Romans 5:20: Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.
When God gave the Law, He gave with it a sacrificial system. Then later on Christ came to fulfill that part of it also. In other words, God has given to the human race, a lost race, an opportunity to be delivered from the guilt of sins—not the nature of sin. You and I will have that old sin nature throughout our lives. 1
The Law was never given to make us do right. Paul will make this clear later in chapter 7, as he also does in Galatians 3:19–24. Where there is Law, we sin more, both in terms of quantity and of depth. But in doing this the Law also moves us closer to grace because the farther we descend, the nearer we are to brokenness and thus to Christ. This is why Paul says victoriously, “But where sin increased, grace increased all the more” 2
Application
- Trying to live under the law only causes greater defeat.
- Welcoming the grace of God, more and much more, is the only way I know to victory.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for giving Your grace without measure.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Romans 1-8) (electronic ed., Vol. 42). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
2. Hughes, R. K. (1991). Romans: righteousness from heaven. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.
