The Creature Made Subject to Vanity (Romans VII. 20)

Who is this creature which "was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope?" It is the same creature spoken of in the preceding verse, whose "earnest expectation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God," and which in the following verse it is said "shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." It belongs to the same spiritual creation referred to in verse 22, which in former dispensations groaned and travailed in pain together, and which now in the gospel day is manifest, as it ever was, by suffering, even in the apostles and early saints, who had the first fruits of the Spirit, "who groan within themselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of their body."

This creature is the same spoken of in 2 Cor. v. 17: "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature," and also in Eph. ii. 10: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." This workmanship of God whereby we are created in Christ Jesus, is experienced by a man, a sinner of Adam's fallen race. Before that work of God was experienced, this man did not know himself as a sinner, and therefore did not have that kind of suffering which comes from such knowledge. In the first verse of this chapter the apostle speaks of those who are in Christ, and in the ninth verse we learn that to be in Christ, or in the Spirit, is to have the Spirit of God, or of Christ, in him. It is not until we have this experience of Christ in us that we can know that the body, which means the natural or earthy man, is dead because of sin. (Verse 10.) Let it be here noted and remembered that when the body or flesh is spoken of by the apostles in this sense, as dead because of sin, reference is not made merely to the physical body, for that cannot sin, but to the man, who is "of the earth earthy," the man who sinned and was condemned. The sin, the sinfulness, the depravity, are felt by the christian to be in his mind, in his heart, and not in the literal flesh.

The life that is now ours is the Spirit of Christ, "The Spirit is life because of righteousness." "Christ is our life," and that life is all the light we have by which to see the deadness of our body, or the living beauty and glory of Christ, and of the kingdom of God. (Verse 10.) "In him [the Word] was life, and the life was the light of men." ---John i. 4. The giving of this divine and ever holy life to the sinner is the creative work of God. It is not that the divine life of Spirit of Christ was created, nor is it that the Adamic man is new reared, or made over again, but the bringing of the man forth in this new life, the causing him to be thus born of the Spirit, the manifesting of "the life of Jesus in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. iv. 11), this is the workmanship of God; this is creating the man in Christ Jesus, ad causing him to be a new creature.

This man who has been born again (from above), who has been brought forth in the life of Jesus, was first born of the flea, brought forth in the life of Adam. In neither birth was any change of nature effected. In the first birth the life and nature of Adam were manifested. In the second birth the life and nature of Jesus were manifested. In being given the life of Jesus the life of the flesh was not changed in its nature, but remained a sinful life. Therefore David says, "My soul cleaveth to the dust;" and Job says, "Iy soul is weary of life;" and Paul says, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary ;he one to the other, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." And throughout the Scriptures holy men have mourned on accent of the felt sinfulness of their own life, and rejoiced in the evidences that the Lord was their life, and such is the experience of saints today. "Except a man hate his own life," Jesus says, "he cannot be my disciple." The two natures, the two lives, the mortal and the immortal, are both in the one person, but the spiritual or immortal is the stronger, and shall control and prevail.

The creature spoken of in the text is not the spiritual life in itself considered, nor the man who has experienced the new birth in himself considered, but it is the spirit or life of Jesus as manifest h the flesh, and it is the man considered as having this divine life, he man as being thus "in Christ." The man himself, regarded in his Adamic nature, is a sinful man, and his heart is deceitful above all things, and there is not enough goodness in his nature to cause one throb of sorrow on account of sin, or to excite the least hunger after righteousness; and the Spirit of Christ, considered separately from the flesh, can have no sorrow or pain. It was in the flesh that Christ suffered. It was for the purpose of suffering that he came in the flesh and those who have the Spirit of Christ suffer with him. It is this suffering of the people of God with Jesus that the apostle is consider rig in this connection. He explains to them the cause of their suffering, and enters into the depths and heights of doctrine as he trace the exercises and describes the feelings of the little children, and bus points out and designates the humble followers of Christ.

The apostle in various places speaks of the one person n his relation both to the flesh and the Spirit. While there is an essential distinction between the flesh and the Spirit, and this distinction is maintained in all the teachings of the apostles, yet they are both in one person, and there is an experimental sense in which they must be considered as together, though separate. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh," and will remain so until the change shall come, "and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit," and will ever remain in unyielding opposition to the flesh. But the christian is possessed of both of these opposing natures, the human and the divine, and the apostle uses the personal pronoun when speaking of both. "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh), dwelleth no good thing." He speaks of the flesh as "me." "That which I do I allow not." "The good that I would I do not; but the evil that I would not, that I do." I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me." "0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" "So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."

Thus it is the same I who realizes death in Adam, or in the flesh, and who realizes life in Christ. It is the same I who may at one time be experimentally in Christ, and, sowing to the Spirit, reap life everlasting, and at another time may be living after the flesh and die to spiritual things; may be sowing to the flesh, and of the flesh reap corruption.

