Sin Abounding, and Grace Superabounding
T. Guthrie, D. D. Romans 5:20-21 Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:… These glowing words fitly crown the parallel the apostle traces. From its triumphal climax he surveys the expanded triumphs of grace and sin in a reign, or conquered dominion, on which the common sun never sets, and which the Sun of Righteousness ever floods with glory; an empire which, like the mystic ladder, first establishes its footing on earth, and finally loses itself in the glories of heaven. We will range our exposition under the following heads: I. HISTORICAL. 1. The curtain is uplifted, and the background scenery represents visions of paradisial beauty. And now for the characters; for "all the world's a stage." First eaters primeval man, fresh from his Maker's hand; and then woman, his ministering angel. Slinking stealthily from behind, next enters the serpent. The lights pale, and visions grow dark and dim, as the next actor, Sin, enters like a disastrous eclipse; and it entered not alone — it entered trailing its grim shadow after it, "Death entered by sin." The plot thickens. "Moreover, the law entered," that men might know their duty, and in the light of that their guilt, and in the light of both their doom, and in the light of all seek the remedy. As the result — Sin is seen to abound: it enters and re-enters, rolling its thunderous clouds across the stage; for in the fierce light of the law its magnitude and intensity are clearly seen, and sin takes occasion from that very law to riot and multiply itself the more. But by this time another actor has entered on the stage; the seed of the woman appears, with the ransom flowing from his side, the serpent squirming under his heel. 2. In the second long act, covering the Old Testament period, the shadows seem to deepen, and the confusion to become more confounded. 3. In the third brief, but grand act, the Deliverer steps on the stage, takes the room of the sinner, and sublimely dies, rises, ascends to glory, and sends forth His twelve champions for the spiritual conquest of the world. 4. During the next, or fourth act, the mingling elements of light and darkness, good and evil, life and death, have been in fierce, hot strife; life and light evermore rising triumphant over sin and death. 5. In the fifth, and last, grand act, Satan shall fall from his usurped dominion, and the "kingdoms of this world shall have become the kingdoms of our God," etc. II. DOCTRINAL. The text is the culminating point of a passage which, like all that precedes, has for its objects the vindication and illustration of justification by faith. If this Divine method of salvation can be shown to have primeval precedent in the Edenic Dispensation, and to root and ramify its fundamental principles in the Divine administration of our world and in the moral and social constitution of man, no stronger argument for the great doctrine could well be adduced. This is just what our apostle does. He traces a parallel between the First Adam and the Second. Both being representative, each is shown to stand out in his unity as "the one," in relation to "the many." The two Adams present strong points of parallelism. By one we fell, and by one we rise. The points of contrast are these: Adam's sin brought temporal death; but Christ brings eternal life. Again, Adam had nothing directly to do with our actual sins, but Christ's atonement, besides neutralising the effects of Adam's sin, neutralises also the effects of our innumerable actual transgressions, in the cases of all who believe. Finally, those who do believe, not only rise to the position they would have had under a sinless Adam, but to one immeasurably higher, even to a very royalty of bliss. III. EXPOSITIONAL. Taking the causes as they occur, consider: — 1. "Moreover the law entered," — a term triply compound — means to enter in by, or alongside of, or immediately upon; and thus conveys the idea that if "sin entered," if "death entered" here comes another entrance upon the back of these — that of immutable Moral Law. Adam, from the moment he sinned, ceased to be our representative; and at that same moment, therefore, the paradisial dispensation ceased. But not so Eternal Law. It therefore stepped prominently into view, after the special paradisial arrangements had passed away. And it was highly desirable that it should, that men might see their own portrait, and read their own ruin, and be thereby led, as by a schoolmaster, to seek for the remedy. Being now a broken law, it had to be arrayed in its terrors, as well as expanded in its intrinsic loveliness, Hence its successive promulgations, which culminated at Sinai, and ran on through the Mosaic Economy in parallel lines of wrath and love, till He came who has reconciled all these contrarieties, and "put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." 2. The result of this exhibition was that the "offence did abound." In the pure mirror of the law sin was first seen to abound; and then, by kicking against the law's restraints, sin rebelliously took occasion more and more to abound. With what fearful rapidity it did, may be read in the awful fact that human crime sprung to its climactic stage in the first generation. The first human birth in our world was that of a murderer, the second that of his victim. What then? Was the law to blame for that? Far be it! The law must be proclaimed; and in numberless instances it did put an arrest on sin, and guided primeval men into its "ways of pleasantness, and its paths of peace." But those who would not be guided, wrested it to their ruin. Our apostle meets that objection in Romans 7:12, 13. 3. Mark the sin-neutralising energy of Divine grace: — "Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound."(1) It is an undoubted fact, for Paul here declares it without qualification, limitation, or reserve. (2) It is a continuous fact; for it belongs to the present as truly and fully as ever it did to the past. (3) It is an evangelical fact; for it implies that the only cure for sin is grace. It is not the fear of hell that will make a bad man good. (4) It is a worldwide fact. Confront me with a sinner. In agony he asks, Is there any mercy for me? I tell you yes, for does not Paul say, where sin abounds, grace superabounds? 4. Sin is said to "reign," and that unto death. It not only "abounds," it tyrannises. Was there ever despot like sin? Was there ever taskmaster like Satan, plying his drudges with a whip of scorpions, and ever saying to them, as Pharaoh did to the Hebrews, "get you to your burdens"? Was there ever bondage like that of the drunkard, like that of the sensualist? And "sin reigns unto death," — or as in a previous verse, "death reigns." The "fear of death," we read, "keeps many all their life long subject to bondage." Well is he described as "the king of terrors," the most universal and relentless of all devastating conquerors. One stronger than he has grappled with him; "and the last enemy, death, shall be destroyed." 5. In direct antagonism to sin's usurped dominion, grace reigns; and "unto eternal life." The antithesis is perfect. We may not say that grace tyrannises, for its reign is essential liberty; but it dominates and is destined to final triumph. Love shall be the conqueror, as sure as God is love. 6. Observe on what principle grace reigns: not through mere arbitrary choice, as if God could act in caprice; not through mere absolute sovereignty, as if God were personified despotism; not through mere blind indulgence, as if God were too facile to be firm, too fond to be inflexibly wise and good; but through righteousness; or on some wise, safe, and righteous ground on which mercy might flow freely, but not licentiously and destructively. And how is this secured? 7. "By Jesus Christ our Lord," by His merits and world-embracing propitiation, on the ground of which "God can be just, while the justifier of the ungodly who believe in Jesus." IV. PRACTICAL. Too many, alas, who need no proof that "sin abounds," still urge. But has God any superabounding grace for me? Let Jesus reply: "Look unto Me and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth." He "gave Himself a ransom for all"; then He is a ransom for thee. A "propitiation for the sins of the whole world," He has expiated thine. "But I have sinned grievously." What! too grievously for "the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, which cleanseth from all sin"? You never did a worse sin than to vent an insinuation like that. Do you still want more witness? Pray what sort do you desiderate? A voice from heaven? Here are voices without number. Turn to Revelation 22:17. Or is it earthly testimony you want? Think of the once scoffing and profligate Rochester, of the once God-defiant adventurer, John Newton, of the once profanely boisterous Bunyan. Or is it the testimony of the redeemed in heaven you want to hear? Open the Apocalypse at random, and thereby turn aside the heavenly veil, and your eyes will see them casting their crowns at the Deliverer's feet, and your ear will catch the refrain — "Unto Him that loveth us!" "Worthy the Lamb!" etc. (T. Guthrie, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: WEB: The law came in besides, that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly;