Rom 5:20, Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: Rom 5:21, That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 6:1, What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Rom 6:2, God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Rom 6:3, Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Rom 6:4, Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
In v.20, it says that the law entered, that the offence might abound. In Galatians 3:19 it says that the law was added because of transgressions until the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Sin abounded before the law came; but when the law came, sin became trespass, it became the violation of a standard of righteousness set in front of the sinner, violated by the sinner. Now the sinner was sinning against a concrete standard and not only against a vague idea within his conscience.
Now where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. This indicates that the favour of God is not based upon our holy walk. If our walk becomes less holy, the grace of the Lord in our lives remains the same; and it abounds more in proportion to our sin which is increased. It shows that the Lord has mercy on sinners; His sun rises on the evil and the good, and his rain rains down on the just and on the unjust.
I believe that a specific verse comes to bear on this.
Isa 26:10, Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
Grace, or unmerited favour, is shed abroad to the sinners of the land and yet it does not change their lives. But it is the purpose of God's grace that it might change our lives.
Eph 2:8, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
In v.20, sin reigned in death, but grace has the capacity to reign through righteousness. In other words, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, lives are transformed; and as we saw in Romans 5:19, through the obedience of one man the many are made righteous.
Through the grace and forgiveness of God some of us are redeemed. Having been forgiven much, we love much; and our lives are transformed so that we love the people around us, not in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth. The forgiveness is based solely in the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, as He died to provide His shed blood for the cleansing of sins and His Holy Spirit to give us power to live the Christian life. When we receive His sacrifice, it will produce a change in the way that we live if we have genuinely received it and are truly forgiven. We will be thankful over the fact that we know that we know that we know that we have been redeemed. And this gratitude will motivate us to willingly obey Him in the things that He desires of us.
In 6:1, it seems to me that the extravagant grace spoken of in the above verses, which I have not adequately explained, is such that grace is indeed poured out to the wicked and he does not learn righteousness; and yet grace is still poured out. Such an extravagant grace as this may lead the wicked soul to think, well, I can abound in sin and grace will abound. Paul here addresses this concept as being a concept that enters the heart of the unbeliever when he is encountered by grace.
In 6:2, for the believer, who is dead to sin, we can no longer live in a state of sinning against the Lord, walking in the direction of sin. We have died to the old nature of sin and are now walking in a new direction: towards righteousness, life, and heaven. The longer therefore we walk in such a manner, the less sin we will be committing in this life.
In 6:3, Those of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. This, I believe, is speaking of water baptism. Water baptism can be a point of contact for faith. In Acts 2:38-39, the Holy Ghost is absolutely promised to those who receive baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. See Hebrews 11:33, 2 Peter 1:3-4, 2 Corinthians 1:20, and Romans 4:20-22. We can obtain promises by faith and by fulfilling the conditions of those promises which are conditional; and Acts 2:38 is a conditional promise. We are risen with Him through faith in the operation of God (Colossians 2:12).
In 6:4, When we are buried with Christ in baptism, we die to the old self and are risen with Christ so that we can walk in newness of life. We begin to walk as born again individuals after having been baptized in Jesus' Name. "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight." "If anyone confesses me before men, him will I confess before the angels of God." By acknowledging Jesus through water baptism in His name, we obtain a certain favour with our Lord and Saviour. He will identify with us because we have identified with Him; and He will give to you the Holy Ghost if you fulfill the condition of this promise found in Acts 2:38-39.
In v.20, it says that the law entered, that the offence might abound. In Galatians 3:19 it says that the law was added because of transgressions until the seed should come to whom the promise was made. Sin abounded before the law came; but when the law came, sin became trespass, it became the violation of a standard of righteousness set in front of the sinner, violated by the sinner. Now the sinner was sinning against a concrete standard and not only against a vague idea within his conscience.
Now where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. This indicates that the favour of God is not based upon our holy walk. If our walk becomes less holy, the grace of the Lord in our lives remains the same; and it abounds more in proportion to our sin which is increased. It shows that the Lord has mercy on sinners; His sun rises on the evil and the good, and his rain rains down on the just and on the unjust.
I believe that a specific verse comes to bear on this.
Isa 26:10, Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD.
Grace, or unmerited favour, is shed abroad to the sinners of the land and yet it does not change their lives. But it is the purpose of God's grace that it might change our lives.
Eph 2:8, For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
In v.20, sin reigned in death, but grace has the capacity to reign through righteousness. In other words, through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, lives are transformed; and as we saw in Romans 5:19, through the obedience of one man the many are made righteous.
Through the grace and forgiveness of God some of us are redeemed. Having been forgiven much, we love much; and our lives are transformed so that we love the people around us, not in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth. The forgiveness is based solely in the work of Jesus Christ on the Cross, as He died to provide His shed blood for the cleansing of sins and His Holy Spirit to give us power to live the Christian life. When we receive His sacrifice, it will produce a change in the way that we live if we have genuinely received it and are truly forgiven. We will be thankful over the fact that we know that we know that we know that we have been redeemed. And this gratitude will motivate us to willingly obey Him in the things that He desires of us.
In 6:1, it seems to me that the extravagant grace spoken of in the above verses, which I have not adequately explained, is such that grace is indeed poured out to the wicked and he does not learn righteousness; and yet grace is still poured out. Such an extravagant grace as this may lead the wicked soul to think, well, I can abound in sin and grace will abound. Paul here addresses this concept as being a concept that enters the heart of the unbeliever when he is encountered by grace.
In 6:2, for the believer, who is dead to sin, we can no longer live in a state of sinning against the Lord, walking in the direction of sin. We have died to the old nature of sin and are now walking in a new direction: towards righteousness, life, and heaven. The longer therefore we walk in such a manner, the less sin we will be committing in this life.
In 6:3, Those of us who were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death. This, I believe, is speaking of water baptism. Water baptism can be a point of contact for faith. In Acts 2:38-39, the Holy Ghost is absolutely promised to those who receive baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. See Hebrews 11:33, 2 Peter 1:3-4, 2 Corinthians 1:20, and Romans 4:20-22. We can obtain promises by faith and by fulfilling the conditions of those promises which are conditional; and Acts 2:38 is a conditional promise. We are risen with Him through faith in the operation of God (Colossians 2:12).
In 6:4, When we are buried with Christ in baptism, we die to the old self and are risen with Christ so that we can walk in newness of life. We begin to walk as born again individuals after having been baptized in Jesus' Name. "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight." "If anyone confesses me before men, him will I confess before the angels of God." By acknowledging Jesus through water baptism in His name, we obtain a certain favour with our Lord and Saviour. He will identify with us because we have identified with Him; and He will give to you the Holy Ghost if you fulfill the condition of this promise found in Acts 2:38-39.
Last edited: