What is the meaning of Romans 5:20? The law came in God did not leave humanity guessing about right and wrong. At Sinai He stepped in with clear commands that mirror His holy character (Exodus 20:1-17). Romans 3:20 reminds us, “Through the law we become conscious of sin,” and Galatians 3:19 adds that it “was added because of transgressions.” • The law functions like a floodlight. It turns on and shows every speck of dust in the room of our hearts. • It also sets a fixed standard, so sin can be measured, not merely sensed. • By revealing God’s righteous requirements, the law removes any notion that we can invent our own morality (Psalm 19:7-9). so that the trespass would increase When that floodlight shines, evil doesn’t disappear; it shows up in high definition. Paul testifies, “I would not have known what coveting was if the law had not said, ‘Do not covet’ … sin sprang to life and I died” (Romans 7:7-10). • Increased trespass is not the law’s fault; it is the heart’s reaction. The moment a line is drawn, fallen humanity steps over it (1 Corinthians 15:56). • As sin becomes unmistakable, every mouth is silenced and the whole world stands accountable to God (Romans 3:19). • This exposure prepares the way for the only remedy strong enough to meet the crisis—grace. but where sin increased History and personal experience confirm what Scripture states: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). • From Eden’s exile (Genesis 3:6-7) to the violence preceding the flood (Genesis 6:5), sin has expanded like a stain. • Even Israel, with covenant privileges, repeatedly broke the law and succumbed to idolatry (Nehemiah 9:26-30). • Humanity’s multiplying sin underscores our total inability to self-rescue (Ephesians 2:1-3). grace increased all the more God’s response is not a trickle of mercy but a flood that outmatches the deluge of sin. “But the gift is not like the trespass” (Romans 5:15); “how much more will those who receive the abundance of grace … reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:17). • At the cross mercy triumphed over judgment (James 2:13). Christ “became sin for us” so that we might become God’s righteousness in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). • Grace doesn’t merely cancel guilt; it overflows, creating new life (Ephesians 2:4-5) and empowerment to live righteously (Titus 2:11-12). • Paul exults, “The grace of our Lord overflowed to me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 1:14). No sinner can out-sin that supply. summary Romans 5:20 teaches that God introduced the law to expose and quantify sin, making our need undeniable. As sin multiplied, God’s grace super-multiplied through Jesus Christ. The verse reassures believers that divine grace not only meets but overwhelms human rebellion, securing forgiveness and imparting power for a transformed life. |
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