Proper 23 (NT)

Romans 5:12-21

¹² Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— ¹³ for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. ¹⁴ Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come. 

¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. ¹⁶ And the free gift is not like the result of that one man’s sin. For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brought justification. ¹⁷ For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. 

¹⁸ Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. ¹⁹ For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. ²⁰ Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, ²¹ so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Adam and Eve fell into sin.  Now I do not know how the first sin of Adam could have been repeated, but most certainly his many and various sins continued.  The sins of Cain and his descendants truly show the increase of sin.  But how do we know sin?  The Law expresses to us what are sins.  Just as God commanded Adam not to eat of the tree, God through Moses directly commands the Israelites.

But this brings in the question how did people before Moses know?  The easy answer is it was written upon their hearts.  If it was written upon our Hearts why did we need the Law?  "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more."  The law increases the knowledge of sin.  The Law instructs us in our corruption.

We do not need the Law of Moses to know we are sinful.  We need the Law to realize to what extent we have been corrupted.  This reminds us we are in need not of Good Works, but of grace.  Jesus Christ died to justify us of our sins.  Christ died to bring us justification.  But how much was really needed?  Beyond measure and comprehension.

Take a look again at the law's instructions.  You shall not steal.  You shall not hurt or harm your neighbor.  You shall not bear ill-testimony against your neighbor.  You shall not envy your neighbor.  You shall not commit any kind of sexual impurity.  You shall honor and respect those set in authority over you.  The more you know you have sinned, the more sins you know Jesus has covered.  God has truly provided you grace.  You has covered your sins.  He has removed them from you and placed them upon the cross and in the empty tomb (where they have disappeared).