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A weekly walk through the Epistle to the Romans
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00:14A very warm welcome to today's podcast in a series on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans.
00:22We extend our greetings in the Lord's name to you, to your loved ones and to all your fellowship.
00:30Wherever you may be, may our thoughts, our words and our deeds be forever acceptable in your sight.
00:40O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer. Amen.
00:47The Epistle to the Romans, Chapter 2, Verses 17 to 29.
00:56But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law, boasting of your relationship to God,
01:04knowing his will and approving the superior things because you receive instruction from the law,
01:12if you are convinced that you are yourself a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in
01:18darkness,
01:19an educator of the senseless, a teacher of little children,
01:24because you have in the law the essential features of knowledge and of the truth.
01:30Therefore, you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself as well?
01:38You who preach against stealing, do you steal?
01:43You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
01:49You who boast in the law, dishonour God by transgressing the law.
02:02For just as it is written, the name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
02:12For circumcision has value if you practice the law.
02:17But if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
02:24Therefore, if the uncircumcised man obeys the righteous requirements of the law,
02:32will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
02:39The physically uncircumcised, by keeping the law, will judge you to be the transgressor of the law,
02:46even though you have the letter and the circumcision.
02:51For a person who is not a Jew, but who is one outwardly,
02:56nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh.
03:02But someone who is a Jew, who is one inwardly,
03:06and circumcision is of the hearts by the spirit, and not by the letter.
03:12This person's praise comes not from people, but from God.
03:19This is the word of the Lord.
03:22Thanks be to God.
03:27The Jew first, and also the Greek.
03:32This has been the thrust of the Apostle's thought so far upon the whole.
03:39So far he's had the Jew in his chief thought,
03:42but he has recurred again and again in passing to the Gentile.
03:46And now he turns to the Pharisee explicitly and on open ground,
03:52before he passes from this long exposure to human sin,
03:56to the revelation of the glorious remedy.
04:02But if you, you emphatically,
04:05the reader or hearer now, today,
04:08you who have perhaps excused yourself from considering your own case
04:13by this last mention of the responsibility of the non-Jewish world.
04:19If you bear the name of Jew,
04:21whether or not you possess the corresponding spiritual reality.
04:26If you repose yourself upon the law,
04:29as if the possession of that awful revelation of duty
04:32was your protection and not your sentence.
04:36And glory in God,
04:38as if it were your private property,
04:42the decoration of your national position.
04:46Whereas the knowledge of him is given to you in trust for the world
04:50and know the will,
04:52his will, the supreme will,
04:55and put the touchstone to things which differ.
04:59Those skilled in moral problems,
05:01schooled by the law under continuous training,
05:05to which the Greek present participle bids us,
05:09by principles and precepts which the law supplies.
05:15If you are sure that you yourself,
05:17whoever else are a leader of blind men,
05:21a light to those who are in the dark,
05:23an educator of the thoughtless,
05:25a teacher of the novice,
05:28possessing in the law the outline,
05:31the system, the real knowledge and truth,
05:33the outline indeed,
05:35but perhaps not the power and life related to it.
05:40If this is your estimate of your position and capacity,
05:44I turn it back upon yourself.
05:47Think, and ask now,
05:49You, your neighbor's teacher,
05:51do you not teach yourself?
05:54You who proclaim do not steal,
05:57do you steal?
05:59You who say you shall not commit adultery,
06:03do you commit it?
06:04You who abominate the idols,
06:09affecting to loathe their very neighborhood,
06:12do you plunder temples,
06:14entering the polluted precincts readily enough,
06:17for purposes at least equally polluting?
06:22You who glory in the law,
06:24as the palladium of your race,
06:27do you, by violation of the law,
06:30disgrace upon your God?
06:33For the name of our God is,
06:36because of you,
06:37railed out amongst the heathen.
06:40It is written in Ezekiel 36, 20,
06:44to the ungodly Israel of the ancient dispersal,
06:48a message true to the dispersal that came later.
06:57We do not need to overstrain the emphasis
06:59on the apostle's stern infective.
07:02Not every non-Christian Jew of the first century,
07:06certainly,
07:07was an adulterer, a thief, or a plunderer.
