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. Romans 5:20-21
This passage is one of those passages that flips the way I think about sin and grace. Paul says the law came in so that the trespass might increase—not because God wanted more sin, but because the law exposes it. Like turning on a light in a messy room. Once the law is known, sin becomes clearer, more obvious, and in some ways, more accountable.
But then Paul says something wild: where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. That’s not just a balancing act—it’s an overflow. Grace doesn’t just meet sin at the line; it floods past it. It’s like sin builds a dam, and grace breaks it wide open.
Then he says that just as sin reigned in death, grace reigns through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus. So sin had a kingdom—it ruled, and its throne was death. But grace has a kingdom too, and it rules through righteousness, not just to make us better people, but to bring us into eternal life IN and THROUGH Jesus.
For me, this means I don’t have to be afraid of the depth of my sin. The more I see it, the more I can marvel at the grace that covers it. It also means I don’t have to live under the rule of sin anymore. Grace is the new authority. And it’s not passive—it reigns. That gives me hope, especially when I feel stuck or discouraged. Grace isn’t just a soft cushion—it’s a powerful force that leads me somewhere eternal.
APPLICATION
I see a picture of grace that doesn’t just cover sin—it overwhelms it. That truth shapes how I view my own sanctification. I’m not who I used to be. I used to be under the reign of sin, ruled by its impulses and blind to its cost. But now, grace reigns in me. And that reign isn’t passive—it’s active, transforming me day by day.
I can see the progression. The things I used to justify or ignore now grieve me. Not because I’m trying to be perfect, but because I’m getting closer to Jesus. And the closer I get, the more clearly I see how ugly sin really is. My hatred of sin isn’t just moral—it’s relational. Sin separates me from the One I love. So I fight it, not out of fear, but out of love.
The fruit shows up in how I respond to temptation, how I treat others, how I repent more quickly and forgive more freely. I’m not a slave anymore. I still stumble, but I don’t stay down. Grace lifts me, teaches me, and keeps me moving forward. That’s the evidence—that I’m not just avoiding sin, I’m being reshaped by righteousness. And that righteousness isn’t mine—it’s Christ’s, reigning in me.