The Effect Of The Law And The Consequence Of Christ's Obedience (5:20-21).
In case anyone may question how the giving of the Law came into the equation Paul now explains. All that the Law accomplished was to make the trespass abound. By laying down God's requirements in great detail it increased the number of deliberate offences against the Law. And, because of man's perverse nature, it actually also encouraged him to sin more. It caused sin to ‘abound'. While its purpose was good in seeking to guide men, and enlighten them, it did in the end simply result in sin abounding. And after that it could do nothing. But however that might be, the grace of God has abounded ‘more exceedingly'. And as a consequence, in contrast with the reign of sin which brought death, the grace of God reigns through His gift of righteousness unto eternal life, and that through Jesus Christ our LORD.