20. The apostle makes his accusation yet more galling with the words
"whose god is their belly." Thus you hear how human righteousness,
even at its best, extends no higher than to service of the sensual
appetites. Take all the wisdom, justice, jurisprudence, artifice,
even the highest virtues the world affords, and what are they? They
minister only to that god, carnal appetite. They can go no farther
than the needs of this life, their whole purpose being to satisfy
physical cravings. When the physical appetites of the worldly pass,
they pass likewise, and the gifts and virtues we have mentioned can
no longer serve them. All perish and go to destruction
together--righteousness, virtues, laws and physical appetites which
they have served as their god. For they are wholly ignorant of the
true and eternal God; they know not how to serve him and receive
eternal life. So then in its essential features such a life is merely
idolatrous, having no greater object than the preservation of this
perishable body and its enjoyment of peace and honor.
21. The fourth accusation is, "whose glory is in their shame." That
is all their glory amounts to. Let wise philosophers, scrupulous
heathen, keen jurists, receive the acme of praise and honor--it is
yet but shame. True, their motto is "Love of Virtue"; they boast
strong love of virtue and righteousness and may even think themselves
sincere. But judged by final results, their boast is without
foundation and ends in shame. For the utmost their righteousness can
effect is the applause of the world--here on earth. Before God it
avails nothing. It cannot touch the life to come. Ultimately it
leaves its possessor a captive in shame. Death devours and hell
clutches him.
22. You may again object, "If what you say is true, why observe
temporal restrictions? Let us live in indulgent carelessness
following our inclinations. Let pass the godly, honorable man; the
virtuous, upright wife or virgin." I answer, By no means; that is not
the design. You have heard it is God's command and will that there be
temporal righteousness even among Turks and heathen. And later on
(ch. 4, 8) Paul admonishes Christians to "think on these things,"
that is, on what is true. He says: "Whatsoever things are honorable,
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be
any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." And
continuing, in verse 9, he refers them to his own example, saying,
"which ye both learned and received and heard and saw in me."