Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgement came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so, through one Man’s righteous act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience, many will be made righteous. More over, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5: 18-21, NKJV.
Here we are before You once again, Lord; needing You to interpret for us, the precepts found in Your Word. Please remain with us as we study, for Christ’s sake. Amen.
Yesterday we looked at the first half of our text. Today we will look at the remainder. Let us go to the heart of the text; that portion that seem not to fit the rest of the text, but is, in fact, the perfect link between the beginning and the ending portions of our Scripture:
The law enters – the offense abounds. To put it this way would make the law seem as an hindrance; but to understand what the text is really saying, would help us to see the law in a completely different light – as a helper! If we were to analyze the laws that govern our dealings with each other, we would notice at least two aspects: they show us our reasonable limits; and, they protect us. Many of us have heard the saying, “my boundaries end, where the other person’s boundaries begin.” Therefore, we have laws against loitering, trespassing, stealing: “No loitering.” “No trespassing.” “You shall not steal.” These laws protect our personal property. Then we have laws that protect us physically, “You shall not commit murder.” “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work…” There are laws which protect us morally, “You shall not commit adultery.” “You shall not covet.” So what is meant by, “the law entered that the offense might abound?” It is the law that shows us just how evil sin is, otherwise we would not know “for through the law comes the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3: 20, NRSV). Thank God for His holy law!
Sin increased – Grace increased even more. Even though the Father, and the Son, knew that their sacrifice would be rejected by many, the Son came and laid down His life anyway! Because, more than our love for sin, is the love of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, for the sinner! While we were still rebelling, Christ came and died for us (5: 6-8)! Marvelous grace! Abundant grace! Life-changing grace!
Sin produced death (eternal separation from God) – Grace produced eternal life with God! When our sins had separated us from God, in the “fullness of time,” God sent His Son to bring us back to Him. No cost was too high to pay, not even the death of His Son, with the very real possibility of an eternal separation of the Son from the Godhead! We can never do anything to deserve such a love, but the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, loves us anyway! And LOVE gave its all, in Jesus! Wonderful love, manifested in an act of grace! Hallelujah! Having turned away from a life of sin, we now live in righteousness, and by God’s grace, receive the FREE gift (free to us, incalculable to Heaven) of eternal life (6: 20-23)!