GRACE TRIUMPHS OVER SIN

ROMANS 5:18–21

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord

(Romans 5:20–21).

This is a difficult passage, because it sounds as if Paul is saying that God’s purpose in giving the Mosaic Law was to make sin greater. Paul explains in other places that the law had many purposes, but his point here is that one of the effects of giving the law was that sin was shown to be sin.

How Sin Abounds

In and of itself, law doesn’t create sin. Rather, it’s the evil disposition of our hearts that creates sin. The role of the law is to define, condemn, expose, and reveal sin for what it is. Moreover, there is a sense in which the law’s very presence incites us to sin. Now, it does not incite righteous creatures to sin, but it does incite ungodly creatures to sin. One of the ways to provoke me to sin is to tell me there is something I’m not allowed to do. My rebellious nature, fueled by an evil disposition, motivates me to greater sin simply because the law prescribes certain boundaries and limitations.

How Grace Abounds

But, says Paul, where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. As we see sin growing and flourishing, we might despair. Paul tells us, though, that grace is growing also. Notice that Paul does not say that sin is abounding and so is grace, so that it is balanced off. No, Paul says that grace abounds much more—not just more, but much more.

There is a greater measure of grace in this world than there is sin. Think about that for a minute. If you think it’s bad now, imagine what it would be like if God were to remove the restraint of grace. We simply have no conception of the capacity for evil that dwells in the human heart. But God does, and that is why He has caused grace to abound.

CORAM DEO

We could easily become discouraged because, from our vantage point, sin seems to dominate. The more mature we grow in the faith the more fully we comprehend the complexity of sin and evil in the world. We literally perceive more sin. Thank God that our spiritual maturity also enables us to see in those same circumstances grace abounding all the more. Ask God to show you the “much more” of His grace.

For further study: Galatians 3:19–29; 2 Corinthians 9:1–9; James 4:1–6

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