07:11When a few years later,
07:13St Paul would gather in Acts 27 around him,
07:16the Jews of Rome and spent a long day
07:19discussing the prophecies with them.
07:21He appealed to them with a noble frankness,
07:24which, in some sense,
07:26evidently expected a response in kind.
07:31But it is certain that the Jews of the Roman dispersal
07:35bore it poor general character for truth and honor.
07:40In any case,
07:42St Paul knew well that there is a deeply natural connection
07:45between the unhallowed religious bigotry
07:48and that innermost failure of self-control,
07:52leaving man only too open
07:54to the worst possible temptations.
07:58Whatever feeds gross personal pride
08:01promotes a swift and deadly decay of moral fiber.
08:06Did this man pride himself
08:08as being a son of Abraham
08:10and his own rabbinic law and skill,
08:13scorning both Gentile sinner
08:15and the Amhares,
08:17the people of the land,
08:20for rank and file of his own race?
08:25Then he was the very man
08:27waiting to be led helpless
08:29by the tempter.
08:31As a fact,
08:32there are maxims of later rabbinism
08:35which represent beyond reasonable doubt
08:38the spirit,
08:39if not the letter of the worst watchwords
08:41of the circumcision of St Paul's time.
08:46Circumcision is equivalent
08:48to all the commandments of the law
08:51and
08:51to live in Palestine
08:53is to equal the commandments
08:55and not less
08:57he that lives in Palestine
08:59is sure of life eternal.
09:03The man
09:04who could even for an hour
09:05entertain such a creed
09:07was ready
09:09however deep below his consciousness
09:11the readiness might lie
09:13for anything
09:14under fitting circumstances
09:17of temptation.
09:24And so it is
09:25today
09:27very far beyond
09:29the limits
09:29of the Jewish dispersal
09:31of our time
09:32now as then
09:34and for the Christian
09:35outwardly
09:35as for the Jew
09:36outwardly
09:37there is no
09:39surer path
09:39to spiritual degeneracy
09:41than a spiritual
09:43pride.
09:45What are the watchwords
09:47which have succeeded
09:48to those of the rabbinists
09:49who encountered
09:50St Paul?
09:52Are there words
09:53or thoughts
09:54of self-applaus
09:55because of the historic
09:56orthodoxy
09:57of your creed?
09:59Because of the scriptural
10:01purity
10:02of your theory
10:03of salvation?
10:05Because of the
10:06illustrious annals
10:07of your national church
10:09older than the nation
10:10which is so largely
10:11welded
10:12and developed?
10:14Because of the patient
10:15courage
10:16under contempt
10:17and exclusion
10:18of the community
10:20which some call
10:21your denomination
10:22your sect
10:23but which is to you
10:25indeed
10:26the church?
10:28Because of your
10:29loyalty to order
10:30because of your
10:31loyalty to liberty?
