The Law, the Gospel and Abounding Grace – Part 2

Romans 5:19-21

 

Romans 5:20 – 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, NASB

 

A. 20 And the Law came in that the transgression might increase –

 

3)  The Law has thoroughly condemned us and left us in a desperate situation which is not humanly repairable.

 

The Purpose of the Moral Law

What then is then is the purpose of the Law? Quite simply stated, the Law was provided by God to establish what perfect righteousness looks like, so that we can all see that we fall a millions miles short of it! The Law was given to utterly condemn us as sinners and show us our great need for a Savior! The Law was given to establish the justice of God in condemning sinners to death, so that they will see there only hope is in Christ! Consider these few things the New Testament says about the Law…..

The Law is exceedingly good….

Romans 7:12 – 12 So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. NASB

The Law brings God’s wrath….

Romans 4:15 – 15 for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, neither is there violation. NASB

The Law holds the whole world accountable to God, and by seeking to obey it, no one can be justified before God….

            Romans 3:19-20 – 19 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who

are under the Law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may become

accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in

His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin. NASB

The Law shows us what sin is, by exposing us to it, then it condemns us to death when we violate it….

Romans 7:7-11 – 7 What shall we say then? Is the Law sin? May it never be! On the contrary, I would not have come to know sin except through the Law; for I would not have known about coveting if the Law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. 9 And I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive, and I died; 10 and this commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me; 11 for sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, deceived me, and through it killed me. NASB

The Law kept us in bondage awaiting Christ…..

Galatians 3:23 – 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. NASB

The Law stands against us and is hostile to us….but Christ has taken it out of the way by means of the Cross…. 

Colossians 2:13-14 – 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB

The Law was added to show us how utterly incapable we are of keeping it, so that we will wait for and hope in Christ as our only way of being justified in the court of Heaven before the Righteous Judge!

Galatians 3:19-22 – 19 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. 20 Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one. 21 Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law. 22 But the Scripture(the Law) has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. NASB

The Law is a teacher leading us to Christ….

Galatians 3:24-26 – 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. NASB

Ray Comfort comments – “The law doesn’t help us; it just leaves us helpless. It doesn’t justify us; it just leaves us guilty before the judgment bar of a holy God.”

B. 20 but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more – Now here is the good news of the Gospel again to rescue us from our desperate state! Christ Jesus has set us free from the curse of the Law and God’s Grace triumphs over our sin!

 

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law….

Galatians 3:13 – 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us NASB

 

4 )    God’s grace is MORE than sufficient and abundantly conquers sin.

 

Grace Abounds over sin

Here in verse 20 the Scripture says, “where sin increased, grace abounded all the more!” Consider the point being made…..especially in this context….. If the Law has been provided by God to show us how utterly sinful we are, and to condemn us and hold us captive, in a deplorable and wretched state of disobedience to God’s commands….and if the Law does exactly that and then points us to Christ to saved by faith in Him, then consider how sufficiently and perfectly Christ fulfills the Law on our behalf so that now we are completely justified before God because of Him, and His perfect obedience….remember what the verse 19 said… “through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous!”

 

Oh yes, our sin increased, it abounds, we have mountains of it….but listen to these heavenly words dear Christian…. “grace abounded all the more!”

 

Oh yes!….grace abounds more than your sin!……grace abounds more than my sin….Christ is my righteousness! I am free from sin’s curse….

Romans 8:1-2 – 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. NASB

 

Now consider with me verse 21….

 

Romans 5:21 – 21 that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. NASB

 

A. that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign – See how seriously sin has reigned in death….think about how profound all the suffering of the world has ultimately ended in death for everyone who has every lived….think about how the tyranny of sin has ruled over us as a taskmaster of bondage for all the years of human history……but here dear family, the Scripture describes the abounding power of grace to reign all the more bringing “eternal life through Jesus Christ!”

 

consider now grace reigns over sin….Grace reigns! Grace Rules……!!!

  

 5 )    Grace reigns in the life of a Christian.

 

Grace reigns because sin has been cancelled. Jesus took the Law and nailed it to the Cross, and took it out of the way…

Colossians 2:13-14 – 13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. NASB

We are no longer under the curse of debt to God’s Law because Christ paid the debt in full….there remains no more wrath for me or for you, but instead Jesus bore God’s wrath for us on the Cross….Jesus is our righteousness!

 

Grace reigns because we died with Christ to sin and now live for righteousness unto God, as those alive from the dead. The Law killed us, but we were raised to a new life in Christ!

Romans 6:11-14 – 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. NASB

Grace reigns because we are no longer under the Law but under grace.

Galatians 3:24-26 – 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. NASB

So now God has in Christ cancelled the debt of all of our sin, and He now exhorts us to live in the righteousness that we are by faith. He exhorts us to walk in continual repentance of the sin, which we hate, and in that newness of life to which we have been called.

John 1:17 – 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. NASB

 

The Invincible Purpose of God and our freedom

Consider that this was God’s purpose in the plan of Redemption from before He ever created the world. God had decided to place us on earth, allow us to fall by disobedience to His Holy Law, and then redeem us from our sins by a great ransom, even sending His own Son to die in our place. And if this was His purpose all along, then consider how perfectly and completely the work of the Savior is to satisfy the requirements of God’s Law and become our very righteousness Himself. Then the words are true indeed….

John 8:36 – 36 “If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

 

 

This sermon can be heard on audio here:

 

http://www.abqhcf.com/sermons/2007/misc/07-15-2007_Sunday_11AM.mp3

 

 

 

 

If you would like to know how to know Jesus Christ and be ransomed from your sins and receive eternal life…..click here

 

http://www.gty.org/index.php?section=how_to_know_jesus_christ

 

 

If you have comments or questions, please do respond to shaan@heavenslight.org