Our Debtorship
J. Le Huray. Romans 1:14-16 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.… I. PAUL'S ESTIMATE OF THE GOSPEL. 1. He designates it "the gospel of Christ," not so much because Christ is the author, as because He is the subject of it. It is the good news about Christ as our Substitute and Sacrifice. In this sense only is it "good news." Ignore the doctrine, and the bare facts of the history are no more a gospel than any other story of a life or death would be. Only when you speak of a Christ who has died for our sins will you put music into the heart of a sin and sorrow-stricken world. 2. In view of Paul's anticipated visit to Rome this expression is especially suggestive. The Romans prided themselves on power, and worshipped it, and Paul seizes on this historic fact to tell the Romans that he knew of a greater power even than theirs. The emblems of this power are the dew, the seed, the light, the leaven, things which work quietly; mighty forces, resistless in the might of their stillness. Sometimes, it is true, God comes to men in the thunders of the law, as when He made Felix tremble; but more frequently it is with the gentle persuasiveness which opened Lydia's heart to the gracious message as the flower unfolds its petals to drink in the dew. I have seen machines used in Nottingham lace work with power enough to rend the whole fabric into a thousand pieces, yet working with such exquisite nicety that they do not break the finest thread. So in the gospel, though God brings His Omnipotence to bear upon the soul, He influences men through means and motives so sweet yet strong that they willingly and gladly yield. 3. And the sphere of the gospel's operation is to be as broad as its power is boundless. "To everyone," etc. There is an old Turkish proverb which declares that Islam can flourish only where the palm tree grows. But there is no such legend for the gospel as that. The word of life which Paul sought to plant will grow in every soil. II. PAUL'S SENSE OF THE OBLIGATION IN WHICH THE POSSESSION OF THE GOSPEL INVOLVED HIM. "I am debtor," etc. 1. Debt implies obligation, and obligation is — (1) A law of nature. Nothing in the material world lives to itself. The flower made sweet by the breath of God is constrained to shed its fragrance on the air. The sun, filled with warmth and radiance, flings them abroad to gladden the dark places of the earth and to make her desert smile. Basking in his beams the birds sing, the corn ripens, and the trees bend down with rich ripe clusters. All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not toll. Why? Simply because it is under the same beneficent constraint. Thus Nature everywhere and by everything proclaims with sublime though silent voice, "I am debtor."(2) An instinct of human life — the genial, gracious bond which unites all hearts. As no man liveth by himself, so no man may live to himself. We all live through others and are dependent on their ministries. And every generous nature feels that unless he gives back to the world as much service as he takes from it he is a delinquent. 2. Christianity enlarges and ennobles this feeling. (1) Sitting at the foot of the Cross men catch the spirit of Him who hangs upon it, who "came not to be ministered unto, but to minister," etc. Christ's life was love in action. And as His disciples we learn from His lips as from His life, that He designs sweet and sympathetic ministries to be the golden coinage of our new nature, the currency of our affections, and that if we try to be misers of such wealth we shall suffer the fate of misers. But if grace has rightly done its work in us we cannot help sharing it. It will flow forth from us as spontaneously as heat from a fire, or fragrance from a June rose. Like the box of ointment which Mary broke, it will shed its perfume all around. (2) The gospel, too, strengthens the instinct of debtorship by revealing men in a new light. Apart from the gospel we are almost ready to question whether some of our dark and depraved fellows are worth saving at all; but the gospel reveals the fact that the most depraved are men after all, and precious in God's sight. Outcasts and prodigals, as children of the same Father, have a claim on our brotherly sympathy and succour. As trustees of an inheritance to which they have an equal right, they demand that we share with them our riches. (3) Again we are laid under obligation by positive command of the Master. When the Crusades were being preached the one cry which provoked a response from every lip was this: "God wills it!" The plea in our case is more urgent than in theirs, and shall our sense of obligation be less. "It is not merely God wills it, but Christ commands it. It comes direct, not merely as the Divine wish, but as the Divine injunction." When Christ says "Go," who will dare to stay? 3. And having laid the obligation on us, the Master has opened the way for its fulfilment. Never have the nations been so accessible as they are today. As Englishmen we mix with the world everywhere. Now, why has God thus brought us into touch with all the nations? Merely that we might fill the coffers of our merchants or sharpen to a keener point the boast about "An empire on which the sun never sets"? Conclusion: Do we realise our obligation, and, if so, are we ready and willing to discharge it? Paul said, not only "I am debtor," but "I am ready." So ready that neither pain, nor peril, nor privation could root out of him his eagerness. Thus "ready," like Paul, to proclaim the gospel, let us rejoice in the assurance that it will be as resistless in our hands as it was in his. When the knights of Germany offered their swords to Luther in behalf of his cause he replied: "The Word shall do it." And he was right. There is an old story about the conqueror of Rome, who dashed his sword down into the scales when the ransom was being paid; and Christ flings His two-edged sword into the scale when we are weighing resources, and the other scale kicks the beam. Only make sure that your hand grips His, and then nothing can withstand you. A young officer detailed by the Iron Duke for some dangerous service, asked for one grasp of the great commander's "all-conquering hand," to fit and fire him for the death-daring enterprise. (J. Le Huray.) Parallel Verses KJV: I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. WEB: I am debtor both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to the wise and to the foolish.