10:34Take heed
10:36and pay real
10:36close attention
10:38the best
10:39corrupted
10:40becomes inevitably
10:41the worst
10:43in religion
10:44there is only one
10:45altogether safe
10:46glorifying
10:49it is
10:50when a man
10:51might save
10:51from the soul
10:52with open eyes
10:53and with a deeply
10:54humbled heart
10:56God forbid
10:58that I should glory
10:59save in the cross
11:01of our Lord Jesus Christ
11:03whereby the whole
11:05world is crucified
11:06unto me
11:07and I
11:07unto the world
11:10Galatians 6
11:1114
11:13All other glorying
11:15is not good
11:19Be thankful
11:20for every genuine
11:22privilege
11:24but for Christ's sake
11:26and for your own
11:27soul's sake
11:28do not even
11:30in the inmost
11:30secret of your soul
11:32value yourself
11:34upon them
11:36It is not only
11:38disease
11:39it is disaster
11:41to do so
11:44Shall not we
11:46of the Christian
11:47dispersion
11:48take home also
11:49what Ezekiel
11:50and St Paul
11:50have to say
11:51about the blasphemies
11:52the miserable
11:54railings
11:54at our God
11:55caused by the sins
11:56of those
11:57who bear
11:58his name
12:00Who does not
12:01know that in
12:02every region
12:03of heathendom
12:04the missionary's
12:06plea to Christ
12:07is always best
12:08listened to
12:08where the pagan
12:10has not
12:11before his eyes
12:12the Christianity
12:13of a treaty port
12:15and other places
12:16where perhaps
12:17European life
12:18is to be seen
12:18lived
12:19in sin
12:20completely
12:22without restraint
12:24the stumbling
12:26block
12:26could be a
12:27drunken sailor
12:28a dishonest
12:30merchant
12:31a civilian
12:32a soldier
12:33or just a
12:34simple
12:35debauching
12:36traveler
12:39or it may
12:40just be the
12:41man who
12:41belonging
12:42to a race
12:43reputedly
12:44Christian
12:44merely ignores
12:46the Christian's
12:47holy book
12:47day
12:48and house
12:50and avoids
12:51all semblance
12:52of fellowship
12:52with his
12:53countrymen
12:54who have come
12:55to live
12:55beside him
12:56that they
12:57might preach
12:57Christ
12:58where he
12:58is not
12:59known
13:01or maybe
13:02there's a
13:03reputedly
13:03Christian
13:04government
13:04which amidst
13:06all its
13:07noble benefits
13:08to the vast
13:08races it
13:09holds in
13:10sway
13:10allows them
13:12to know
13:13or at least
13:13to think
13:14or perhaps
13:15even suspect
13:16that there are
13:17cases where
13:18it cares more
13:19for revenue
13:20than it does
13:21for righteousness
13:24profit
13:25before
13:26chastity
13:28in all
13:29these cases
13:30the Christian
13:30dispersion
13:31gives occasion
13:32for railing
13:33at the
13:34Christian's
13:34God
13:35and the
13:36reckoning
13:36will be
13:37a grave
13:37matter
13:38in that
13:39day
13:44but shall
13:44the
13:45Christians
13:45of
13:45Christendom
13:46at home
13:46stand
13:47exempt
13:47from this
13:48charge
13:50let us
13:51who name
13:52the blessed
13:52name
13:53with even
13:53the least
13:54emphasis
13:54of faith
13:55and loyalty
13:56dwelling
13:57amongst the
13:58masses
13:58who only
13:59passively
14:00so to speak
14:01are Christian
14:01who profess
14:03nothing
14:03though they
14:04are or are
14:05supposed to be
14:06baptised
14:08let us
14:09amidst the
14:09world which
14:10understands
14:10not a little
14:12of what we
14:12ought to be
14:13and watches us
14:15with such a
14:16keen intent
14:17and so
14:18legitimately
14:19let us
14:20take home
14:20this message
14:21sent first
14:22to the old
14:23and inconsistent
14:24Israel
14:26do we
14:27professing
14:28godliness
14:29show the
14:30mind of
14:30Christ
14:30in our
14:31daily
14:31business
14:33do we
