Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:20-21
This morning, I continued my study of Romans. Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter seven Christ's Triumph Over Sin and Death, which covers Romans 5:12-21. My focus today is Romans 5:20-21 which my commentary refers to as The Conclusion: Christ Has Overcome! In v20-21 we see Paul referencing v13 where he says "for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given." Indeed during Adam's time and before Moses the law had yet to be given in terms of the Ten Commandments and the various other moral and ceremonials laws passed on from God to Moses. Yet in Garden, God was clear by giving this command to Adam (Genesis 2:16-17): "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” So we have law at least to this extent at this point as well God's commands for offerings (i.e. tithe) in Genesis 4, as we see the word "sin" for the first time in scripture. In Genesis 4, we also see Cain's murder of Abel and God's disappointment and punishment, so we see law in action here as well. Regardless Paul is accurate that even before the law existed in its more formal time via the giving of the law through Moses, law DID exist. And Paul is accurate again when he says that WHEN the law was given through Moses, sin and "trespass" increased in direct relation to the law....more laws, more sin. Finally, Paul is accurate when he says that God's grace "abounded all the more" when sin increased as when Christ died for our sins, there is certainly more sin to wash away and be forgiven through the grace granted to us when we confess our sins and believe in Jesus. This latter point is important for us to recognize as we SHOULD feel more sinful than Adam to the extent that more sin exists for us and God wipes all of this sin away and so much more through grace - not through anything we do making us deserving of such grace.
My commentary points us that Paul was perhaps addressing Jews by "jumping from Adam to Jesus" and skipping over Israel and its history and saying that "the law" did not help the Jews because it only magnified sin, it certainly did not increase obedience - only Jesus does this! Further with Adam "sin rules us....but [i]n Christ grace reigns over us." We are encouraged to fully appreciate the extent of our sin as we "are more sinful than you ever dared believe. To forget this leads to license and permissiveness--to what we might call liberalism." Similarly, we are encouraged to fully appreciate how we "are more accepted in Christ than you ever dared hope."
Comment and discuss this post here.
My Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your grace abounds in measures I cannot fathom nor will I ever fathom in this life - thank You Jesus for the grace You have already poured out for me and will continue to pour out for me! I am completely undeserving. I sin daily with worry, anger, and other sins. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Please provide wisdom and energy to Lisa and myself. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
