1. In this epistle lesson Paul gives Christians instruction
concerning the Christian life on earth, and connects with it the hope
of the future and eternal life, in view of which they have been
baptized and become Christians. He makes of our earthly life a
death--a grave--with the understanding, however, that henceforth the
risen man and the newness of life should be found in us. And he
treats of this doctrine because of an error that always prevails:
When we preach that upon us is bestowed grace and the forgiveness of
sins, without any merit on our part, people are disposed to regard
themselves as free from obligation and will do no works except those
to which their own desires prompt them. This was Saint Paul's
experience when he so strongly commended the grace of Christ and its
consolation (ch. 5, 20), declaring that "where sin abounded, grace
did abound more exceedingly," and that where there are many and great
sins, there also reigns great, abundant and rich grace. The rude
crowd cried: Oh, is it true that great grace follows upon great sin?
In that case we will cheerfully load ourselves with sin so that we
may receive the greater grace.