Romans 5:20,21 - That grace might reign

5:20

“The Law was brought in so that the trespass might increase”. This does not mean that the Law was introduced so that people would sin more! Rather, it means that it makes clear the state that we are in. The Law is good, its commands are good, but it does not and cannot make us good. Instead it shows up how far short we fall of God’s standards. Sceptics often object that the penalties in the Law were too harsh, eg stoning people for various sexual sins, but this misunderstands the purpose of the Law. It was not given to enable us to achieve righteousness, nor was it given so that societies in general should adopt all its details (though societies would do very well to adopt its precepts). Rather it was saying, this is what a perfectly godly society will be like, and in such a society there will be no sin and no sinners. Now we are all sinners, so the Law highlighted man’s shortcomings, or rather his abject failure.

But the Law was not the end of the matter. Instead where sin increased, where the full depravity of the human condition was highlighted, grace increased all the more.

5:21

Sin reigned in death. Sin brings death, and death is an inherent characteristic of a sinful people. But grace overcomes the effects of sin. Sin reigned through unrighteousness, grace reigns through righteousness. The righteousness of Jesus Christ, and the righteousness that He produces in us through the Holy Spirit. The purpose of the gospel is to bring life. The Law does not and cannot bring life, because of the sinfulness of man.