But the apostle is considering here the unchanging, unvarying inclinations of the Spirit or life of Christ which is in all his people, and the consequent suffering of the child of God because of the vileness that is thus discovered in us by the light of the Spirit. And he is intent upon declaring and showing the certainty of the glory that shall succeed that suffering in every one who has been born of the Spirit, and who is therefore a partaker of the divine nature. "The Spirit itseft beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." How wonderfully connected the apostle's argument is. How one thing follows another, just in the order that keeps along with the exercises and travail of the christian. Observe how many of these verses begin with the word "for," connecting it with what was said before.

"For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Son of God." This earnest expectation is entirely of the Spirit. It is the view of faith, looking to things not seen by mortal powers. It is the expectation of things promised in Christ, and revealed to the faith of God's people. Faith makes no guesses, but sees eternal realities. Concerning these things it is said, "Eye hath dot seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit." Therefore, while there is deep suffering because of the corruptions of the flesh, there is at the same time, down in the depths of the soul, a calm and confident

waiting for that which the quickened soul so earnestly desires, to see m ourselves the manifestation of that relationship as sons of God. We cannot see it in ourselves now, but we long for it, hunger for it, have been made to expect it, and quietly wait for it. We are saved by this sweet and sure hope. All this earnest expectation is in the Spirit; not in the Spirit of Christ considered in itself, but in that spirit as given unto us, and as living in our poor hearts, and as able to turn our thoughts toward heavenly things, and to set our affections on things above.

Now the apostle shows against what great and dire obstacle the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for such a wonderful and holy manifestation. That obstacle is the vanity of our fleshly nature, which he afterward calls the bondage of corruption. This is why we do not see in ourselves evidences of sonship, such as we desire. Though to our faith may come assurances at times that "we are now the sons of God," yet "it doth not yet appear what we shall be:" and we are Often left to doubt that we bear such a relationship, because of the vanity of the flesh.

But now the apostle shows us that in the wisdom of God in creating his people in Christ, in giving them the life of his Son, he made them subject to the vanity of this nature. He could have caused them to be at once freed from sin and depravity, and to enter into a holy and sinless state. But it was his will that the new, divine life, the Spirit of Christ in them, should have this opposition to contend with, that this new creature should be subject to this vanity. "Every man in his best state is altogether vanity." "All the goodness and glory of man is as the flower of the field." As soon as the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it, it fades away. (Isa. xl. 7.) And because of this the workmanship of God is the more clearly manifest, and the power of the Spirit more clearly displayed, as the enduring quality and value of gold are shown more clearly when it comes in contact with fire.

For our comfort we are told of one thing that we would not have thought of without being told, and yet which we see at once to be true; "Not willingly." The Spirit of Christ is essentially and forever opposed to sin. That life of Christ which is within the poor sinner's heart is just as pure and as much opposed to vanity there as it is in himself; as the sunshine is just as pure when it falls into a polluted atmosphere as when it leaves the sun. We can at times see that there is a principle within us that is opposed to all the vanity and corruption of our natures, and which makes us long to be perfectly free from it. Thus with our minds we serve the law of God (we have the mind of Christ) while with our flesh we serve the law of sin. (Romans vii. 25.) The apostle had no reference here to evil deeds, against which he would admonish his brethren, but he referred to that corruption of the flesh to which we must always be subject, feeling it as a bondage while we remain in this mortal state.

Not willingly. This is why we suffer in the flesh. This is why we can find no permanent rest in this mortal state. This is why, when we are spiritual, we hate not only evil deeds, but the vanity of even the most exalted and the purest of earthly things. This is why our days on the earth are a shadow, and there is none abiding. This is why we hate our own lives at times, and count this world a wilderness of woe. And it is because the new creature is not willingly subject to vanity, that exhortations and admonitions have a place and power. For this creature is ever seeking the honor of God, and desiring to follow Jesus, and to show forth his praises, but ever feels the hindrances of the vanity of the flesh, and so can never do the good it would do, but is always dissatisfied with even its best works. And no matter how far one may have gone astray, it is always right to exhort, when we can do it in meekness, for though we cannot make the word of exhortation effectual, the Lord peradventure may give repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

Then how sweet and comforting the assurance that this subjection of God's gracious work in us to vanity is in hope. We cannot see in ourselves now what we wish to see (verses 24, 25), but we are given good ground to hope for it. For the apostle by inspiration positively asserts that we, the new creature, shall be delivered from this vanity, from this "bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God." This we are given faith to believe shall be. We long for it, and in the Spirit we expect it, and thus we have that hope which saves us from being overcome and brought down to the gates of despair by this vanity. "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." No child of God can see himself as he wants to be, therefore he can never be pleased or satisfied with himself while in the flesh. He must see himself compassed with infirmities, held down by a bondage of corruption, therefore he cannot see himself as a son of God now, cannot see himself without sin, cannot see in himself, that is, in his flesh, any good thing. Therefore he is not only subject to vanity, but is subject to the temptation with which Satan tempted Jesus, "If thou be the Son of God."

