Romans 6:9
Verse 9. Knowing. As we all know. This is assumed as an undoubted article of belief. Dieth no more. Will never die again, He will have occasion to make no other atonement for sin; for that which he has made is sufficient for all. He is beyond the dominion of death, and will live for ever. Rev 1:18, "I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore." This is not only a consolation to the Christian, but it is an argument why he should be holy. No more dominion. No rule; no lordship; no power, he is free from its influence; and the king of terrors cannot reach his throne. Comp. Heb 9:26-28, 10:12. (q) "Christ being raised" Rev 1:18 Galatians 5:19
Verse 19. Now the works of the flesh. What the flesh, or what corrupt and unrenewed human nature produces. Are manifest. Plain, well-known. The world is full of illustrations of what corrupt human nature produces; and as to the existence and nature of those works, no one can be ignorant, It is evident here that the word σαρξ, flesh, is used to denote corrupt human nature, and not merely the body; since many of the vices here enumerated are the passions of the mind, or the soul, rather than of the body. Such are "wrath," "strife," "heresies," "envyings," etc., which cannot be said to have their seat in the body. If the word, therefore, is used to denote human nature, the passage furnishes a sad commentary on its tendency, and on the character of man. It is closely parallel to the declaration of the Saviour in Mt 15:19. Of the nature of most of these sins, or works of the flesh, it is unnecessary to offer any comment. They are not so rare as not to be well known, and the meaning of the words requires little exposition. In regard to the existence of these vices as the result of human nature, Rom 1:1 and following; a single glance at the history of the past, or at the present condition of the heathen and a large part of the Christian world, would furnish an ample and a painful demonstration. (g) "flesh" Mt 15:19, Eph 5:3-6, Col 3:5,6, Rev 22:15 Ephesians 4:19
Verse 19. Who being past feeling. Wholly hardened in sin. There is a total want of all emotion on moral subjects. This is an accurate description of the state of a sinner. He has no feeling, no emotion. He often gives an intellectual assent to the truth, but it is without emotion of any kind: the heart is insensible as the hard rock. Have given themselves over. They have done it voluntarily. In Rom 1:24, it is said that "God gave them up." There is no inconsistency. Whatever was the agency of God in it, they preferred it. Rom 1:21. Unto lasciviousness. Rom 1:24, Rom 1:25-26. (b) "given themselves" Rom 1:24,25 Colossians 3:5
Verse 5. Mortify therefore your members. Since you are dead to sin and the world, and are to appear with Christ in the glories of his kingdom, subdue every carnal and evil propensity of your nature. The word mortify means, to put to death, Rom 8:13; Gall 5:24; and the meaning here is, that they were entirely to subdue their evil propensities, so that they would have no remains of life; that is, they were not at all to indulge them. The word "members" here refers to the different members of the body--as the seat of evil desires and passions. Comp. Rom 6:13. They were wholly to extirpate those evil passions which he specifies as having their seat in the various members of the earthly body. Fornication. Rom 1:29. Uncleanness. Rom 1:24. Inordinate affection. παθος. Rendered in Rom 1:26, "vile affections." Rom 1:26. In 1Thes 4:5, the word is rendered lust--which is its meaning here. Evil concupiscence. Evil desires; licentious passions, Rom 1:24. Greek. And covetousness, which is idolatry. It is remarkable that the apostle always ranks covetousness with these base and detestable passions. The meaning here is, (1.) that it is a low and debasing passion, like those which he had specified; and (2.) that it secures the affections which properly belong to God, and is therefore idolatry. Of all base passions, this is the one that most dethrones God from the soul. See this whole passage more fully explained Eph 5:3, Eph 5:4, Eph 5:5; Eph 5:6. (c) "Mortify" Rom 8:13, Gall 5:24, Eph 5:3-6 (*) "inordinate affection" "unnatural passion" (+) "concupiscence" "Desire"
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