Romans 5:17-6:14 ~ The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more

Romans 5:17-6:14

17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, 
Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

20 The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans Chapter Six

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as 
Christ was raised from the dead 
through the glory of the Father,
 we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ,
 we believe that we will also live with him. 

9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves 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 evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather
 offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; 
and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Who is going to preach this text? Unless the answer (and the answer is always Jesus) is Jesus - the answer is going to be whoever preaches this text - is a sinner.

When I have pictured this passage for four decades - I have always pictured the dependency wreckages. Drugs. Heroin. Meth. Crack. Alcohol. Cigarettes. Obesity. Wife beaters. Porn addicts.

And the people I have met with dependencies will try to sweep this away or finally weep to say it has eaten them. Age is sometimes a factor. If we have Jesus - we are alive - we have hope. Today.


This is a great passage to thunder on in the prior centuries. When Black Plague arrived - ashes, ashes - the cattle and the livestock dropped dead in the fields. The Catholic priesthood had finally declared for celibacy and half of the priests were living in sin, openly. The services were held in Latin - a man tradition superseded the Word of God enriching lives.

A typical person was held in a bondage to be fed - in serfdom. Praying to God the people behind the monastery walls would feed them from their bounty. The Church and Europe would be freed from this lack of Light by Death.

Serfdom ended because the land was free. Just, please, get in the field, raise food. The Church had seen they needed the grace of God. And moved into hospitals, education, and building outside the walls to make the people willing to live freely,  not huddled behind walls. Trust and trade began to flourish as the people remembered only the Church of Jesus would wade into illness and death.

And we call this the Middle Ages. They made the ages after the Middle Age looook gooood.

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more

We rightly have not disregarded the law. We all love blessings. Blessings of God are not written in God's Word as blessings very often. Nor promises. You are more apt in a word search of Scripture to find 'Anger'. The way Jesus said all the time - "This is Written." Jesus didn't quote chapter and verse. Because he wasn't bragging about knowledge, Jesus was teaching about God's Wisdom and Love.

Blessings of God are generally in the 3,000 pages found right next to the Law. God isn't being mean, He is saying if you put your work into righteousness, you haven't pleased a mean ol grudging namesake oriented God, you have put your effort into making your narrow path weeded. Dappled with the light of mercy. Your narrow path reaches to the Light. Living water has fed your narrow path. You have nourished what surrounds you with the Word of God, Jesus.

God is saying nourishment and blessing in every Word of God. Jesus not coming to abolish the law but fulfill it - that all the Word of God is a blessing - like these Chapters.

Jesus was not joking about telling the Parable of the Seeds.

You know, right, that Jesus continued the story?

Matthew 13
When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

We can turn our relationship to God into milk - we use God for blessings. And if that goes sour - run off.

~ We don't put the effort in this to understand.
~ Deciding this a God season. It's fun in small doses
~ Be worldly wise - offend no one. Be vwery quiwet. No roots.
~ Worries. It's not practical. There are no real solutions or hope. You have to claw yourself forward.
~ Pinches. This is for the wealthy or the very comfortable to drive up and look good. No one wants to cry in Church. Or look needy.

Jesus continued the story. That day is recorded in Matthew 13.
In the Garden you will find weeds. Enemies we have and the things we do to ourselves. Like a bear hunt, you have to do the search to get to the Mustard Tree becoming a Tree.

So going down the path - you find our own weeds.

Ephesians 4
bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.

And the weeds around you in Galatians 5
immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

This generation has man made traditions and God traditions. We take our TV sets and watch immorality and wonder why our kids are out there. Idolatry - slurping up to the wealth and the therapy shopping. Using tattoos and jewelry to fortify our fears. In the past this social armor was called "the comment". We see a society in great concern - of each other.

My niece came to me and she said that in fourth grade - things are rough. Very rough. And she said she didn't find all the cussing to be a good thing. Because - God bless her - it's so very Ugly. The boys spend all day trying to cuss as much as possible away from the teacher. And she really, really wanted advice to make them stop.

I said honey, the Bible said the words out of our mouths are the hardest thing to control. And she said not so much for her. And I said that is your gift. And she said what do I do with that. And I said don't cuss. She asked me if I do and I said I do when I'm really trying to make a point. I told her I don't take the name of the Lord in vain.  She said that disappointed her to cuss at all. And she wanted to know if I know someone who doesn't cuss, who isn't a priest. And I told her my mother-in-law. And she asked do people know she doesn't cuss. And I said - that's right - she isn't told all the time she is marvelous, but people brag on her when she isn't there that she doesn't cuss. And my niece smiled and said, "That's who I'm going to be."

That is an upward path.

One of the secrets of life is that if you do the right thing - God will notice. And mankind won't applaud - often. Yet God gives us self-esteem from doing what pleases Him.

We all are part of God's Plan.
God makes a universe to hold His Love.
We feel so unnoticed and so unbottom line.
Instead what is really happening is - that - Today - your life is making a difference
to someone. It's up to us to see that we are doing what pleases God. With the people He places in our lives. With what tools, first? Words.

God used Words to create. We use Words as in the image of God. Give Life.

Hello Father God, as we gather together, let's begin today with the sheer joy of knowing the Day has renewed Your mercies. A clean slate and a view to a new day. We hold out both hands in the glowing warmth of love and expectation of Your Goodness. Praying for blessings with the jolt realization of blessings so obtained. Forgiveness others give us. Making us want to be near that kindness. Seeing Your Word bring wisdom in encouragement when only faith is seen.

Thank You God for the new medical knowledge of repairing spines with nose cells. You breathe our prayers and renew us. The Book of Revelations is often dismissed and yet new advances see wisdom.

Believing old broken things renew in Love. Learning each day, regardless of which decade of life we are in, that You renew us. Seeing oil prices goes down is the wind of encouragement. What else can You change in Your Will, Father God? Let us remember this life is temporary and is adventure. God Strengthen, Encourage and Bless all those building up others. Going forth in Jesus to see Your Word fulfilled in Joy. Help us stay salty friends. AMEN.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

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