14:34on the
14:34whole
14:35give the
14:35average
14:36world
14:36cause to
14:37expect
14:37that a
14:38Christian
14:39as such
14:39is a
14:40man to
14:40trust
14:41in business
14:42or in
14:42friendship
14:44is the
14:45conviction
14:45quietly forced
14:46upon them
14:47that a
14:47Christian's
14:48temper
14:48and tongue
14:49are not
14:50like other
14:50men's
14:51that the
14:52Christian
14:53minister
14:53habitually
14:54lives high
14:55above
14:55self-seeking
14:56that the
14:58Christian
14:58tradesman
14:59faithfully
15:00remembers his
15:01customers best
15:02interest
15:02and is true
15:04to all
15:04in his
15:05dealings
15:06that the
15:07Christian
15:08servant
15:08to the
15:09Christian
15:09master
15:10are alike
15:11exceptionally
15:11mindful of
15:12each other's
15:13rights and
15:14needs
15:14and easy
15:16going about
15:17their own
15:18that the
15:19Christian's
15:20time
15:20and his
15:21money
15:21are to
15:22a remarkable
15:23degree
15:24applied
15:24for the
15:25good of
15:25others
15:27for
15:27Christ's
15:28sake
15:30that is
15:31what the
15:31members of
15:32the Christian
15:32society
15:33in the
15:34inner sense
15:34of the
15:34word
15:35Christian
15:35are expected
15:37to be
15:37in what we
15:38all understand
15:39by the
15:40world
15:41if they
15:42are so
15:43may God
15:44be thanked
15:45but if
15:46they are
15:46not
15:47who is
15:48going to
15:48wear the
15:49guilt
15:50who
15:50will
15:50adequately
15:51estimate
15:51the
15:52dishonour
15:52so
15:53done
15:53to
15:53our
15:54blessed
15:54name
15:55and the
15:56day
15:56is
15:57coming
16:02but
16:02St Paul
16:02has more
16:03to say
16:03about the
16:04position
16:04of the
16:04Jew
16:06he would
16:06not even
16:07seem to
16:07forget
16:07the
16:08greatness
16:08of the
16:08God
16:09given
16:09privilege
16:09of
16:10Israel
16:10and he
16:12will
16:12use
16:12that
16:12privilege
16:13once
16:13again
16:13as
16:14a
16:14cry
16:15to
16:15conscience
16:17for
16:18indeed
16:19circumcision
16:20profits
16:20you
16:20if you
16:22take
16:22the
16:22law
16:22into
16:23practice
16:24in which
16:25case
16:26the
16:26circumcision
16:27is for
16:28you
16:28God's
16:28seal
16:29upon
16:29God's
16:29own
16:29promise
16:30to the
16:31true
16:31sons
16:31of
16:32Abraham's
16:32blood
16:32and
16:33faith
16:35are
16:36you
16:36indeed
16:36a
16:37true
16:37practiser
16:38of
16:38the
16:38holy
16:38code
16:39the
16:40summary
16:40of
16:40which
16:40is
16:41to
16:42love
16:42God
16:43and
16:43to
16:43love
16:44your
16:44fellow
16:44man
16:46can
16:46you
16:47look
16:47at
16:48your
16:48Lord
16:48in
16:48the
16:48face
16:49and
16:50say
16:50not
16:51I
16:52have
16:52satisfied
16:53all
16:53your
16:53demands
16:54pay
16:55me
16:55what
16:55you
16:56owe
16:56me
16:57but
16:58you
16:59know
16:59that
16:59I
16:59love
17:00you
17:00and
17:01therefore
17:01how
17:01I
17:02love
17:02your
17:02law
17:07then
17:08you
17:08are
17:08indeed
17:08a
17:09child
17:09of
17:09the
17:09covenant
17:10through
17:10his
17:10grace
17:11and
17:12the
17:12seal
17:12of
17:12the
17:12covenant
17:13speaks
17:13to
17:14you
17:14the
17:14certainties
17:15of
17:15blessing
17:18but
17:19if
17:20you
17:20are
17:20a
17:20transgressor
17:21of
17:21the
17:22law
17:22your
17:23circumcision
17:23becomes
17:24uncircumcision
17:26the
17:27divine
17:27seal
17:28is
17:28to
17:28you
17:28of
17:29nothing
17:30for
17:31you
17:31are
17:31not
17:31the
17:31rightful
17:32holder
17:32of
17:32the
17:33deed
17:33of
17:33covenant
17:33which
17:34it
17:34seals
17:37if
17:37therefore
17:38the
17:38uncircumcision
17:39the
17:40gentile
17:40world
17:40in
17:41some
17:41individual
