Grace greater than all our sin.
I want to establish the fact that Gods grace is greater than all our sin.
(I) To come in to, near, or with something so as to be present with or beside it. In Rom. 5:20, “the law entered besides” (a.t.), indicating that the Law of Moses was added to something already in existence.
Men were sinners long before the Law was given; God had begun to implement the plan of salvation before the Law was given. The purpose of the Law’s entrance into the world was not to redeem men (this only Christ could do), nor was it to make men sinful. Paul had already explained that man is guilty of Adam’s sin, i.e., those from the time of Adam to the time of Moses (Rom. 5:12). The Law was given that sin might be made more evident.
Where, then, in this process does the Law fit in? Paul chooses a rather strong verb that shows dramatically the subordinate role of the Law in God’s purpose. Paul says it was introduced into a situation created by sin. The NEB translates the verb was introduced as “intruded”; while Moffatt and Goodspeed render it by “slipped in” (in Galatians 2:4 the TEV renders this verb as slipped in). The word is specifically chosen in order to demonstrate that the Law has an inferior status and was added later.
Paul states that the reason that the Law was introduced was in order to increase wrongdoing
The Law increases wrongdoing both by indicating what wrongdoing is and by stirring up within persons the desire to rebel against the commands given in the Law. p 110 The Law did fulfill its function—it did increase wrongdoing—but God’s grace increased much more.