But here comes into view the preciousness, and the saving power of that hope, which the Lord, who subjected the new creature to vanity, has given to light up the darkness, to cheer the heart, and to be "as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast," holding the vessel of mercy securely against all the adverse tides and terrible storms that must be met with on the ocean of time. This good hope is through grace, and does not depend for sustenance upon goodness in ourselves, or in our works, which every child of God longs for but can never see, but upon the revelation of Jesus Christ as "of God made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." At every new revelation of the blessed Savior to our souls, our hope seems to be renewed and strengthened. So we continue to hope for that we see not, for goodness, sinlessness, perfection; for the manifestation of the sons of God; for deliverance from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God; for "the redemption of our body," which shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Jesus; and for all these blessed things so surely promised and assured unto us, we patiently wait, wait in the enduring and unfailing patience of a living faith in Christ.

Not willingly. Still more and more blessedly does this wonderful expression shine out from the sacred page of inspiration, with assurance of hope, and with heavenly comfort, to the afflicted and poor people of God, who are still ever struggling on against barriers which present impossibilities to them, who are daily tried and are daily dying, and yet "who against hope believe in hope." What a comfort it is to see this "not willingly" in their own poor hearts. When they have to acknowledge that they do the things they would not, and do not do the things they would, how glad they are at times, in the midst of their infirmities and under the bondage of corruption, to remember that they would not do an evil thing, and that they would do good things.

"But if indeed I would,
Though I can nothing do,
Yet the desire is something good,
For which my praise is due.

By nature prone to ill,
Till thine appointed hour,
I was as destitute of will
As now I am of power."

How comforting to find that the apostles are with us in this experience of infirmities which the Spirit only can help. How glad we are that Paul, as well as we, had to confess, "The things that I do I allow not." Not referring to a course of wrong conduct, but to the fact that sin is mixed with all we do, so that we cannot do the things we would, but feel "the sentence of death in ourselves," tainting all our works, only as we are given faith to do our works in Christ, to look to him for the goodness, and not to ourselves.

Not willingly. This is the holy Spirit of God from which this "not willingly" comes. There is no half way will here, no uncertainty about this will that is ever and eternally against all sin. This is the will of the Father that was done in and by the Son. There is no weakness in this will. It is not even the will of Jesus, as a suffering man, which caused him to cry, "If it be possible let this cup pass from me," but it is the will of the Father which caused and enabled him to say, "Not my will but thine be done." His own will was the will of a pure and sinless man. This will he did not come to do. This will must be crossed, denied, crucified, for it would have turned from suffering. The Father's will was done in and by him, and by that will he was crucified; by that will he gave himself to the smiters, and became obedient unto death. By that will he was raised from the dead, and by that will we are saved. That is the will concerning which that Holy Spirit teaches us to pray, "Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." It will be done in the children of God, and through its power and exercise within them they will all eventually be brought into perfect conformity to the image of God's Son by the mighty power and working of his holy Spirit. He works in his people to will and to do of his good pleasure. In his own time, and in his own way, each of them will be made fully to know his own vanity, his own inability, "his own sore and his own plague," and will then be brought forever away from sin and weakness into the liberty of the sons of God, and will be prepared to give God all the praise of his salvation for time and for eternity.

Those who the apostle says are groaning and travailing in pain together until now, are not the natural creation, for it is not true of either man or beast. He is showing the sufferings of the Lord's people from the beginning. They were distinct from the legal worshipers, though they were among them. They all had faith in every dispensation, and by that faith they saw Christ as their Savior, and we trace them through all the Old Testament Scriptures by their groanings, complaints, self-loathings and bitter self-reproaches, as an afflicted, suffering people, whose sufferings are on account of sin in the flesh. And the apostle joins himself and all the saints under the gospel with the holy men of old, who were as much the creative workmanship of God as we, showing that although the gospel saints had received the first fruits of the Spirit, yet they groaned within themselves, looking for no comfort from the flesh, but looking for the promise of Jesus' coming, when the adoption would be fulfilled in the redemption of our body from corruption, and the inheritance into which we were adopted (using adoption as a legal figure) would be received, which is to become sons of God. This name, Son of God, Jesus received by inheritance in his resurrection. (Heb. i. 4, 5; Rom. i. 4; Acts xiii. 33.) We are heirs with him of this sonship, and when the manifestation of the sons of God shall be complete in the redemption of our body from corruption, and in the fashioning of it like unto the glorious body of Jesus, then we shall be manifest, not as adopted children, for the purpose of that legal figure is attained when we come into the inheritance, but as the real "children of God, being the children of the resurrection."--Luke xx. 36. This inheritance unto which we are begotten again by the resurrection of Christ from the dead, is not a corruptible, defiled and fading inheritance, as was the sonship we inherited from Adam, but it is incorruptible, and undefiled, and it fadeth not away, and it is reserved in heaven for all who have received the Spirit of adoption, for all who feel themselves to be poor, helpless sinners, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, and who long to be like Jesus; and all the heirs of this blessed inheritance are kept by the power of God unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter i. 8-5.)

JULY 15, 1901.