17:42instance
17:42carefully
17:43maintains
17:44the
17:44ordinances
17:45of
17:45the
17:45law
17:46reverently
17:47remembers
17:48the love
17:48they owe
17:49to God
17:49and to
17:50their
17:50fellow
17:50man
17:52shall
17:52shall
17:53shall
17:53not
17:53his
17:53uncircumcision
17:54the
17:56uncircumcision
17:57of this
17:57man
17:58be
17:58counted
17:59as
17:59circumcision
18:02shall
18:03he not
18:03be
18:03treated
18:03as a
18:04lawful
18:04recipient
18:05of
18:05covenant
18:05blessings
18:06even
18:07though
18:07the
18:07seal
18:08upon
18:08the
18:08document
18:09of
18:09promise
18:09is
18:10not
18:11at
18:11all
18:11by
18:11his
18:11fault
18:12missing
18:15and
18:16so
18:16shall
18:17not
18:17this
18:17hereditary
18:18uncircumcision
18:19this
18:19gentile
18:20born
18:20and
18:21bred
18:21fulfilling
18:22the
18:22law
18:23of
18:23love
18:23and
18:23duty
18:24judge
18:25you
18:25who
18:26by
18:26the
18:26means
18:27of
18:28the
18:28letter
18:28and
18:28the
18:28circumcision
18:29are
18:30laws
18:30transgressor
18:31using
18:32as you
18:33practically
18:34do
18:34use
18:35the
18:35terms
18:35the
18:36letter
18:36of
18:36the
18:37covenant
18:37and
18:38the
18:38right
18:38which
18:38is
18:39its
18:39seal
18:39as
18:40a
18:40means
18:40to
18:41violate
18:41its
18:42importance
18:42and
18:44claiming
18:44in
18:45the
18:45pride
18:45of
18:45privilege
18:46blessings
18:46promised
18:47only
18:47to
18:48self
18:48forgetting
18:49love
18:53for
18:54not
18:54the
18:54Jew
18:54in
18:55the
18:55visible
18:55sphere
18:55is
18:56a
18:56Jew
18:57nor
18:58is
18:58circumcision
18:59in
18:59the
18:59visible
18:59sphere
19:00in
19:01the
19:01flesh
19:01circumcision
19:03but
19:04it
19:04is
19:04the
19:04Jew
19:05in
19:05the
19:05hidden
19:05sphere
19:06and
19:06the
19:07circumcision
19:07of
19:07the
19:08heart
19:08in
19:09spirit
19:09and
19:09not
19:10letter
19:11circumcision
19:12in
19:12the
19:12sense
19:13of
19:13work
19:13and
19:14duty
19:14upon
19:15the
19:15soul
19:15wrought
19:16by
19:17God's
19:17spirit
19:17not
19:18in
19:19that
19:19of
19:19a
19:19legal
19:19claim
19:20supposed
19:20to
19:20rest
19:21upon
19:21a
19:21routine
19:22or
19:22prescription
19:24his
19:25praise
19:25the
19:26praise
19:26of
19:26such
19:27a
19:27Jew
19:27the
19:28Jew
19:28in
19:28the
19:28hidden
19:29sense
19:30circumcised
19:30by
19:31heart
19:31does
19:32not
19:33come
19:33from
19:33men
19:33but
19:34comes
19:34from
19:34God
19:36men
19:37may
19:37and
19:37very
19:38likely
19:38will
19:38give
19:39him
19:39anything
19:39but
19:39praise
19:41they
19:41will
19:41not
19:42like
19:42him
19:42the
19:42better
19:43because
19:43of
19:43his
19:43deep
19:44divergence
19:44from
19:45their
19:45standard
19:45and
19:46from
19:46their
19:46spirit
19:47but
19:48the
19:48Lord
19:48knows
19:49him
19:49and
19:49loves
19:49him
19:49and
19:50prepares
19:50for
19:51him
19:51his
19:52own
19:52welcome
19:54well
19:54done
19:55good
19:56and
19:56faithful
19:57servant
20:01we
20:01have
20:01here
20:02a
20:02passage
20:02far
20:03reaching
20:03like
20:04the
20:05paragraphs
20:05which
20:06have
20:06gone
20:06before
20:12its
20:12immediate
20:13bearing
20:13needs
20:13only
20:14brief
20:14comment
20:16certainly
20:17only
20:17a
20:17brief
20:18explanation
20:20we
20:21need
20:21to
20:21little
20:21more
20:22than
20:22wonder
20:22at
20:22the
20:22moral
20:23miracle
20:23of
20:24the
20:24words
20:24like
20:24these
20:25written
20:25by
20:25one
20:26who
20:26only
20:27a
20:27few
20:28years
20:28before
20:29was
20:29spending
20:30the
20:30whole
20:30energy
20:31of
20:31his
20:31mighty
20:31will
20:32upon
20:33the
20:33defence
20:33of
20:34ultra
