Notes of Faith March 25, 2026

Pastor’s Pen Pulpit

November 11, 2001

Series: Romans Chapter 5

“GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN”

Romans 5:20-21

And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

In this final section of Roman 5 Paul talks about two reigns: the reign of sin and the reign of grace. First then, the reign of sin under the law.

He really gives to us the essential purpose of bringing in the law. “The Law came in so that the transgression would increase.” That is to say, the law came with all of it commands and restrictions so that, in the light of the Holy Law of God, the transgression (our sins) might loom large. The Law is, then, the revelation of God’s character.

But with the increase of the revelation of what sin is all about, under the illumination of the Law, grace abounded all the more. Grace surpassed sin. The contrast now grows greater, as sin reigned in death. The only possible conclusion is that sin ends in death.

Even so, by way of contrast, grace (in Jesus Christ) would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord – the only possible conclusion.

What a thrilling reality! God’s marvelous grace reigns daily in the lives of God’s children! Sin is no longer king in my life and your life, beloved. Grace is now king.

Are you still struggling under some sin that refuses to let go of its control in your life? Reflect upon this great liberation passage in Romans 5.

So this chapter begins with the peace of God through justification:

Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ (v. 1).

and concludes with the grace of God reigning through righteousness:

. . . so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (v. 21).

which naturally leads us to chapter 6 where all of this wonderful truth is explained further. God bless.

Love to you all,

Pastor Charles Covington

There is a tendency in all of us to think, if not say, that since God’s grace reigns over my sin, I can keep on enjoying a life of sin without fear of God’s wrath.

Rom 6:1-19

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? 2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; 7 for he who has died is freed from sin.

8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, 13 and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! 16 Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.

2 Tim 2:22

Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Eph 1:3-4

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.

Eph 5:25-27

Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

1 Peter 1:15-16

like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."

Loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength continually, always, every moment, will lead to will glorify God whose desire and promise is to make us into the image of His Son Jesus! Sin WAS our master. You have a new master in the Lord Jesus Christ and are set free from the reign of sin over you. This is truth! We need to act upon this truth. Fight the good fight.

Heb 12:4

You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;

Jesus shed His blood for your sin. Every time you sin, you should remember the blood that was shed for you.