AI-assisted analysis for orientation; read the source transcript or listen to the sermon to evaluate the interpretation.
The sermon presents the law as God’s instrument for revealing the breadth, seriousness, and powerlessness of human sin, including sin known through conscience and natural revelation. The law cannot save or justify; rather, it strips sinners of confidence in moral performance and drives them to Christ. The Gospel announces that grace does much more abound, pardoning every kind of sin through Christ’s blood and adopting the forgiven sinner into God’s family. The required response is to acknowledge one’s need and believe in Jesus for complete salvation, freedom, and future glory.
Theological center: The law exposes and condemns sin but cannot justify; salvation comes entirely through God’s grace in Christ, which surpasses sin and adopts believers as God’s children.
Applications: Believe in Jesus Christ · Ask God for mercy · Reject salvation by works · Understand law and Gospel
Primary texts: Romans 5:20 · Romans 7:8-11 · Romans 1:20
“Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” Romans 5:20 THERE is no point upon which men make greater mistakes than upon the relation which exists between the law and the Gospel. Some men put the law instead of the Gospel, others put the Gospel instead of the law. Some modify the law and the Gospel, and preach neither law nor Gospel, and others entirely abrogate the law by bringing in the Gospel. Many there are who think that the law is the Gospel and who teach that men, by good works of benevolence, honesty, righteousness, and sobriety, may be saved. Such men do err. On the other hand, many teach that the Gospel is a law, that it has certain commands in it, by obedience to which men are meritoriously saved. Such men err from the truth and understand it not. A certain class maintain that the law and the Gospel are mixed, and that partly by observance of the law and partly by God’s grace, men are saved. These men understand not the truth and are false teachers. This morning I shall attempt,—God helping me to show you what is the design of the law and then what is the end of the Gospel. The coming of the law is explained in regard to its objects, “Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound.” Then comes the mission of the Gospel, “But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” I shall consider this text in two senses this morning. First, as it respects the world at large and the entrance of the law into it. And then afterwards, as respecting the heart of the convinced sinner and the entrance of the law into the conscience. I. First, we shall speak of the text as CONCERNING THE WORLD. The object of God in sending the law into the world was “that the offense might abound.” But then comes the Gospel, for “where sin abounded, grace did much more abound.” First, then, in reference to the entire world. God sent the law into the world “that the offense might abound.” There was sin in the world long before God sent the law. God gave His law that the offense might be seen to be an offense, ay, and that the offense might abound exceedingly more than it could have done without its coming. There was sin long before Sinai smoked. Long ere the mountain trembled beneath the weight of Deity and the dread trumpet sounded exceeding loud and long, there had been transgression. And where that law has never been heard, in heathen countries where that Word has never gone forth, yet there is sin—because though men cannot sin against the law which they have never seen, yet they can all rebel aga…