Romans 5:20-6:4 “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 6:1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Romani 5:20-6:4 « La legge poi è intervenuta a moltiplicare la trasgressione; ma dove il peccato è abbondato, la grazia è sovrabbondata, 21 affinché, come il peccato regnò mediante la morte, così pure la grazia regni mediante la giustizia a vita eterna, per mezzo di Gesù Cristo, nostro Signore. 6:1 “Che diremo dunque? Rimarremo forse nel peccato affinché la grazia abbondi? 2 No di certo! Noi che siamo morti al peccato, come vivremmo ancora in esso? 3 O ignorate forse che tutti noi, che siamo stati battezzati in Cristo Gesù, siamo stati battezzati nella sua morte? 4 Siamo dunque stati sepolti con lui mediante il battesimo nella sua morte, affinché, come Cristo è stato risuscitato dai morti mediante la gloria del Padre, così anche noi camminassimo in novità di vita.”
Paul raises the question of how the Mosaic Law works into his arguments about acquiring the grace of God. He simply states that it came alongside (added) in order to legally identify the trespasses of sin that was already known (Romans 1:18-32). With that being said, he makes the bold declaration that where sin abounds, God’s grace abounds all the more. Think of it! No matter how sin continues to increase, God’s grace increases more abundantly.
To clarify his point and detour those who might want to twist his words to say the greater we sin, the greater grace we receive, Paul explains that a true believer has died to sin and the reign of sin has ended. In salvation, we are dead to sin (Jesus died for our sins). His death broke the power of sin; however, it is not the elimination of sin. But a true believer can’t live in something that is dead in their life: “We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (v. 2).
All of this culminates in the fact that believers have “new life” (v. 4). There is a new appetite for the grace of God and we have been resurrected to a new life. Old ways will be cast aside to be reborn by the generosity of God’s great grace. The old nature with its habits which lead to death are replaced by new desires, new hopes, and a new future with Christ both now and for all eternity.
Pray with me: Lord, I read what Your Word says about Your great grace. Help me to live under the rubric of a greater grace that has the power to crush the sin that wants to resurface in me.
