The life and work of St. Paul

442 THE LIFE AND WORK OB1 ST. PAUL.
" I mean then, walk spiritually, and there is no fear of your fulfilling the loots
of the flesh. The flesh and the spirit are mutually opposing principles, and their
opposition prevents your fulfilling your highest will. But if ye are led by the spirit
ye are not under Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are manifest ; such are fornication,
nncleanness, wantonness, idolatry, witchcrafts, 1
enmities, discord, rivalry,
wraths, cabals, party-factions, envies, murders,* drunkenness, revellings, 8 and
things like these ; as to which I warn you now, aa I warned you before, that all whodo
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit 4 ia
love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, beneficence, faith, gentleness, self-control.
Against such things as these there ia no law. But they that are of Christ Jesua.
crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we are living spiritually, spiritually
also let us walk. Let us not become vainglorious, provoking one another,
envying one another." *
At this point there is a break. It may be that some circumstance at
Corinth had powerfully affected him. Another lapse into immorality may
have taken place in that unstable church, or something may have strongly
reminded St. Paul of the overwhelming effect which had been produced by the
sentence on the particular offender whom he had decided to hand over to
datan. However this may be, he says with peculiar solemnity :
" Brethren, even though a man be surprised in a transgression, ye the spiritual
*store such an one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest even thou
shouldst be tempted. Bear ye the burdens of one another's cares, 8 and so shall ye
fulfil the law of Christ. But if any man believes himself to be something when he
is nothing, he is deceiving himself. But let each man test his own work, and then
he shall have his ground of boasting with reference to himself, and not to his neighbour.
For each one shall bear his own appointed load. 7
" Let then him who is taught the word communicate with the teacher in all good
things. 8 Be not deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that
also he shall reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, from his flesh shall reap cor-
ruption ; but ho that soweth to the Spirit, from the Spirit shall reap life eternal.
[That is the general principle ; apply it to the special instance of the contribution
for which I have asked you.] Let us not lose heart in doing right, for at the due
time we shall reap if we faint not. Well, then, as we have opportunity, let us
do good to all men, but especially to those who are of the family of the faith.*
" Look ye with what large letters I write to you with my own hand. 10 As many
aa want to make fair show in the flesh, want to compel you to get yourselves circumcised,
only that they may not be persecuted for the crosa of Christ. For not
even the circumcision party themselves keep the law, yet they want to get you
circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But far be it from me to boast
except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world haa been crucified
to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision ia anything nor uncircumcision,
but a new creation. 11 And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace on them
I Sins with others *
against God. Sins against our neighbour.
8 Personal sins (Bengel).
4 Deeds of the flesh, because they spring from ourselves ; fruit of the spirit, because
they need the help of God's grace (Chrys.j.
* 6
v. 1626. vi. 2, /3ap>j, weaknesses, sufferings, even sins.
7 vi. 1 5. vi. 5, foprlov of responsibility and moral consequence.
8 1 Cor. ix. ; Rom. xii. 13 ; 1 Thess. v. 12. vi. 610.
10 Theodore of Mopsuetia, believing that only the conclusion of the letter was autograph,
makes the size of the letters a sort of sign that the Apostle does not blush for
anything he has said. But the style of the letter seems to show that it was not dictated
to an amanuensis.
II It will be seen that in those two clauses he haa resumed both the polemical (13,