A HELP FOR THOSE WHO LOVE THE SCRIPTURES.

It is exceedingly helpful to an understanding of the three epistles to the Romans, Colossians, and Ephesians, to apprehend their distinctive features, and progressive nature. Thus the epistle to the Romans deals with man as on the earth alive in sins, with all his members warring against God (3:13, 19), and God's solemn verdict of "Guilty before God" pronounced upon him ; whereupon God sets forth Christ as a Mercy-seat through faith in His blood, so that His claims against sin having been met, He can act consistently with His own character in justifying him who believeth in Jesus (3:26). We shall find that this epistle views the believer throughout as a justified man indeed, but not viewed as risen, though Christ is so viewed (4:24, 25). Colossians, on the other hand, treats in general of the believer as formerly dead in sins (2:13), but quickened, out of that state of death, together with Christ, and risen with Him (3:i); Christ, indeed, ascended and sitting at God's right hand, while the believer, as risen (but not ascended), is bidden to seek those things that are above, where Christ sitteth. Ephesians treats of the believer as formerly dead in sins (2:5, 6), and of Christ as raised, ascended, and seated in the heavens, and the believer as quickened together with Christ, and raised up, and seated in the heavens in Him.

Thus, briefly, Romans gives us Christ raised, and the believer a justified man alive on earth. Colossians, Christ raised and ascended, and the believer, who was once dead in sins, risen. Ephesians, the believer who was once dead in sins, risen, and seated in the heavenlies in Christ, who is raised, ascended, and seated there.

But to turn to our subject. The epistle to the Romans is divided into four great sections, viz.:

Section I, from chapter 1:to chapter 5:ii; subject, the justification of the sinner.

Section II., from chapter 5:ii to the end of chapter 8:; subject, the deliverance of the saint.

Section III., from chapter 9:to the end of chapter 11:; subject, the reconciling of God's promises to Israel with His dealings with Israel and the Gentiles, and with His actings towards both in free grace.

Section IV., from chapter 12:to the end of the epistle; subject, exhortations and salutations.

In treating of God's salvation, it is with the first two sections that we have specially to do; and we find that they admit of several important sub-sections, the grasping of which will greatly help to elucidate the subject.

Section I., then, which treats of the justification of the sinner, is subdivided thus:sub-section.

(a) Chap. 1:1-17, being introductory.

(b) Chap. 1:18-32, taking up the state of the Gentiles in general.

(c) Chap. 2:1-16, taking up the state of the Gentile
moralist.

(d) Chap. 2:ly-3:20, taking up the state of the Jew. (The result of these sub-sections is to prove all the world, Jew and Gentile, guilty before God.)

(e) Chap. 3:21-4:25, showing that, man having no righteousness for God, God provides righteousness for man, and the testimony of Abraham is adduced to prove that righteousness is imputed on the principle of faith, not works; and of David to prove that it is to the sinner, and not to the righteous, that it is imputed.

(F) Chap. 5:i-ii gives us the results of what has preceded.

Section II. treats of the deliverance of the saint, and is subdivided thus :

SUB-SECTION.

(g) Chap. 5:12-6:23, Sin is considered, and the saint's deliverance from it.

(h) Chap. 7:i-8:10, Law is considered, and the saint's deliverance from it.

(i) Chap. 8:11-27, the saint's full and final deliverance at death, or at the rapture, by the redemption of the body.

(j) Chap. 8:28-39, being the conclusion of the subject.

John Fort