p407 [From the French.] * * * Have I spoken to you of the division of the Epistle to the Romans, which has taken up my thoughts much of late? With verse 11 of chapter 5 the first part of the epistle closes, in which the apostle is occupied with sins; chapter 3, the blood; chapter 4, the resurrection for us. At verse 12 of chapter 5 it is a question of Adam and Christ, and thenceforward of sin: not only Christ has died for us, but we are dead; chapter 5:1-11, the result in joy of one of these truths; chapter 8, of the other. In chapter 8 our position is more excellent, but in chapter 5, it seems to me, God is more known in grace, or rather more known in Himself; but the great point is, sins and sin.

There is another thing, which has been of great blessing to me in thinking of the Epistle to the Ephesians. Responsibility depends on the revelation that God makes of Himself: the Creator, a God of goodness, with Adam; the Lawgiver at Sinai; now, perfectly revealed in Christ. In Ephesians 4, the new man, the Holy Spirit - subjectively. In Ephesians 5, imitators of God in love; to walk in love, as Christ hath loved us, and has given Himself for us, to God - not to love as one loves oneself, but to give oneself absolutely for, but (in order that the motive be perfect) to God. We behave as "imitators of God," as His dear children. One of the two names of that which God is, is love; only we are not love, for God is sovereign and absolute in love - He is God. The other name is light: we "are light in the Lord." Christ is the measure in both cases. "As Christ has loved us;" "Christ shall give thee light." What a practical position in grace! How miserable one is if not a Christian!

All depends on the fact that we are dead and risen, and that as receiving Christ who is. In His death He met all our responsibilities as children of Adam responsible in this world; but He has gained for us a place, according to the counsels of God before the world was. Compare 2 Timothy 1 and Titus 1, where it is no question of our responsibility, but of the purpose of God; only, inasmuch as we are a purchased people, we see that it is by the value of the act of Christ that we are so, by His sacrifice on the cross, which has fully glorified God.

October 10th, 1865.

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