endearing our obligations, who were sinners of the Gentiles, for calling us out of this darkness (worse than Egyptian) into marvelous light by the gospel.
Observe, 3. The argument used to excite them to quit and abandon the fore-mentioned sins now in their converted state, which they had before indulged themselves in the practice of, in their heathen state: the time past may suffice to have wrought the will of the Gentiles; as if he had said, "Surely you have had enough, enough of sin, and too much, in your unregenerate state; your lusts have taken up too much of your lives, and had too much of your love."
Learn hence, That the true penitent, and sincere convert, is one that has had enough of sin, yea, more than than enough: one moment's service of sin is more service than we owe it: we can never serve Christ too long, and our lust too short a time.
Learn, 2. That this consideration, how long some of us served sin before conversion, should be a forcible argument to excite and quicken us unto greater measures and degrees of holiness in our regenerate and converted state.
Observe, 4. What usage such Christians must expect from the men of the world, who must come out from among them, and refuse to run any longer into the same excess of riot with them.
1. They think it strange; they admire and wonder at them, as we do at strangers that come out of another country.
And, 2. They speak evil of them, because they will not be as bad and as mad as themselves. They think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you.
Learn hence, 1. That wicked men are excessively riotous, or that there is an excess of riot and sin, which wicked men upon all occasions run into.
Learn, 2. That such men wonder and think it very strange, that good men are not as excessively riotous as themselves.
3. That because they will not so run, therefore they speak evil of them.
Observe, lastly, The impartiality and severity of that account which the wicked men of the world must render to God, the universal Judge, for all their hard speeches which they have uttered against the righteous: Who shall give an account to him that is really to judge the quick and the dead.
Note here, 1. There must and shall be a day of account: there must be one, because there never yet was one; there shall be one, because God has made man an accountable creature: he can give, and therefore he shall give, an account of his actions; for he has a principle of reason to know what he does, and a liberty of choice to govern himself, and a rule to direct him what to choose, and what to refuse; and consequently the actions, proceeding from him, just and shall be accounted for by him.
Note, 2. That this account must be given to Christ, the supreme and universal Judge both of quick and dead; partly, as a fitting reward for his great humiliation and sufferings; and, partly, that the world may see what a great and excellent Person he was, who came to visit them in great humility; and partly, to give advantage to the future judgment, in that God has appointed a man for our judge, who is flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone, one that is sensible of the follies, temptations, and infirmities, of mankind, and pities them, and will make favourable allowances for them; nay, one that is God as well as man, from whom we may expect all the goodness of a God, and all the tender compassion of a man, in their utmost perfection; so that no man need fear such a judge, who has not out-sinned the mercies of a God, and the tender compassions of a man: for if either God or man help us, we are safe in that day, when we shall give an account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.