Grace rules ...

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God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? -Romans 5:20-6:2 NLT

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The law was central to Jewish culture and the religious atmosphere in Israel. Many, like the Pharisees and the Scribes, believed that they were made righteous by strictly adhering to the letter of the law. In contrast to what Paul says here they saw the law as their path to salvation. The fallout from this approach is the disdain that is seen in the gospel acounts towards those know simply as 'sinners'. This disdain is a stark contrast to the grace that Paul speaks of here.

The truth is that there is only One who has ever lived that did not sin. Jesus Christ is the only one who fully obeyed God's law. Everyone else has fallen short of God's law. We all have sinned and cannot self-righteously boast in how we have obeyed the law. It is why Paul accentuates grace. Grace trumps sin! Grace does what the law could not. Grace brings us into right relationship with God. Grace transforms our hearts and causes us to not want to sin

Amazing grace. How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like. I once was lost but now am found. Blind and now I see.

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