2. _That it consists in emancipation from evil._--"Quickened us
together with Christ;" that is, gave life. The love and mercy of God
were shown in this--not that He saved from penalty, but from sin.
What we want is life, more life, spiritual life, to know in all
things the truth of God, and to speak it, to feel in all things the
will of God and do it.
3. _The next word to explain is grace._--It stands opposed to nature
and to law. Whenever nature means the dominion of our lower
appetites, then nature stands opposed to grace. Grace stands opposed
to law. All that law can do is to manifest sin, just as the dam
thrown across the river shows its strength; law can arrest sometimes
the commission of sin, but never the inward principle. Therefore, God
has provided another remedy, "Sin shall not have dominion over you,"
because ye are under grace.
4. _Paul states salvation here as a fact._--"By grace ye are saved."
There are two systems. The one begins with nature, the other with
grace: the one treats all Christians as if they were the children of
the devil, and tells them that they may perhaps become the children
of God; the other declares that the incarnation of Christ is a fact,
a universal fact, proclaiming that all the world are called to be the
children of the Most High. Let us believe in grace instead of
beginning with nature.--_F. W. Robertson._