The law came to make sin worse. But when sin grew worse, God’s grace increased. Sin once used death to rule us, but God gave people more of his grace so that grace could rule by making people right with him. And this brings life forever through Jesus Christ our Lord. So do you think we should continue sinning so that God will give us even more grace?

via Romans 5.20-6.1 NCV – The law came to make sin worse But when – Bible Gateway.

Been awhile since I have engaged in self-promotion commentary on Romans, so I thought I’d point out my differences with the NCV on Romans 6.1.

The goal is not “that God will give us even more grace”–as in forgive us more of our individual sins. The point is that Paul has just showed, in Romans 5, how God’s salvation and grace was brought about through a “trespass” (different word than “sin” in 5.20). By the ultimate act of unfaithfulness on Israel’s part, God granted to the world the salvation that Israel was commissioned to bring about through faithfulness.

Compare 5.20 and 6.1 more literalistically:

Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more

Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?

And the scope of Romans 5 is all of world history. First Adam was made and then sinned. Then Israel was given the Law to be a light to the nations to increase the trespass to the point of Adam’s original trespass in the original sanctuary. And then in the ultimate trespass, the crucifixion of Christ, God brought salvation to the world.

So Romans 6.1 asks, “Is this our model for mission?”

Paul says, “NO!” in all caps.