Grace abounded

For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. – Romans 5.17-21

‘Where sin abounded grace abounded much more.’

I have just started re-reading John Bunyan’s ‘Grace Abounding to the Chiefest of Sinners.’ I highly recommend it to any believer. He spends a good part of the book remembered everything that was involved in his salvation. He speaks of how at one point he reasoned that if one sin was enough to condemn him he might as well sin heartily to get the most enjoyment he could. He speaks of how he doubts that there could only be one way, if that Muslims believed their scriptures to be right how could he be sure they were not right. He writes about how scriptures spoke to him but how he soon forgot them and went on his way. He questions whether he is good enough for God to save.

This kind of thought goes on for page after page. It almost becomes tedious tear him go back and forth between the Spirit's leading and the draw of the flesh. At one point he writes 'oh the diligence of Satan. Oh the desperate ness of man's heart.' He certainly was aware of abounding sin.

I've not finished the book yet. Bunyan is still going on and on about the battle between his flesh in partnership with satan and the drawing of the Holy Spirit. I don't remember exactly what happens when he finally gets saved. Judging from the tile of the book though eventually he realises that the place that sin abounds grace out abounds it.

Sin can't win. It is never too strong for grace. No matter how powerful sin is grace out powers it. The worst the sin the greater the grace.

What that mean is that no sin is too great for God's grace to conquer. No sinner is too wicked for God's over abounding grace.

Praise God that grace is not just grace, but over abounding grace to the chiefest of sinners.