1. BY them which are in Christ Jesus, St. Paul evidently means, those who truly believe in him: those who being justified by faith, have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. They who thus believe do no longer walk after the flesh, no longer follow the motions of corrupt nature: but after the Spirit: both their thoughts, words and works, are under the direction of the blessed Spirit of God.
2. There is therefore now no condemnation to these. There is no condemnation to them from God: for he hath justified them freely by his grace, thro’ the redemption that is in Jesus. He hath forgiven all their iniquities, and blotted out all their sins. And there is no condemnation to them from within: for they have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that they might know the things which arefreely given to them of God:[23] Which Spirit beareth witness with their spirits, that they are the children of God. And to this is added, the testimony of their conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God,they have had their conversation in the world.[24]
3. But because this scripture has been so frequently misunderstood, and that in so dangerous a manner, because such multitudes of unlearned and unstable men, (οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀστήρικτοι, men untaught of God, and consequently unestablished in the truth which is after godliness) have wrested it to their own destruction. I propose to shew as clearly as I can, first, who those are which are in Christ Jesus, and walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit; and secondly, how there is no condemnation to these. I shall conclude with some practical inferences.
I. 1. First, I am to shew, who those are that are in Christ Jesus. And are they not, those who believe in his name? Those who are found in him, not having their own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of God by faith? These, who have redemption through his blood, are properly said, to be in him. For they dwell in Christ and Christ in them. They are joined unto the Lord in one Spirit. They are ingrafted into him as branches into the vine. They are united,as members to their head; in a manner which words cannot express, nor could it before enter into their hearts to conceive.
2. Now whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not; walketh not after the flesh. The flesh, in the usual language of St. Paul, signifies corrupt nature. In this sense, he uses the word, writing to the Galatians. The works of the flesh are manifest, Gal. v. 19. And a little before, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust (or desire) of the flesh (v. 16.) To prove which, namely, that those who walk by the Spirit, do not fulfil the lust of the flesh, he immediately adds, for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit; but the Spirit lusteth against the flesh (for these are contrary to each other) that ye may not do the things which ye would. So the words are literally translated, (ἵνα μὴ ἃ ἂν θέλητε, ταῦτα ποιῆτε) Not, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would, as if the flesh overcame the Spirit: a translation which hath not only nothing to do with the original text of the apostle, but likewise makes his whole argument nothing worth, yea, asserts just the reverse of what he is proving.
3. They who are of Christ, who abide in him have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. They abstain from all those works of the flesh; from adultery and fornication, from uncleanness and lasciviousness; from idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance; from emulations, wrath, strife, sedition, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness,revellings: from every design, and word and work, to which the corruption of nature leads. Altho’ they feel the root of bitterness in themselves, yet are they endued with power from on high, to trample it continually under foot, so that it cannot spring up to trouble them: insomuch that every fresh assault which they undergo, only gives them fresh occasion of praise, of crying out, Thanks be unto God, who giveth us the victory, thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord.
4. They now walk after the Spirit, both in their hearts and lives. They are taught of him to love God and their neighbour, with a love which is as a well of water, springing up into everlasting life. And by him they are led into every holy desire, into every divine and heavenly temper, till every thought which arises in their heart, is holiness unto the Lord.
5. They who walk after the Spirit, are also led by him, into all holiness of conversation. Their speech is always in grace, seasoned with salt, with the love and fear of God. No corrupt communication comes out of their mouth, but only that which is good; that which is to the use of edifying, which is meet to minister grace to the hearers. And herein likewise do they exercise themselves day and night, to do only the things which please God: in all their outward behaviour to follow him, who left us an example that we might tread in his steps: in all their intercourse with their neighbour to walk in justice,mercy and truth; and whatsoever they do, in every circumstance of life, to do all to the glory of God.
6. These are they who indeed walk after the Spirit. Being filled with faith and with the Holy Ghost, they possess in their hearts, and shew forth in their lives, in the whole course of their words and actions, the genuine fruits of the Spirit of God, namely, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, fidelity, meekness, temperance, and whatsoever else is lovely or praise-worthy. They adorn in all things the gospel of God our Saviour; and give full proof to all mankind, that they are indeed actuated by the same Spirit, which raised up Jesus from the dead.
II. 1. I proposed to shew, in the second place, How there is no condemnation to them, which are thus in Christ Jesus, and thus walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.