I please Almighty God to bless us together this evening as we meditate in His Holy Word. Let's turn to Paul's epistle to the Romans, chapter 5, and we'll read the last two verses, verses 20 and 21. So Romans, the epistle of Paul to the Romans, chapter 5, and reading verses 20 and 21. Moreover, the law entered that the offence might abound, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. We should be thankful for the Epistle of Paul to the Romans. It gives us a lot of instruction about many things and especially about the righteousness of Christ And the free gift of this great blessing and reconciliation to Christ, it also tells us, of course, about the sin and the fall which needs that reconciliation. And we should remember that the world was made in a perfect condition. there was no sin in the world it's hard for us to realise in the current scene in which we live but so it was the world was pure, no sin until that tragic day that tragic occurrence when Satan came and tempted Eve and he tempted Eve in the same way that he tempts people today by that question, hath God said? And Eve was able to tell the devil precisely what God had said, how they were not allowed to eat of that tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But the devil told her, it would be all right, she could eat, don't worry about that. And when she looked and saw that it was a pleasant fruit to look at and she listened to what Satan said and took it and ate it and gave some to her husband Adam. And so sin entered into the world. That was disobedience to God. And what a tragic event it was. And what a tragic effect it had upon the world then and now. and it carries through and we suffer today because of that sin which Adam and Eve committed in that sad occasion in the Garden of Eden. But even on that occasion we read of God's goodness and God's mercy and favour to the Church of God and in the third chapter of Genesis we read of God meeting with Adam and Eve. And first of all, they were embarrassed, ashamed, they tried to hide. They didn't want to face God. Why? Because they knew they'd done evil. Because remember, they'd eaten of that fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, and therefore they had that knowledge that they had sinned and disobeyed God. But the fact was that God came and talked to them and the Lord called unto Adam and said, where art thou? And Adam said, I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid myself. And God said, who told thee that thou was naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat. And the man said, the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the man said, the woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, what is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, the serpent, beguiled me." And we see, don't we, in those cases there, they tried to pass the blame and didn't want to confess that they were guilty. They wanted to pass the blame. Where the Lord said to the serpent, because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the field. Upon thy belly shall they go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life and then he says and I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel there in that verse that 15th verse in the third chapter we see the promise of the gospel And what a great and wonderful blessing it is to realize that way back in that Garden of Eden, almost immediately after they'd sinned, God told them of the cure and God told them of the solution. Well really, these early chapters really in Romans encourage us this great theme and we read here in the twelfth verse of this fifth chapter. Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin there was no death before they took of that fruit and so death passed upon all men for the all of sin that's passed upon us, because we've sinned, we've disobeyed the word of God. For until the law, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. who is the figure of him that was to come. Because although they didn't have the Ten Commandments until Moses, nonetheless they had a conscience which told them what was right and what was wrong. But as the offence so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God. And that, of course, is the free, unmerited favor of God. Much more, the grace of God and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift. For the judgment was by one to condemnation, But the free gift is of many offences unto justification. So in these, we won't go through them all, but in these early chapters in the Romans, Paul does point out to us very clearly the great blessing and the great benefit of being reconciled to Christ through his righteousness. And therefore, what a mercy it is if we realise we have such a great and glorious Saviour. We're coming down then to this 20th verse. We're told, And that's a tremendous statement to realise that where sin abounds, which it does, it abounds in each of our hearts, and we can't free ourselves from it. No, we can strive against it, and it's right to do so, but it dwells within us. It's what we term original sin, and what a tragic scene it is, and therefore we find that sin abounds, but, blessed be God, we find also this great truth, grace did much more abound. What does that mean? It means God's free unmerited favor comes to his people, comes upon them. And that's a gift of forgiveness. That's a gift to receive the righteousness of Christ. Indeed, the great truth and it's an amazing truth to think that Your sin, my sin, the sin of all the church of God is put upon. The word used in scripture is imputed to the Lord Jesus Christ. And in exchange, he gives us his righteousness. What a wonderful exchange that is. Now, my friends, you and I don't deserve it. We can't deserve it. We can't work for it. We can't do anything that warrants it. But it is the great and wonderful blessing of grace. That is the knowledge of the Saviour. That is the righteousness of the Saviour, which is placed upon us imputed to us. What an exchange. And we have no ability to do anything ourselves. It's all of grace. And that's why we have such a grand statement as this. