Now The Law Came In To Increase Trespass, But Where Sin Increased, Grace Abounded All The More
No One Can Be Saved By Works
ROMANS 5:20-21
“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
”Romans 5:20-21 NKJV
https://www.bible.com/114/rom.5.20-21.nkj
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From the moment of birth we are all sinners, separated from God, and we see God's law from below, as a ladder to be climbed to get to God.
The sheer height of this ladder is overwhelming and daunting, it looks like an impossible height to climb. Perhaps you have repeatedly tried to climb it, only to fall to the ground every time you have advanced one or two runs; or perhaps the sheer height is so overwhelming that you haven't even started.
In either case, you should feel relieved to see Jesus is there with open arms to lift you above the ladder of the law, to take you directly to God!
It is written, “Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life; He is the only way to our Father in heaven (JOHN 14:6).”
Only the Christian faith deals with the problem of sin. No other religion has any kind of answer, nor looks for one. They simply hope that no one noticed, or their good deeds will override the evil ones.
But it is too late, we have all sinned and it is therefore impossible to be saved by works, for the wages of sin is death (ROMANS 6:23).
If we speed through a speed camera just once, we are caught, and no matter how we become obedient to the rules of the road, we must pay the fine.
For wages of speeding is a fine; one earns it and it must be paid.
But if someone else pays the fine, he is freed from the debt.
God neither misses nor ignores any sin, and the wages of sin is always applied.
The law of justice tells us that there is consequences for our every deed, good and evil.
It is true that we are saved by grace, but grace does not and cannot override justice, if it did, Jesus would of had no reason to shed His blood on a cross to pay our debt.
But because He did, He made a way where there was no way for all to be redeemed simply by applying His spilled blood to our lives by believing on Him.
” But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”“
Romans 10:8-13 NKJV
Jesus made our sin His problem and dealt with it at Calvary.
Sin separated us from God, but when one repents of sin, by faith, Jesus lifts him into the presence of God, and is free to come to obedience out of love, not in his own power, but through the power of God.
Even when you stumble, you will not fall back to the ground, instead, Christ will catch you and hold you in His loving arms, for His blood covered all sin, past, present, and future.
We humans cannot overcome sin ourselves, so sin ruled over all people and brings them to a place of death. That is separation from God.
But God's mercy and His grace, paid for by the blood, is bigger and more powerful than any sin, and therefore God's grace rules, giving us repentant believers, right standing with God, which results in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, justified by the blood.
This wonderful life that God offers us is everlasting and starts the very moment one commits His life to Jesus.
All glory to God, forever and ever. Amen.
