Tuesday, October 6 — Where Sin Grew, Grace Grew More
One bad decision at the top can ripple through a whole department, a whole household, a whole town. Paul says that is an old story, and then he tells a better one.
Romans 5:11-21 — KJV
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement. 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: 13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 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 5:11-21 — WEB
11 Not only so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. 12 Therefore as sin entered into the world through one man, and death through sin; so death passed to all men, because all sinned. 13 For until the law, sin was in the world; but sin is not charged when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those whose sins weren’t like Adam’s disobedience, who is a foreshadowing of him who was to come. 15 But the free gift isn’t like the trespass. For if by the trespass of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God, and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. 16 The gift is not as through one who sinned; for the judgment came by one to condemnation, but the free gift came of many trespasses to justification. 17 For if by the trespass of the one, death reigned through the one; so much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. 18 So then as through one trespass, all men were condemned; even so through one act of righteousness, all men were justified to life. 19 For as through the one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the one, many will be made righteous. 20 The law came in that the trespass might abound; but where sin abounded, grace abounded more exceedingly; 21 that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Explanation
In the ancient world, one person often stood for a whole people. A king's choice became the nation's fate; a head of household set the direction for everyone under his roof. Paul uses that way of thinking to tell the oldest story in the Bible in a new way. Through one man, Adam, sin entered the world and death spread to everyone. Paul says sin and death have been reigning, ruling like a harsh king over human life. He repeats that word "reign" on purpose, because he wants us to feel the weight of living under something that will not let go.
Then comes the turn, and Paul keeps using the same small phrase: "much more." The free gift is not like the offense. If the trespass of one brought death to many, then the grace of God, through one man Jesus Christ, abounds to many much more. The law came in so the offense would be seen for how deep it runs. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That is not permission to be careless; Paul shuts that door in the very next chapter. It is a yardstick. Whatever the biggest mess in the room is, grace is bigger. At the end, grace reigns, taking the throne that sin and death had been sitting on.
Sunday's lesson in Judges 2 is a chapter where the offense abounds. A whole generation grows up not knowing the Lord, the people serve other gods, and trouble snowballs. If we read it alone, it is hard to see anything but a downward slide. Paul gives us the other half of the picture. When evil runs wild, God does not retreat. He out-gives it. That is what the lesson title means by "God Works Despite Evil," not around it, not after it is over, but right in the middle of it.
Think about the patterns that run through families: the temper, the silence, the addiction, the money fights, the promises that never got kept. People shrug and say, "That's just how we are." The Adam story says those patterns are real. The Christ story says they are not final. You may be the first person in your family line who chooses differently, and you will not be doing it alone. The same goes for what we see in the news or on our own street. When the problem looks too large for anyone to fix, "much more" is the Christian vocabulary of hope. Grace has the final word, and it is bigger than the thing you are afraid of.
Thought for the Day
However high the sin piles, grace stands taller.
Reflection Question
What pattern in your family or your own life feels unbreakable, and what would it look like to trust that grace is "much more"?
Prayer
God of grace, we see how deep sin runs in our world and in our own hearts. Thank You that Your grace runs deeper still. Break the patterns we thought we were stuck with. Let grace reign in our homes and in our habits today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
This week we walk toward Sunday's lesson: God Works Despite Evil.