WHERE SIN ABOUNDED
Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:1 ¶ What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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 verse eight of Romans chapter five it reveals to us that God’s marvelous grace was given to us “while we were yet sinners.” And in verse ten it states that it was done “when we were enemies.” For the backdrop of sin’s effect upon the human soul is needed to contrast the greatness of God’s abounding grace! Just as the jeweler places his diamonds on the darkest velvet to enhance their beauty, so the Lord would have the fullness of the wondrous glory of His grace contrasted by man’s exceeding sinfulness.
And it is also necessary to give all the praise and thanksgivings to God, preventing mankind from glorying in the assumption that he accomplished his redemption by his own works! Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Therefore God ordained that the first Adam fall and for sin to abound before he brought forth the “Light of Life,” the Lord Jesus Christ. For the Lamb was already provided, just awaiting the need to bring Him forth! Revelation 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
This is also pictured for us in the physical creation in order to show us this truth in the spiritual creation of redemption. For darkness was upon the face of the deep before the Light appeared. And that Light was the introduction of the Eternal Son of God to the world. For the sun, moon and stars were not brought forth until the fourth day of creation. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
And although it was God’s will for this order to be established, He is not the author of sin! James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: So how was sin and darkness brought into the world? Sin originated in the angelic realm. John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Ezekiel 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. 15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.
God, as absolutely sovereign over everything, used sin as an instrument to enhance grace. For grace only much more abounded after sin abounded! But we are commanded to abstain from the very appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. And we read in the above listed verses of Romans 6:1-4 that we can have no part in grace abounding by involving ourselves with sin! Sin is God’s servant, but it is our enemy!
Sin was used to amplify grace. And the law was used to amplify sin! Romans 7:7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. 8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence (that is, it revealed my lusts). For without the law sin was dead. (I had no awareness of its presence in my heart.) 12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Also we are given to understand somewhat of the mystery of the Incarnation by the presence of sin within the human realm. 1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
And the prayer of the Lord Jesus as recorded in John seventeen also gives us an insight to this matter of sin abounding. John 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
The Eternal Son of God is requesting that those to whom he was sent be raised up to be in the ‘Oneness’ of his own relationship to the Father. That would require them not only just to be in a state of innocence from sinfulness, but to be brought up to be in the state of righteousness with God! And to accomplish this requires the matter of imputation! For in order for God’s righteousness to be imputed to them, their sinfulness had to be imputed to Him! 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
“Dressed in his righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne!” Jude 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
And this is the only way one can more fully comprehend the phrase “God all in all!” For it includes God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, and the glorified church! 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. John 14:20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
Thus the wisdom of God is revealed, entwined with His great mercy! For in his wisdom, he would have sin to abound. And He would do so in order that His great mercy and grace should much more abound! Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
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