The Love of God Commended
J. W. Burn. Romans 5:7-8 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.… God's manifestations of Himself invariably carry with them the commendation of some distinguishing perfection. He is manifested — 1. In the universe, and "the heavens declare the glory" of His wisdom and power. 2. In conscience, which commends His righteousness. 3. In the Bible, which commends His truth. 4. In history, which commends His sovereignty. 5. In Christ, who by His life and death, but especially in the latter, commends His love. It is the glory of Christianity to give love to this commendation. Other religions profess to reveal God in this or that aspect of His character, but none as "love." Note — I. THE TIME WHEN this commendation was made (ver. 6). "In due time." The time was most appropriate. No other period would have done so well. This will be seen if we consider that then — 1. The world most needed it. Read chap. 1, and what contemporary writers said about the sinfulness, misery, and hopelessness of mankind. 2. The world had exhausted all its resources in the vain hope of working out its own salvation. Philosophers had taught, priests had sacrificed, governors had ruled with a view to this; but the world's wisdom, religion, and policy had all failed. 3. The world was now as it had never been before prepared for the wide diffusion of this commendation. The dispersion of the Jews who carried their Messianic hopes with them; the conquests of Alexander which disseminated a language in which this commendation might be couched; the universal supremacy of Roman power and civilisation, which provided ample means for the widespread commendation of the gospel, combined to prepare "a way for the Lord." II. THE PERSONS TO WHOM IT WAS MADE. "Sinners." That God should commend His love to angels, to unfallen Adam, or to conspicuous saints, would be but natural, and that that love in a general way should be displayed in nature is not to be wondered at, for the fountain of love must overflow; but that God should commend His love to sinners as such is wonderful indeed. The wonder heightens as we follow the apostle's analysis. Men were — 1. Without strength. Once they were strong, but lured by the devil they fell from the breezy heights of righteousness, and were maimed and paralysed by the fall. None could have complained if God had left them in that condition, but pitying their inability to rise He "laid help on One who was mighty," who was able to restore them to moral soundness and a righteous status. 2. Ungodly. Men had severed their connection with the source of righteousness and bliss, and so were plunged in sin and misery. God did not withdraw from man, but man from God. No blame could have attached to God had He made the separation eternal. But He commends His love in the gift of the Mediator, God-man, who could lay His hand on both and bring both together again. 3. Sinners. Men who had missed the mark. "Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Man's blessedness is to aim at this, and in reaching it to find his true rest. But men failed to even aim at this. Their aspirations were after inferior objects, and they missed even them. So the earth is strewn with moral wrecks. God commendeth His love in that He gave His Son to save these wrecks, and to enable man to aspire after and to reach the true end of life. 4. Enemies. In one sense men were moral failures to be pitied; in another moral antagonists to God and goodness, hence the objects of God's wrath. But instead of commending His anger He commends His love through Christ, who saves from wrath and reconciles to God. III. THE MANNER OF this commendation. 1. "Christ died." God commended His love, indeed, in Christ's incarnation, life, teaching, deeds, example. For God to visit, abide in, and do good to the inhabitants of His revolted province, was a singular display of affection. Reason asks, why not come with legions of angels to destroy? But all this regard would have fallen short of what was needed; so love was displayed in an unstinted manner. "God spared not His own Son." Spared Him nothing that was necessary to save a lost world; i.e., God gave all He could to commend His love. The riches of the Divine mercy were practically exhausted on the Cross (Romans 8:32). 2. "For us."(1) In our room and stead. He bore our sins with their curse and punishment on the tree. (2) For our benefit. To remove our condemnation were much; but Christ's death for us involves much more — justification, sonship, holiness, heaven. (J. W. Burn.) Parallel Verses KJV: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. WEB: For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.