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apparent difference in the two structures. We may here state that we shall not hesitate to
modify, alter, or extend any published structure, as closer search reveals clearer outlines,
and we are sure that our readers will appreciate the Berean spirit actuating this purpose.
Rom. 5: 3-10.
A | 3-6. | a | God's love shed abroad.
b | YET without strength.
c | Christ died for ungodly.
B | 7. Scarcely.
\ Man's attitude to "righteous"
Peradventure. /
and "good".
A | 8. | a | God's love commended.
b | YET sinners.
c | Christ died for us.
B | 9, 10. Much more.
\ God's attitude to "enemies"
Much more.
/
and "reconciled".
This passage is often made the basis of a gospel address to the unsaved, and it is truly
a blessed message of saving grace, but what we want to remember here is that it was
primarily written by the apostle to those who were already justified and saved. They are
reminded that when they were yet without strength, Christ died for them, and that if they
have "begun in the spirit, they are not now to be perfected in the flesh" (Gal. 3: 3). They
were received by Christ as they were, "sinners and ungodly", "without strength" and
"enemies". Here there can be no room for the flesh or its distinctions.
The apostle has this fact in mind, when, having disposed of the "doubtful
disputations" that arose solely from fleshly distinctions, he says: "Wherefore receive ye
one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God" (Rom. 15: 6, 7), and this
"glory of God" is, by Rom. 5: 2 and 3, seen to be the "hope of the glory of God".
"Now the God of the hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing" (Rom. 15: 13).
The love of God, as "poured out" and "commended", which enters into the argument
of Romans for the first time in chapter 5:, is in view right through the heights and depths
of doctrine in chapters 7: & 8:, and emerges once more, when the very foundations
have been laid bare, in the glorious burst of praise.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation? (the very argument
of Rom. 5:). Nothing shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in
Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8: 35-39).
Between these two utterances we are to plumb the depths of original sin, and creature
failure. We are to hear uttered, in almost the same breath, "O wretched man that I man"
and "There is therefore now no condemnation", but the great basis of all our hope
remains the same, viz., "Christ died for us". We may learn more of what that death
involves as we read Rom. 6:, but at the end we still "look off unto Jesus" rather than
look within.