20:35judaism
20:37the
20:38miracle
20:38lies
20:39not only
20:39in the
20:40vastness
20:40of a
20:41man's
20:41change
20:41of view
20:42but in
20:42the
20:42manner
20:42of
20:43it
20:44it
20:45is
20:45not
20:45merely
20:45that
20:46he
20:46denounces
20:47the
20:47phariseum
20:48phariseism
20:49but he
20:50denounces
20:51it
20:51in a
20:51tone
20:52entirely
20:52free
20:53from
20:53its
20:53spirit
20:53which
20:54he
20:54might
20:54easily
20:55have
20:55carried
20:56into
20:56the
20:56opposite
20:56camp
20:59what he
21:00meets it
21:00with
21:00is the
21:01assertion
21:02of truth
21:02as pure
21:04and peaceable
21:05as they
21:05are eternal
21:07the truths
21:09of the
21:09supreme
21:09and ultimate
21:10importance
21:11of having a
21:12right attitude
21:13of heart
21:14toward God
21:14and of the
21:16inexorable
21:17connection
21:18between such
21:18an attitude
21:19and a life
21:20of unselfish
21:21love
21:21toward man
21:24here
21:25here indeed
21:25is one
21:25great
21:26instance
21:26of that
21:27large
21:27spiritual
21:28phenomenon
21:28the
21:30transfiguration
21:30of the
21:31first
21:31followers
21:32of the
21:32Lord
21:32Jesus
21:33from what
21:34they had
21:34been
21:34to what
21:36under
21:36his
21:36risen
21:37power
21:37they
21:37would
21:38become
21:39we
21:40see
21:40in
21:40men
21:41whose
21:41convictions
21:42and hopes
21:43have
21:44undergone
21:44an incalculable
21:46revolution
21:46and yet
21:48it is a
21:48revolution
21:49which disorders
21:50nothing
21:52rather
21:52it has
21:53taken the
21:54fanaticism
21:54forever out
21:55of their
21:56thought
21:56and purpose
21:57it has
21:58softened
21:59their whole
21:59souls
22:00toward man
22:01as well
22:02as drawn
22:02them into
22:03an unimagined
22:04intimacy
22:04with God
22:06it has
22:07taught them
22:08to live
22:08above the
22:09world
22:10and yet
22:11it has
22:12brought them
22:12into the
22:13most practical
22:13and affectionate
22:14relations
22:15with every
22:15claim upon
22:16them
22:16in the
22:17world
22:17around them
22:19your life
22:20is hid
22:21with Christ
22:22in God
22:22honour
22:23all men
22:24he that
22:26loves not
22:26knows not
22:28God
22:31but the
22:32significance
22:32of this
22:33particular
22:33passage
22:33is indeed
22:34far reaching
22:35permanent
22:36and universal
22:38as before
22:40so here again
22:41the apostle
22:41warns us
22:42and not only
22:43the Jew
22:44of that day
22:44but us
22:46against
22:47the fatal
22:47but very
22:48easy
22:48error
22:49of perverting
22:50privilege
22:50into pride
22:52forgetting
22:53that every
22:54gift of
22:54God
22:54is a
22:54talent
22:55with which
22:56the man
22:56is to
22:57trade
22:57for his
22:58God
22:58and for
22:59his
22:59Lord
22:59alone
23:01but also
23:03and very
23:04explicitly
23:05he warns
23:06us against
23:07that subtle
23:07tendency
23:08of man's
23:09heart to
23:10substitute
23:10in religion
23:11the outward
23:13for the
23:13inward
23:14the mechanical
23:15for the
23:16spiritual
23:16the symbol
23:17for the
23:18thing
23:22who can
23:22read this
23:23passage
23:23without
23:23reflections
23:24on the
23:24privileges
23:25and the
23:26seals of
23:27membership
23:27of the
23:28Christian
23:28church
23:31who will
23:32not take
23:32from it
23:33a warning
23:33not to
23:34put in
23:35the wrong
23:35place
23:35the sacred
23:36gifts
23:38however
23:38sacred
23:39they can
23:39be
23:40because
23:40divine
23:41of order
23:42and of
23:43sacrament
23:45here is
23:46a great
23:46Hebrew
23:47doctor
23:47dealing
23:47with
23:47that
23:48primary
23:48sacrament
23:49of the
23:50church
23:50of old
23:52of which
23:53such high
23:53and urgent
