The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-05-23

the gospel came to do what the law could nd
| not. so that the righteousness prescribed
| might be realized. This was accomplished
! by two provisions. The incarnation ana
fninass ehan OF IL christ mr. exposed the Eu' can anp and
ruinous TO man. The spirit, given through
| Christ. conquered sin.
| CONTRAST-tNerses and g. Sun
further to exhibit the power of the spirit IN
| overcoming sin. the apostle presents in
striking contrast those who have the spirit
| ditions are called spiritual mindedness and
| carnal mindedness. The latter is that state
, In which all men are at birth: The needs
| of the body are paramount. Material COM
! forts, as being of the highest Importance,
are chiefly sought. Matt xi. 30 But
those who are spiritual are most concerned
| about spiritual things. and their bodies are
| subordnated to their souls. u. Cor. si 20
This is effected or at least begun in the new
birth John lii. 16l. about which Jesus spoke 3l
| to Nicodemus. Spiritual mindedness Is lie,
| the life of man. the highest and best KIND
of life. and 1t is marked by peace. the mar,
ness is death. that death which befell Adam
through transgression Gen. il. 70. the
death which by inheritance passed upon
ENMITYN(Verses and s.) The deplor-
able condition of those who mind the things
of the flesh giving chief thought to them.
is next presented. to show more fully why
| Righteousness could not be attained through
the law, why, also. the spirit of life was
God" its thoughts, feelings and plans are
| opposed to the divine will. That grows ou.
OF the fact that the law OF God ;t,,ai IS ute ne-
| Rom. vii. 14) Its mandates are all intended
| to suppress or regulate the carIlal MIND
! that it may have subordinate and rightful
| place Hence the man who is disposed to
| crafty the carnal. even Mt the expense ot
| the spiritual, is desperately opposed to the
Z, law because 1t interferes with his purposes
and plans. Such a man cannot be subject
to the law, and hence he cannot @ be rightI, ,I,
eous. Neither can he please God II Ihere re VII. VIZ
| Maker, an effort to cast off those whole.
! some restraints which are felt to be op-
| INDWELLING-Uerse 81 Now comes
very serious question. How may one escape
| from this fieshly state and SO overcome the
| enmity to God which is caused by 1t? In
one sense that question was answered in
the first verse, as well as in several places
of previous chapters in the ep!stle. Rom.
V. l. But here the apostle makes anotnsr
| reply. designed to shed light upon the
! spirits work. If THAT spirit dwell In man
he is no longer carnai. no longer IN .t5a,, the
flesh. This indwelling is vastly more than
| an occasional or temporary, influence IRON ON
without. experienced by all; Grey. I'LL, 2o)
It is that constant a and 1 steauS IN RhuehGe hie i
the happy privilege of every believer. With
out this no man belongs to Christ He IS
yet an alien and a stranger to the blessings s
Of the new covenant. But where, the spirit
abdes in man John Nv. o., his spiritual
nature is purified, strengthened and exalted
OUICKENING-(verse 10 and III The
indweiiins Christ, brings more than spirit. t.
ual uplift-it secures an immense advantage
to the body. Whereas the natural man is
the victim Of abnormal and destructive
physical conditions. the spiritual mi man a. car
condition. True. that body Is dead under
! the penalty pronounced because of sin. but
it shall be quickened and raised UP with
Christ There are two opinions concerning
Paul's meaning in these words. some thlnS
he refers to the resurrection from the dead
wheh he h az m the
power of Christ. Others hold that he speaks
of that gradual Improvement of the hodiiy,
powers and functions which IS experienced
by every righteous man, an Improvement
that is most marked in the case of those
who attain to old age. psalm xci; 16o 1t
might be well to interpret his words as In
Guiding both these meanings;
DEBTORS-Werses 12. 1S. 4o From the
points thus stated Paul deduces an ooliga-
ton which he enforces under the idea of n
debt. The man who believes, who has been
pardoned. who has received the hfe-giving
spirit, who has been delivered from the
righteous life. is released from all neces-
sitv to obey the lusts of the flesh and he has
duty heneeforth to submit to the guidance @
course leads to death. which every one de-
sires to escape: and the other leads to life.
follows twofold description of the method
of attaining the spiritual state. First. there
must be daily mortifying or subjugation
of the deeds of the body. so that these shall
not triumph over the higher nature. This
Is a recognition of the duality of mans
being.
Second in order 10 do this one must be lei
by the Spirit of God. SO becoming one of
the sons of God. The spirit is thus enabled
to assert it's prerogatives in the double
constitution of man
CONCLTSION-Th soul of man faces two
realms of being-the material and the i'm
material. the natural and the super
natural. or the sensuous and the super
sensuous. If dominated on the natural side
the soul becomes carnal and 1t degrades
the entire man. corrupting every faculty.
If dominated on the supernatural side the
soul attains its normal and rishtful place
and condition and the man lives n true and
noble life. The former state is that of in
hertance and tendency. of which universal
man becomes conscious. The latter state
is effected By the sprit of God that con-
vfcts. leads to faith and then enters to
| quicken and renovate. To respond to that
spirit. to heed its promptings, to follow its
leadings is the dictate of wisdom. the sure
way from carnal appetites to holy affec-
tions. Such men are now sons of God hav-
ing received the spirit of God. They cry
OBJ. father and live with reference to his
VIII. and after this mortal life ascend to
1--we with him forever.