"...But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more,"

Believers, see Romans 5:20: "The law was given so that sin would increase. But where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more."

Paul preached the gospel as it is written above and the religious people of his time falsely accused him of preaching that it is okay to sin because of grace. See this in Romans 3:8- "Some people are actually trying to put such words in our mouths, claiming that we go around saying, “The more evil we do, the more good God does, so let’s just do it!” That’s pure slander, as I’m sure you’ll agree."

But how is it that "where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more?" What does this mean?

We see how God's grace increased even more in the life of Peter. He boasted that he would not deny Christ, rose to Jesus' defence in Gethsemane and even cut off someone's ear, ready to fight for Christ! But in the end, he denied Christ...three times!... with swearing and cursing...and the first time upon being accused by a servant girl. The arm of flesh will fail. Imagine Peter remembering Christ's words in Matt. 10:33- "but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before My Father who is in heaven." How fallen and lost he must have felt.

But check out what happened on resurrection morning in Mark 17- the women who were going to anoint Jesus' body were shocked to see an angel in the tomb,

6 "but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid His body. 7 Now go and tell His disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died.”

See "go and tell His disciples, including Peter..." Why the special mention of Peter's name and not that of any other disciple? It is because "But where sin increased, God’s grace increased even more." All of the disciples fled and went into hiding, but the one who many of us see as having "failed the most" among them got a special mention.

Did you know that Peter, the one who denied Christ three times, was also the first of all of the remaining disciples to see the resurrected Jesus Christ? We see this in Luke 24:34 and 1 Corinthians 15:5. Super-abounding Grace.

Then came the Day of Pentecost– Peter who had been so scared of being associated with our Saviour after His arrest, who lied upon being accused by a simple servant girl and then two more times, the one who many of us see as "failed the most" among the disciples, preached a sermon (in public!) that got 3,000 people saved. No fear of the teachers of religious law and Pharisees who were still out to get Jesus' followers. Through the power of Christ in him, the dead were raised to life and the sick were healed! Today, Peter who denied Jesus three times is regarded as a pillar of the early church!

This is the effect of super-abounding Grace. It swallows up sin and transforms us from Simon (meaning Reed, easily swayed by the elements) to Peter (meaning Rock- bold and unshakable in Christ.) Truly, "...But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more," Not just one batch of grace; it continues forever: "From His fullness we have all received, grace in place of grace," John 1:16.

Believers, believe right. "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound...." The Ten Commandments that many are struggling to obey in order to get into God's good graces is designed to make the offence (sin) abound. Sin multiplies when one tries to get right with God by obeying the Ten Commandments.

We see this again in Romans 6:14- "For sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under law but under grace." But many who profess Christ have this backwards.

Believers, only the sinless blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ can make us righteous in God's sight. Depend on your own obedience to the law to get right with God and sin will increase. Rely on the obedience of Jesus Christ (Grace personified) to make you righteous (Romans 5:19) and you will not continue to live in sin. See Romans 5:17-

"For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)"

Receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness and you will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ, including reign over sin.