23:54things are
23:54said in
23:55the Hebrew
23:55scriptures
23:57a right
23:58of which
23:58even
23:58medieval
23:59theologians
24:00have
24:00asserted
24:00was the
24:01sacrament
24:02of the
24:02same
24:03grace
24:03as that
24:04which is
24:04in the
24:05grace
24:05of
24:05baptism
24:06today
24:09but
24:09when he
24:10has to
24:10consider
24:11the case
24:11of one
24:12who has
24:12received
24:13the
24:13physical
24:13ordinance
24:14apart
24:15from the
24:16right
24:16attitude
24:16of soul
24:17he speaks
24:19of the
24:19ordinance
24:19in terms
24:20which a
24:21hasty
24:22reader
24:22might
24:22think
24:22slighting
24:24but he
24:25does not
24:25slight it
24:26he says
24:28it
24:28profits
24:29and he
24:30is going
24:30soon
24:30to say
24:31more
24:31upon that
24:32purpose
24:34for him
24:35it is
24:35nothing less
24:36than
24:36God's
24:36own
24:36seal
24:37on
24:37God's
24:37own
24:38word
24:39assuring
24:39the
24:40individual
24:40as with
24:41a
24:41literal
24:42divine
24:42touch
24:43that it
24:44all is
24:44true
24:45for him
24:45as he
24:46who
24:46claims
24:46grace
24:47in
24:47humble
24:48faith
24:51but then
24:52he contemplates
24:52the case
24:53of one
24:53who by
24:54no contempt
24:55but by
24:56force of
24:56circumstance
24:57has never
24:58received
24:59the holy
24:59seal
24:59and yet
25:01believes
25:01and loves
25:02and obeys
25:05and he lays
25:06it down
25:06that the
25:06Lord of the
25:07covenant
25:07will honour
25:08that man's
25:09humble claim
25:10as surely
25:11as if
25:12he brought
25:12the covenant
25:12document
25:13ready
25:14sealed
25:14in his
25:15hand
25:17not
25:18that even
25:18for him
25:19the seal
25:19if it may
25:20be had
25:21will be
25:22nothing
25:24it will
25:25assuredly
25:25be divine
25:26still
25:27and will
25:28be sought
25:28as God's
25:29own gift
25:32but the
25:33principle
25:33remains
25:34that the
25:35ritual
25:36seal
25:36and the
25:37spiritual
25:37reality
25:38are two
25:40completely
25:40different
25:41things
25:41and that
25:43the greater
25:43thing
25:43the thing
25:44of absolute
25:45and ultimate
25:46necessity
25:46between the
25:47soul
25:47and God
25:48is the
25:49spiritual
25:49reality
25:52and that
25:53where that
25:55is present
25:55there
25:56God
25:57accepts
26:00it was
26:01the temptation
26:01of Israel
26:02of old
26:03to put the
26:04circumcision
26:04in the
26:05place of
26:05faith
26:06love
26:06and holiness
26:07instead of
26:09in its
26:09rightful
26:10place
26:10as the
26:11divine
26:11imperial
26:12seal
26:12upon the
26:13covenant
26:14of grace
26:17the covenant
26:18to be
26:19claimed
26:19and used
26:20by faith
26:22it is
26:23indeed
26:24the temptation
26:24of some
26:25Christians
26:25today to
26:26put the
26:26sacred
26:26order of
26:27the church
26:28and particularly
26:29its divine
26:30sacraments
26:31the holy
26:32bath
26:32and the
26:33holy
26:33meal
26:33in the
26:34place
26:35of
26:35spiritual
26:36regeneration
26:37and
26:38spiritual
26:38communion
26:39rather
26:40than
26:41in their
26:41right
26:42place
26:42as
26:42divine
26:43imperial
26:44seals
26:44on the
26:45covenant
26:46which
26:46guarantees
26:47both
26:47to
26:48faith
26:50for us
26:51today
26:51as for
26:52our
26:52brothers
26:52of old
26:53this
26:54paragraph
26:54of the
26:55great
26:55argument
26:56is
26:57therefore
26:57altogether
26:57to
26:58the
26:58purpose
27:01faith
27:01is
27:02greater
27:02than
27:03water
27:03says
27:04even
27:04Peter
27:05Lombard
27:05the
27:06great
27:06teacher
27:07of the
27:07medieval
27:07schools
27:09and so
27:10it is
27:11the
27:12thought
27:13is in
27:13perfect
27:14unison
27:14with
27:15St.