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Well I wonder whether we can really rejoice in that wonderful truth. The Apostle Spells it out really, that whole concept, clearly, when he wrote to the Ephesians. It's a well-known, lots of the Ephesian epistle is well known, but the opening verses in the second chapter are really very relevant. And we're told, and you, and that refers to every true believer, and you, hath he quickened that means made spiritually alive who were dead in trespasses and sins who were born spiritually dead because of our sin dead in trespasses and sins and he goes on wherein in time past we all have a time past wherein time passed, ye walked according to the course of this world." Everyone, all of us. None can say we didn't. We're all guilty. We all walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. And so he then confirms, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, our conversation with our lips, perhaps the conversation in our minds, in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. We're all guilty before God. We can't claim to be anything but sinners of the earth, deserving to be eternally cut off from God, to bear the eternal punishment for our sins. And so the Apostle goes on and tells us, But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. Again, that's such a glorious truth, isn't it? And when you and I look at ourselves, and I hope we do sometimes, we're encouraged to examine ourselves, whether we are in the faith or not. We're not just to ignore it, we're to examine ourselves. It's a good thing to do. Sometimes we can think we're self-righteous. Sometimes we can think we're not too bad. Sometimes we can think there are other people far worse than us. But we must remember, a single sin is enough to condemn us to endless punishment in hell. And so, let us realise how merciful God is, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened, made us alive, together with Christ, united with Christ, our Saviour, our glorious God. And then he says, by grace ye are saved. Well, do we tonight rejoice in the grace of God? That free, unmerited favor. We were never able to obtain it ourselves. We could never justify ourselves. We're sinners of the earth, deserving endless punishment. But God, who is rich in mercy, For His great love wherewith He loved us. Unworthy sinners. Why should we be loved? Why should we be loved? Because of His eternal purpose. He loved us with everlasting love. What a great and wonderful truth that is. You may remember in the third chapter of Jeremiah, we read that great statement and how wonderful it is to recognize the truth of it. And we come in the third chapter and we're told this. And it's so wonderful to think that God is so kind and gracious and merciful toward us. What a great blessing it is to have such a kind and gracious God who deals with us, not according to our sins, but according to his love and mercy toward us, his loving kindness. Oh, how great. What a blessing it is then to have a God who displays his loving-kindness and to think that that was in eternity past it's not something which has just occurred in eternity past and that again really magnifies the grace of God to think that Before we were conceived, before we lived on the earth, before anyone lived on the earth, God in eternity past, Father, Son and Holy Spirit chose a people whom he would love with everlasting love and with loving kindness would draw us. Will says these great truths and wonderful It is. And so here we have this statement. Even when we were dead in sins, have quickened, made alive us together with Christ. By grace you are saved and have raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Jesus Christ. How kind and gracious almighty God is and it's good to try and think of the greatness of God and the compassion of God that we as unworthy sinners have turned our back upon God on many occasions. We've pleased ourselves rather than please God. We've done what we want to do and have not followed the way that God directs us in. Well then, we come to that wonderful eighth verse in the second of Ephesians. For by grace are ye saved, through faith, God-given faith, not something that you and I can hatch up ourselves. God gives faith, for by grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. If you and I could put our hand towards our salvation, saving our souls, ourselves, We would pat ourselves on the back and say, well, of course, I did this and I did that. We have to come and stand before God and confess none of ourselves, nothing in selves. It is the gift of God. That's the grace. Free unmerited favor, the gift of God. Well, tell me, do we rejoice? in such a great truth to realize that God has not dealt with us as our sins deserve. And here we have then this statement in this 20th verse, but where sin abounded, which it does, grace did much more abound. It super abounds over our sin. what a blessing that is what a mercy it is to know that we have such a kind and such a gracious God who deals with us in love to our souls when the Apostle wrote to the Corinthians he tells us in the 8th chapter and the 9th verse he tells us this truth for ye know he says writing to the Corinthians For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, remember that little truth, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, possessed all things, created the world, created the universe, though he was rich, yet for your sakes, unworthy sinners, he became poor didn't possess anything apart from the clothes that he stood up in when he was on this earth couldn't be more poor than that could you be he became poor that ye through his poverty might be rich and of course the Apostle there is referring to that eternal state of bliss to be found with Christ in glory forever and ever, to enjoy the glories of heaven for something that we've never worked for, we've never deserved, and yet we've been given it, the free grace of God. Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful blessing it is to think of these things and to praise God for it. And I hope we do praise God for these things. We're very backward, you know, generally speaking, in praising God, aren't we? Very backward in praising God. Very backward in thanking God. And it should be uppermost in our minds to thank Him for His great grace. But where sin abounded, which it does in our hearts, grace did much more abound. Oh, my friends, What a Saviour we have that grants this wonderful, wonderful blessing. It is a great infinite mercy. And again the Apostle, when he wrote to the Corinthians in the 15th chapter, and the Apostle Paul tells us, For I am the least of the apostles that are not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God, where none of us are meet to be called a child of God, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And that's each one of us, if we are called by God's grace. I am what I am, and his grace, which was bestowed upon me, was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet Not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Well, what a mercy if God gives us that grace in our hearts and that desire to do his will, to do his work. God knows what he would have you and me to do. And it may be that God's told you and me what to do and we haven't liked it very much. and we've turned away from it and ignored it. Well, you and I will not be able to ignore God's word. We won't be able to turn away from it because what God has spoken remains. It is an indelible word in our soul and how important it is that we truly don't rebel against what God says to us. Don't rebel against his leadings, but be made willing in the day of his power. Power belongeth unto God. Oh, what a blessing that is. And so the apostle tells us, but where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. He goes on and says, that as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ. It's important that you and I are blessed with that desire to look ahead, to look beyond our little life on this earth. And it is little by time. It's very short. And then eternity. And then eternity. And what a great blessing if God has given you and me the gift through grace of eternal life. And what a blessing if you and I have the evidence of it in our own hearts, in our own soul. We do want to have the evidence of it. We don't want to go out of life without the knowledge that we are born again. We want to know. We need to know. We must know that we are amongst those who are born again of the Spirit of God. and those who have received this great and wonderful gift of eternal life. Well, it's a great blessing, is it not, to be favoured like that? You know, in the sixth chapter, again the apostle tells us in the very last verse, for the wages of sin is death. And that's what you and I deserve. The payment for our sin. and one sin deserves death, eternal death. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God, the gift of God, the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Well, does that not make the Saviour very real, very precious, very necessary. There's no eternal life outside of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a blessing then to have union with him, union with the Lamb from condemnation free. Yes, we're freed from that condemnation that tells us the soul that sinneth it shall die. That's where we are by nature. What a blessing it is, therefore, if God comes and touches our heart and shows us we're going on that broad way to destruction and sets our feet upon the rock himself. and establishes us in the truth of God. What a blessing that is to be established in the truth of God. Many people want to be established in knowledge of this and knowledge of that, but the great mercy is to be established in the truth of God so that we can rejoice in this great statement. Even so, might grace reign through righteousness Christ's righteousness which he imputes to every true believer. No one arrives at the gates of glory without possessing this great gift of imputed righteousness. We won't be looking around for it. We shall be possessors of it and we shall be welcomed into glory for Jesus' sake. Even so, might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ. Well, what a blessing it is. You know, we have many examples, don't we, in the Word of God of those who received the grace of God. Those who didn't deserve to receive it. You think of God's servant Jonah in the Old Testament. Jonah was told by God to go to Nineveh and preach the gospel what did he do? he ran away he ran away and he found a boat going to Tarshish and he got in and thought he would be alright and obviously he was at peace in his mind which was so sad he went to sleep but God knew where Jonah was and God sent a storm and the storm was so great the mariners thought the ship would be lost and they woke up Jonah and asked him if he realized what the problem was and he knew and he told them he was the problem cast him overboard well eventually that's just what happened and then we see so clearly the grace of God remember here was a disobedient man running away from God God knew where he was and so there he was thrown overboard and then God had prepared a great fish we're told in the New Testament it was a whale a great fish to swallow Jonah And so it did. And Jonah, as you probably remember, was three days and three nights in the whale's belly until, as it were, he came to his senses and he prayed to God. I will look again unto thy holy temple. And God heard his prayer. God looked upon him, brought the whale towards the shore, and the whale vomited Jonah out onto the dry land. And then God told him, again, the second time, to go to Nineveh. Well, did he do it? Yes, he did. And God blessed his preaching, and Nineveh was delivered. You see, don't we, in the wonderful grace of God. You see, sin abounded, and it did abound, didn't it? Grace did much more abound. It's wonderful, isn't it? To have accounts like that and we can think, go back again in the Old Testament to David and his, the things that he did were so wrong. