Section 6
more abounded" (5:20). To what degree does grace exceed sin? I do not know, and even Paul himself simply said that it was "much more." Do not worry about the debit of sin, because the credit of grace is much more (5:17).
We have seen that judgment is the fourth item on the debit column. What item on the credit column corresponds to this? The item that is ver sus judgment is the gift of righteousness (5:17). What does the word gift mean in Romans 5? Some may say that it means speaking in tongues or other miraculous gifts. However, if you read Romans 5, you will see that the gift mentioned there is the righteousness of God. Romans 5:17 speaks of the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness. God's grace has been unveiled, coming to us and giving us a free gift—the right eousness of God. The gift in Romans 5 is the very righteousness given to us by God's grace. As we have seen, grace is God Himself as our enjoy ment. Out of this enjoyment, this grace, the right eousness of God is given to us as our gift. Out of sin came judgment, and out of grace comes right eousness. Thus, righteousness is versus judg ment. As long as you have the righteousness of God, you are not under judgment. Righteous ness erases judgment. If I have the righteousness