27:15Paul's
27:15principle
27:16here
27:18let
27:19let it
27:19be
27:19for us
27:20to
27:20reverence
27:21to
27:21prize
27:21to
27:22use
27:22the
27:22ordinances
27:23of
27:23our
27:24master
27:24with
27:25a
27:25devotion
27:26such
27:26as we
27:26might
27:26seem
27:27sure
27:27we
27:28should
27:28feel
27:28if we
27:29saw him
27:29dip
27:29his
27:29hand
27:30into
27:30the
27:30font
27:30or
27:31stretch
27:32it
27:32out
27:32to
27:32break
27:33the
27:33bread
27:33and
27:34hallow
27:34it
27:34and
27:35give
27:35it
27:35at
27:35the
27:35table
27:38but
27:38let
27:38us
27:39also
27:39be
27:39quite
27:39certain
27:40for
27:40our
27:41own
27:41soul's
27:41warning
27:43that
27:43it
27:44is
27:44true
27:44all
27:45the
27:45while
27:45in
27:46the
27:46sense
27:46of
27:46this
27:46passage
27:48that
27:48he
27:48is
27:49not
27:49a
27:49Christian
27:49which
27:50is
27:50not
27:50one
27:50outwardly
27:51neither
27:52is
27:53that
27:53baptism
27:53or
27:54communion
27:54which
27:55is
27:55outward
27:56but
27:57he
27:57is
27:57a
27:57Christian
27:57who
27:58is
27:58one
27:58inwardly
27:59and
28:00baptism
28:00and
28:01communion
28:01are
28:02those
28:02of
28:02the
28:02heart
28:03in
28:03the
28:03spirit
28:05rather
28:05than
28:06in
28:06the
28:06letter
28:08sacred
28:09indeed
28:09are
28:10the
28:10God
28:10given
28:11externals
28:12of
28:12Christian
28:12order
28:13and
28:13ordinance
28:15but
28:16there
28:16are
28:16great
28:16differences
28:17in
28:18degree
28:19in
28:20the
28:20world
28:20of
28:20sacred
28:21things
28:22the
28:23moral
28:23work
28:24of
28:24God
28:24direct
28:24upon
28:25the
28:25soul
28:25of
28:26a
28:26man
28:26is
28:27greater
28:27than
28:27his
28:28sacramental
28:28work
28:29done
28:29through
28:30a
28:31man's
28:31body
28:34glory
28:35to
28:35the
28:35father
28:36and
28:36to
28:36the
28:37son
28:37and
28:37to
28:38the
28:38holy
28:38spirit
28:39as
28:40it
28:40was
28:40in
28:41the
28:41beginning
28:41is
28:42now
28:43and
28:43ever
28:43shall
28:44be
28:45world
28:46without
28:46end
28:47amen
28:50wherever
28:50you
28:51may
28:51be
28:51and
28:52whenever
28:53you
28:53may
28:53chance
28:54to
28:54listen
28:54to
28:54this
28:54message
28:55may
28:56the
28:56Lord
28:56Almighty
28:57bless
28:57you
28:57and
28:57keep
28:58you
28:58safe
28:58secure
28:59in
29:00faith
29:00and
29:00love
29:01in
29:01the
29:02certainty
29:02of
29:03eternal
29:03life
29:03now
29:05and
29:05forever
29:06more
29:06amen