The relationship between Law and Grace is one of the most foundational and debated concepts within Christian theology. It addresses the fundamental questions of how humanity relates to God, the nature of sin, and the basis for salvation. The Apostle Paul’s Epistle to the Romans provides the most systematic and profound exploration of this dynamic.
Establishing the Foundation – The Promise Precedes the Law (Romans 4:13-16)
Before dissecting the purpose of Law, Paul first establishes a crucial chronological and theological point: God’s covenantal promise to Abraham was based on faith, not on adherence to law.
Analysis of Romans 4:13-16: Paul writes, “It was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith” (Romans 4:13). This statement is the cornerstone of his argument. The promise given to Abraham—that he would be the father of many nations and inherit the world—was given centuries before the Mosaic Law was handed down at Mount Sinai. Therefore, righteousness and inheritance in God’s plan could not possibly be contingent upon keeping a law that did not yet exist.
Paul then explains the logical consequence if the promise were based on the Law: “For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless, because the law brings wrath” (Romans 4:14-15a). Here, Paul introduces the primary function of the Law in the context of a fallen humanity. Instead of producing righteousness, the Law’s primary effect is to bring “wrath.” This is because the Law sets a perfect, divine standard that sinful humanity is incapable of meeting. By defining what is right, the Law simultaneously and unequivocally exposes what is wrong. Every failure to meet its standard is a transgression, which justly incurs God’s wrath, or divine judgment against sin. Consequently, if salvation depended on Law-keeping, it would be an impossible and worthless endeavor, as no one could achieve it.
Therefore, the promise had to be secured by another mechanism: “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring” (Romans 4:16). Grace is God’s unmerited favor. By making faith the instrument for receiving the promise, God ensures that it is a gift (grace) and not a wage earned by works. This makes the promise secure, as it depends on God’s faithfulness, not human performance.
- Purpose of Law (Introduced): To reveal sin and, as a result, bring about wrath because it highlights transgression.
- Significance of Grace (Introduced): To serve as the foundation of God’s promise, making it accessible through faith and guaranteeing its fulfillment based on God’s character, not human ability.
Defining the Object of Faith – From Abraham to Christ (Romans 4:17-25)
Paul solidifies his argument by using Abraham as the quintessential example of faith. Abraham’s faith was not a vague belief; it was directed toward a specific promise from God that seemed impossible—that he and Sarah would have a child in their old age. He “did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:20-21).
This act of faith was “credited to him as righteousness” (Romans 4:22). Paul then masterfully connects Abraham’s faith to the Christian faith. Just as Abraham believed in a God who gives life to the dead (referring to his and Sarah’s “dead” bodies in terms of procreation), Christians believe in the God who literally raised Jesus from the dead.
Analysis of Romans 4:24-25: Paul concludes the chapter by stating that this righteousness is credited “to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” This is the climax of the argument. The promise given to Abraham finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. The faith that justifies is now specifically faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ—His atoning death and victorious resurrection.
- Significance of Grace (Developed): Grace is manifested in God’s ultimate act of love—giving His Son to die for sins and raising Him for justification. This act is the object of justifying faith.
Expanding the Scope – From an Individual to All Humanity (Romans 5:18-19)
Having established that justification is by grace through faith, Paul moves in chapter 5 to explain the universal implications of this truth. He does this by contrasting two representative figures for humanity: Adam and Christ.
Analysis of Romans 5:18-19: “Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 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.”
Through Adam’s single act of disobedience, sin and death entered the world, and condemnation became the status of all humanity. Adam acted as the representative head of the human race. Conversely, Christ acts as the head of a new humanity. His single “righteous act”—His perfect life of obedience culminating in His sacrificial death on the cross—provides justification and life for all who are united to Him by faith. This parallel structure demonstrates the immense power and scope of both sin and grace.
Clarifying the Law’s Definitive Purpose in Light of Grace (Romans 5:20-21)
If grace is so powerful, what then was the point of introducing the Mosaic Law at all? Paul addresses this directly in a statement that is often misunderstood but is critical to his entire argument.
Analysis of Romans 5:20-21: “The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
The phrase “so that the trespass might increase” is startling. Did God introduce the Law to make people sin more? Theologians widely interpret this not to mean that the Law’s purpose was to generate more acts of sin, but rather to make sin manifest as transgression. Before the Law, sin existed, but it was not always clearly defined as the violation of a specific, divine command. The Law functioned like a divine plumb line, revealing just how crooked humanity truly was. It brought sin “to a head,” exposing its true nature as rebellion against God’s revealed will and thereby increasing humanity’s culpability. The Law, in essence, diagnosed the terminal illness of sin, making the need for a cure undeniably apparent.
This diagnosis, however, was not the final word. The revelation of the depth of sin served a greater purpose: to display the even greater magnitude of God’s grace. “Where sin increased, grace increased all the more.” Grace is not merely a sufficient response to sin; it is a super-abundant, overwhelming force. God’s grace is not just enough to cover the transgressions revealed by the Law; it utterly triumphs over them. The Law showed the dominion (“reign”) of sin leading to death. But Grace establishes a new and greater reign—a kingdom of righteousness that leads to eternal life, all accomplished through Jesus Christ.
- Purpose of Law (Clarified): To amplify the awareness and legal definition of sin as “trespass,” thereby exposing humanity’s desperate condition and its need for a savior. It serves to shut every mouth from claiming self-righteousness.
- Significance of Grace (Climax): To reign victoriously over the reign of sin and death. Grace is not just a pardon; it is a transformative power that establishes a new reality of righteousness and grants eternal life.
Conclusion
In Paul’s theology, Law and Grace are not opposing forces but two distinct elements in God’s single plan of redemption. The Law serves a critical, albeit preparatory, purpose. It is a holy and good standard that functions as a diagnostic tool, revealing the depth of human sinfulness and our complete inability to achieve righteousness on our own. By exposing sin and bringing wrath, the Law silences all human pride and drives us to seek a mercy we cannot earn.
Grace, then, is the divine answer to the dilemma the Law exposes. It is the unmerited, super-abundant favor of God, grounded in the finished work of Jesus Christ. It is received by faith alone, securing the promise of God and establishing a new reign of righteousness that leads to eternal life. The Law shows us the problem in its starkest terms; Grace provides the triumphant and all-sufficient solution.
References:
- Moo, Douglas J. The Epistle to the Romans. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Eerdmans, 1996.
- Schreiner, Thomas R. Romans. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Baker Academic, 1998.
- Wright, N.T. Paul for Everyone: Romans, Part One. Westminster John Knox Press, 2004.
- Stott, John R. W. The Message of Romans: God’s Good News for the World. The Bible Speaks Today. InterVarsity Press, 1994.
