Romans 5:20

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more
Romans 5:20 ESV

In Romans 5:1-5, Paul talked about the peace we experience through faith - even in the midst of harsh trials. He encourages us to realize this peace with the truth about God's love for us, and in that light makes a subtle transition in verse 6, explaining how God revealed His love for us through Christ and all that He did.

Verses 8-11 talk about God reconciling us while we were yet His enemies (our choice), in the depths of sinfulness. Paul then expands on the depths of our sinfulness, and the power of our sinfulness to reign over us and condemn us in verses 12-19.

Now, in verse 20, Paul brings up the law - which He has discussed previously in Romans, and touched on briefly in verse 13:

for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

In verse 13, Paul tells us that a written law is not needed in order for people to be regarded as sinful. Paul revealed to us in Romans 1:19,20 that God has been visible since creation:

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

So, what is the purpose of the law? Was the purpose of the law to give people the opportunity to save themselves from their sinfulness? No, as Paul tells us in verse 20 of chapter 3 that no human being will be justified in God's sight by the works of the law. In verse 28 Paul says that we are justified by faith apart from the works of the law.

If, as Paul says, sin and death reigned before the law, and we cannot be justified by the law - is the law something that was put in place for a short while, that we can now make void? Paul answers that question in verses 30 and 31 of chapter 3, telling us that we do not make void the law because we are justified by faith...on the contrary we uphold the law.


So, what is the purpose of the law? Paul tells us in verse 20 of chapter 5:

Now the law came in to increase the trespass

This line very closely parallels the end of verse 20 in chapter 3:

through the law comes knowledge of sin

In Romans 7:7, Paul brings this point to light again, saying:

if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."

The law does not make us more sinful, it serves to reveal how sinful we are in light of how perfect God is. God's laws and commands reveal who He is, and at the same time should reveal our inability to live up to God's standards.

As we come to know more about God through His laws and commands, our awareness of our trespasses against Him increases.

We ought to then realize, even more all the time, our desperate need for our Savior who perfectly satisfied the requirements of the law. 

It's interesting how Paul organizes verse 20. In the last several verses, he has laid out first man's condemnation in Adam, and secondly man's justification in Christ. I think it's no accident that this verse starts out with a negative - the trespasses being increased by the law, followed by the positive - God's grace. The law is not about salvation, but about revealing man's condemnation. Paul says chapter 7 verse 1 that the law is binding on those who are living in the flesh.

The law cannot save - rather it serves to reveal all the more the condemnation of those whose justification is not found in Christ.

Paul then reveals God's grace and mercy:

but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more

No matter how sinful we are, God's grace abounds all the more! It is impossible for sinfulness, revealed by the perfect character of God, to overpower God's grace. Paul uses similar wording here as he did in verse 17 when he said much more will God's children reign in life. These words are so powerful, because they mean to a greater degree, exceedingly - and they are inserted as Paul talks about God's grace, after talking about sin and condemnation, so that these two points remain true forever:

1. No matter what we have done - no matter how evil, no matter how dark, no matter how sick - God's grace exceedingly overcomes our sinfulness, to a greater degree. Always.

2. No matter how much sin God reveals to us as His children through sanctification, it is never powerful enough to condemn us. God's grace exceedingly overcomes our sinfulness, to a greater degree. Always.

In the beginning of chapter 7, Paul talks about those who are lost being bound by the law - being condemned in the sinfulness in light of who God is. He then says in verse 6 of chapter 7 that we are now released from the law - as God's children. Even though our sinfulness is continuously revealed the more we know who God is, we are no longer condemned because our justification rests in Christ, who satisfied the requirements of the law for us! We are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:18), set free by God's grace - sin no longer has dominion over us (Romans 6:14). Thank you Father!

Romans 5:12-19 recap

I thought it might be a good idea to go back through the last several verses and look at the different points that Paul made concerning Adam and Jesus Christ.

Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned
     - our sinfulness is genetic, passed down to us, affecting each and every one of us. Adam was the path through which sinfulness came to affect man, yet he was a perfect representation of what each one of us would have chosen. Death (spiritual and physical) affects all men, because all men are sinners - all men choose to sin, willfully, in accordance with their nature.

Many died through one man's trespass
     - a result one man's single trespass was death for many - meaning all those affected. We know that this is speaking of all that came after Adam. One man's single trespass was enough to be sentenced to death - a physical death when life leaves the body, and a spiritual death - eternal separation from God both now and forever.

The judgment following one trespass brought condemnation
     - God's just judgement for one trespass was condemnation for all who are affected. The judgement of a perfect God means that all who are condemned are condemned justly. This means that each person is accountable, there is no one to blame but ourselves for our willful sinning. 

Because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man
     -  The one man's single trespass allowed death to enter. However, death not only entered, but it now reigns over lost man, as a result of a single trespass. Death controls us, it affects what we do, it affects how we think, and it dictates where we will spend eternity.

One trespass led to condemnation for all men
     - Restating the point of condemnation, the emphasis here is that one single trespass was enough for all men to be condemned. This proves that keeping the law to the best of our ability has no power over the death that reigns over us, one small trespass is enough to be justly condemned.

By the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners
     -  We see here the trespass that caused the fall of man: disobedience. Of all the sins that we are guilty of, the one that caused our separation from God from the very beginning was disobedience - not perfectly obeying God. None of us is able to perfectly obey God, thus we are all as guilty as Adam, we are all sinners.

Paul lays out in detail the great problem that every person who has ever lived has to face: we are in a dire situation. As sinners, death reigns over us, physically and spiritually. We stand perfectly and justly condemned for our sinfulness. This is a situation that cannot be remedied by trying to live a 'better' life. There is only one solution, and Paul reveals it to us:


Much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many
     -  I love how Paul uses the words much more -  meaning surpassing/to a greater degree. Man is lost and sinful - but the grace of God and the free gift of eternal life are effective and powerful - surpassing the power of sin and death, able to save us to a greater degree than sin can bring death!

The free gift following many trespasses brought justification
     - While one trespass against God was all it took for man fall, one free gift is able to overcome many trespasses, and allow us to be judged by a perfect God as justified instead of condemned. Not because of anything we have done whatsoever - our justification rests solely on the free gift, through the perfect sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ
     - Again, though death reigns over us, the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness are able, much more so, to defeat this curse, allowing those who receive to no longer be reigned over by death, but to reign in life. Who made this possible? Not us, only one man, the Son of God Jesus Christ. 

One act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men
     - In our sinfulness, we are guilty of many sins, many trespasses against our God. Yet, it took only one act of pure righteousness to set us free, to allow us to stand justified before our Holy Father. Nothing we do is capable of producing this result, only Christ was/is able. All men who find themselves justified must recognize their freedom rests on the act of One. 

By the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous
     - One man's disobedience led to the fall of man. That one act of disobedience led to acts of disobedience too many to count...millions upon millions upon millions. We inherit the sinfulness, and add to the many acts of disobedience through our willful sinning. How many rights does it take to correct all of these wrongs? Paul gives us the answer - it took one man's obedience, perfect obedience. All who find themselves righteous can be sure that this is not because of their obedience to God, but because of the obedience of the one man Jesus Christ!


Father, thank you so much that we are not left to die in our sinful state as we deserve! Thank You for having mercy on us while we were yet sinners! Thank You for offering the solution to our desire situation, a solution that is effective to a greater degree than the condemnation! Thank You for not leaving us to die, physically and spiritually, but instead offering us the gift of eternal life through Your Son...Thank You! In His Name, Amen.