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then arranged for her husband to be killed. So if possible, the deed would be hidden and people wouldn't know, but of course God knew. God knew all about it. And God sent Nathan, the prophet, to give a parable about a man with a little ewe lamb. And there was that occasion when somebody came and took the little ewe lamb. There were plenty of lambs himself, but he took the ewe lamb. And David was very wrathful when he heard that story. But what did Nathan the prophet say to him? Thou art the man. The finger was pointed at David. And David, of course, recognised the truth of that. And he fell under it. And he acknowledged it. And that's why we have the 51st Psalm which explains to us the situation. We hear David's plea, David's crying. And as it starts, it's a good beginning. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness, according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions, wash me throughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Yes, you see, David may have tried to get rid of his sin as it were, but you see his conscience clearly kept pricking him. And it came out before him, his sin. He wasn't able to rid himself of it. We may sometimes think that we've done things which are hidden and no one will know about it and it will soon be forgotten God doesn't forget. God doesn't allow us to forget until we're brought to this place like David was of confession and able to come and say where sin abounded, grace did much more abound And so it abounded in the case of David. And he comes as though he were standing only before God. Against thee the only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. And then he said, behold, I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me. Again, going back, you see, to the case of Adam and Eve and all are born like that. And then he tells us, and it's worth just noting this, behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. God looks, you see. deeply into our hearts that which is hidden from the outside people don't know God knows and he causes us to realize that he desires truth in the inward part we come before God we can't pretend before God that we don't have any guilt when we do. What a mercy it is to be able to come and plead with God. That's what he comes, and he pleads, he says, purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. creating me a clean heart. A clean heart. O God, renew a right spirit within me. Well, we won't go through it all, but you see the great and glorious truths it contains. Just perhaps the last couple of verses. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. O God, thou wilt not despise. It's a blessing, isn't it, when God gives us a broken and a contrite heart. What a mercy, then, to realise that we have a God who's kind and gracious. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion. Build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness. with burnt offering and a whole burnt offering, then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar." Well, there we are, we see the effect of God's grace in the life of David, how he was convicted and how he had confession and how he pleaded with God to pass on that we do well to emulate, set forth in that 51st Psalm. What a mercy it is. Well, not only David of course, but we can think of many others. We can perhaps just think of Peter, that gracious character, and yet we see how easily he was sidetracked He told the Lord he would never deny him. In fact, he would be willing to die for him. Just a few hours later, there he is denying the Lord with oaths and curses. We must never think that you and I are strong in and of ourselves. Again, Paul tells us the secret. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me. That's the secret. What a blessing it is if we remember that. We have a great and glorious Saviour. What a blessing if we can come to Him, confessing our sins, seeking for that blessed condition of forgiveness, that blessed condition of reconciliation to Christ, that blessed robe of his righteousness placed upon us. What a great mercy to have all our sins forever washed away in the precious blood of Christ. Again Peter, who we just mentioned, tells us in that first chapter in the first epistle, you're not redeemed with corruptible things, with silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from the elders, but with the precious blood of Christ. Tonight, as we think of God's grace, we can think of his love and mercy. He will rejoice in what he's done, given his life upon that cross at Calvary to utterly undeserving sinners. And it's all because he's loved us with everlasting love. What a blessing if therefore he's drawn us to himself. Well, we should be thankful for the epistle of Paul to the Romans and be grateful that we have such a statement as this. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound and find that true in our own life. Amen. Our final hymn this evening is number 23, hymn number 23. The tune is 172. A man there is, a real man, with wounds still gaping wide, from which rich streams of blood once ran, in hands and feet and side. And verse three, this wondrous man of whom we tell is true almighty God, he bought our souls from death and hell, the price, his own heart's blood. Hymn number 23. you ♪ With peace to keep him by ♪ ♪ The rich rich lands of love and joy ♪ ♪ Great lands that we love so dearly ♪ praise. Lord, let the glories be. Thou sendeth man to defend the ways. Thou dost ♪ Which from the sky ♪ ♪ Of blue waves fell ♪ ♪ The ancient rock lies behind ♪ ♪ Behold the sword ♪ ♪ From death ♪ ♪ Christ with us was born ♪ ♪ And to the world he came ♪ ♪ God is praise, God is praise ♪ ♪ With Israel my God, my God. ♪ ♪ And so my prayers go to you. ♪ He will raise us from the dead. He will raise us from the dead. He will raise us from the dead. Now may the grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and the love of God our Father, and the fellowship and communion of the Eternal Spirit, rest and abide with us each, now and for evermore. Amen.