The law came in so that the trespass would increase; but where sin increased, grace increased all the more,The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly,Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:And the law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace did abound more exceedingly:
3 sermons cite this verse
… where sin increased, grace increased all the more. See Romans 5, verse 20. But this claim raised a question. If our sin shows off the greatness of God's grace, then why not do evil so that good will come? Why not keep sinning so that we can get more grace? Paul answers the question by reframing it The person who says, why not sin so that grace will increase Imagines sin like an accessory Like a little fire pit that you keep out back But this assumes that sin is something you can use when it's convenient And keep under your control Paul, however, would have us see sin as a master that owns us, that we were its slaves, that we lived under its dominion, stuck inside its burning structure, standing on its flame-eaten joists. And that's why Jesus came in solidarity with us. He threw himself into sin's jaws, and it killed him, consumed him, swallowed him whole, just like it'll do to us one day. But then God turned this greatest evil into the highest good. …
… from the love of God. And Paul in Romans 5.20 says this wild statement. He says, where sin increases, Grace increases all the more. And Romans 6 is an answer to the wheels that might be turning in some people's minds. Like, hang on a second, Paul. If you're saying salvation is received and not achieved, if you're saying that all of my sins have been paid for, past, present, and future, if you're saying where sin increases, God's grace increases all the more, why don't I just keep on sinning? In fact, I'll keep on sinning so that God's grace can just be made great in my life. And Paul is like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You've completely misunderstood salvation and grace. What salvation does is it opens your eyes to the sin that you used to view as freedom. You see it for what it actually is, which is fatal. and this is one of the misconceptions of Christianity from people who are outside looking in. …
… in Christ, not apart from Christ, a code, but in Christ now, a brand new person. so the law was brought in so that the trespass might increase, but where sin increased, grace increased all the more. We preached on that the other day. So that just as sin reigned in death, so also, here's the end, grace might reign through righteousness to bring, there it is, I knew it would be there somewhere, thank you, Lord, to bring what? Eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. The question was, if you died today, how certain are you that you would have eternal life? If you died today on a scale of zero to ten, how certain are you that you would be in heaven with God? Access to God. Peace with God. New standing with God. Position with God. the righteousness of God in Christ, how certain are you that you would have eternal life? And what he's been telling us all through this text is that it is a gift. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. He said it a different way, for it is by grace you have been saved, Paul wrote, through faith. Grace through faith. And it is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God. It's not by works. That's not how you get the access. That's not how you get the right standing. That's not how you get justified. That's not how you get the righteousness. …