Bible Studies

Why Did God Arouse and Increase Sin in Mankind Beyond Measure?

by Michael Edwards 
01/22/18
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Many are very concerned about the sin they see in other believers, fearing they may not be saved at all. You would think that God would be just as concerned and do all He could to limit sin in this world. But the Bible tells us that when God gave the law, it increased and aroused sin beyond measure. Now I am certain that God knew this would happen.

 “The Law was brought in so that the trespass might increase” (Rom 5:20a). 

But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the Law, sin lies dead (Rom 7:8). 

Once I was alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life, and I died (Rom 7:9). 

For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. Rom 7:5 ESV

and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. Rom 7:13b

Why would God want to do anything that would increase and arouse sin beyond measure? Could it mean that our individual acts of sin are not the real problem? Yes.

The main problem for God is not our acts of sin. Our acts of sin were fully dealt with on the cross. The main problem is our inherited Sin nature from Adam that leads us to sin and death.

Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made -sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous. Rom 5:18-19 ESV

Sin leads to condemnation and death. This is not what God wants for humanity.

In the Old Testament, God destroyed Sodom. Many teach this was because of the rampant increase in outward acts of sin, but this was only the effect of the real issue. The issue was ever increasing unbelief in God that leads humanity off in the direction of death. With unbelief, there is no hope to be saved. Death is an enemy of God.

We know this is true by the evidence.

1)   Abraham negotiated with God to save the righteous in Sodom. The righteous in the Bible, without question, are always those who are righteous by faith. God agreed with Abraham to spare Sodom if there were ten righteous people living there. In the end, God destroyed Sodom and removed the few that were righteous. Lot and his family were the last believers left in Sodom. This same truth applies to Noah and the ark; they were the last believers left. Noah proved this when he built the ark and others did not enter. If Satan could stamp out all belief, there would be no one to bring the Messiah through. God had to protect a remnant.

2)   If God destroyed Sodom because of the increase in outward acts of sin, why didn’t God destroy humanity when sin increased after the law was given? Lawbreaking increased dramatically as humanity became sinful beyond measure. Why did God show superabounding grace instead?

All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the end of it. Grace, because God is putting everything together again through the Messiah, invites us into life—a life that goes on and on and on, world without end. Rom 5:20-21 Message

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 5:20-21 ESV

The Law is contrary to our inherited fallen nature and stirs up our fallen nature to sin. Tell your child not to touch something and hide and watch what they do.

God was willing to throw fuel on the fire by adding the law that increased our acts of sin beyond measure, so we could recognize our Sin nature and see our need for the Savior. The Law was intended to make us conscious of our inherited Sin nature that is our slave master producing the acts of sin that lead to death.

What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7

Paul talks about how the law revealed to him that it was his Sin nature inside of him that he was battling. The clincher was that in his mind, he wanted to do right but could not.

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. Rom 7:14-20 ESV Read all Romans 7.

After the law led to Paul recognize his indwelling Sin nature inherited from Adam, he realized he was powerless to do anything about it. He could not change his inherited fallen nature, nor could he get rid of it. He was a slave from birth to his inherited nature called Sin and headed for the wage of death that Sin pays.

So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Rom 7:21-24 ESV

In Christ, he discovered the only solution for ridding himself of his inherited fallen nature that was leading him to death.

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death Rom 7:25, 8:1-2 ESV

He had to be born again to become an heir of eternal life in Christ so he would no longer be an heir of death in Adam.

You Must Be Born Again

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesusby night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born againhe cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:1-8 ESV

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 1 Peter 1:23 ESV

so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:7 ESV

God loves humanity enough to allow sin to abound beyond measure, so we can see our inherited Sin nature and our inability to save ourselves. He did all of this so we would turn to Him and be saved. What a great love he has for us.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV

Do you see your inherited sin nature and need for a Savior?

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom 5:20-21 ESV

Go HERE and learn how to be born again under Jesus, free from your inherited Sin nature that is leading to death. Become a co-heir with Christ and inherit eternal life.

Many more New Covenant Bible studies HERE. 

And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Luke 22:20 ESV