Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled… I. Contrasted conditions IN THE HISTORY OF THOSE WHO WERE NOW CHRISTIANS. 1. "We were enemies." Some had answered to the description given in chap. 1, others had doubtless been more virtuous heathen, or, like Paul, blameless as touching the righteousness of the Jewish law; but the description "enemies," is applied to all (Romans 8:7). "We were reconciled to God." Reconciliation may be mutual, or only one party may need to be influenced by its power. The latter is the case here; we are the only parties needing to be reconciled (see 2 Corinthians 5:18). This is effected by Christ's death, as the manifestation of the love of God. II. Contrasted conditions IN THE HISTORY OF CHRIST. 1. His death. Death is a time of captivity, therefore of weakness. Christ's death was surrounded by circumstances of sorrow and shame. 2. His life. The life which followed His death, when He led captivity captive, when sorrow was exchanged for the "joy set before Him," and the Cross for the throne. III. THE ARGUMENT drawn from this double contrast. If God's Son by death could reconcile His enemies, how much more by His life will He complete and perfect their salvation, now that they are His friends. If in weakness He could accomplish the greater, how much more in strength can He insure the less. If by imprisonment in the tomb He could give us the liberty of the sons of God, how much more can and will He now sustain us in that freedom. (W. Harris.) Parallel Verses KJV: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. |
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