Paul’s Two-Step Pattern for the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law
There are multiple ways of understanding the flow of Paul’s thoughts and statements about the sin-law nexus in the book of Romans. For example, in my previous article, we noted three different ways we could easily see how Paul had arranged his thoughts in Rom 5:20–7:25.[1]
He arranged his thoughts chiastically, where the major themes in the first half of Rom 5:20–7:25 were repeated in the second half in reverse order, leaving Rom 6:14 as the central axis, or climactic conclusion of his discourse.
We also saw how Paul’s statement in Rom 5:20 provided an overview for his arguments.
Paul’s statement that “the law entered that the offense might abound” captured the essence of his statements in Rom 7:7-25.
Paul’s statement that “where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” captured the essence of his statements in Rom 6:1–7:6.
Lastly, I analyzed Paul’s statements linearly from Rom 6:1-14 and showed how this passage introduced the problem of the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law and identified the solution to preventing this function of the Law from occurring within those who are regenerated.[2]
As you can see, those are three different methods for understanding the context of Paul’s statements. Gaining a thorough understanding of the broader context within which Rom 6:14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” was written is known as Discourse Analysis, and is extremely important.[3] One of the goals of the first paper was to clearly show that without a proper understanding of the context of Rom 6:14, which includes Rom 5:20–7:25, it’s impossible to properly interpret it!
Each of the three methods above will help you understand Paul’s subject and central argument from different perspectives. Furthermore, each perspective will build upon each other to 1) help you understand what Paul is actually saying, and 2) provide enough information to prevent you from misunderstanding Paul and coming to an erroneous conclusion concerning his subject and central argument. As stated previously, Paul wrote many things that are difficult to understand, and his thesis concerning the connection between the Law and sin is probably the most complicated subject Paul tackled. Therefore, the better we truly understand his thoughts, how he organized them and the logic behind how he organized them, then the better position we will be in to properly interpret his thoughts. We all learn differently, and my hope is that one of the methods I present will be the way that helps you really understand Paul and the nature of Our True Freedom from the Law.
In this article, I’d like to take one of the above ideas and extend it so that you can see yet another way to understand the flow of Paul’s thoughts. It just so happens we can expand the idea presented in method two above. First, let’s take a closer look at Rom 5:20-21:
Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
First of all, when we closely examine Rom 5:20-21, we see that its overall structure is arranged as a parallelism. A parallelism occurs when you can divide a passage into two halves, such that the themes in the first half of the structure reappear in the second half in the same order.
As you can see, A and A’ have the theme of offense/sin abounding, whereas B and B’ have the theme of grace abounding/reigning. Furthermore, notice how these two themes repeat twice in an AB/AB pattern. What’s important here is the fact that Rom 5:20-21 contains two specific themes, A—sins abounding and B—grace abounding. Well, it just so happens that these two themes, sin abounding followed by grace abounding, were used by Paul as a template to organize his entire treatise in Rom 5:20–7:25!
Paul’s Two-Step Discourse Pattern—Sequence I
Paul’s overarching topic on how sin entered the world and how all humans are held as captives to sin began in Rom 5:12. When reading Rom 5:12-19, you’ll notice that Paul is focusing on sin within all of mankind before the giving of the Law. In other words, his discussion in Rom 5:12-19 pertains only to mankind up until the giving of the Law. Beginning in Rom 5:20, Paul’s focus is no longer on the problem of sin in mankind apart from the Law. Instead, his focus switched from the effect of sin on mankind apart from the Law to the subject of sin within the Israelite nation and the role of the Law in that particular subgroup of humanity. It is extremely important to realize this. We know that Rom 5:20–7:25 is one complete discourse, so my suggestion to you is that this entire passage only pertains to Israelites living within the context of having the Torah as the law of the land. His discussion in Rom 5:20-7:25 has nothing to do with sin in non-Israelites living apart from Law in Israel. Thus, on the one hand, Rom 5:20-21 pertains to how the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law causes sin to abound/increase (Theme A). While on the other hand, it demonstrates how Adonai’s grace can neutralize the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law by causing grace to abound/increase (Theme B). This entire topic is limited to the special universe called the nation of Israel.
However, Paul will go on to expand his discussion of these two themes, opposite the order he introduced them in the parallelism of Rom 5:20-21 by discussing Theme B first, followed by Theme A. In other words, Paul introduced these two themes as a parallelism as shown above, with the theme of the Law entering and causing offenses/sin to increase first (Theme A) and the theme of the abundance of grace (Theme B) second. But, when he presents his full explanation of these two themes, he will discuss them opposite the order they were introduced. Although the theme of the abundance of grace was mentioned second in the parallelism above, he will discuss it first in Rom 6:1–7:6. Furthermore, the theme he introduced first—how the Law entered to cause offenses/sins to increase—he will address secondly in Rom 7:7-25!
Paul first discussed how Adonai caused His grace to abound in our lives in Rom 6:1–7:6 (Theme B). Rom 6:1-14 shows how through regeneration[4] Adonai causes the old man—who is quite responsive to sin—to die. In Rom 6:15-23, Paul exhorts us to live a holy, sanctified life, because our death, burial and resurrection in Messiah Yeshua has set us free from the Stirring Up of Sin Effect. In Rom 7:1-6, Paul uses the example of marriage to demonstrate that just as the death of the husband frees the wife from one aspect of the Law (marriage to the husband), so likewise, our death in Messiah Yeshua frees us from one aspect of the Law of Moses, its Stirring Up of Sin Effect. Thus, He caused His grace to abound by offering us new birth, or regeneration where the old man dies. This is the significance of Paul bringing up our death, burial and resurrection in Messiah Yeshua! When we die through identification with the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua (regeneration), we are delivered from the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law! Thus, Rom 6:1–7:6 is totally about Adonai’s grace, demonstrated by the death of the old man (regeneration) so that we can live in newness of life, no longer subject to the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law.
After addressing Theme A of Rom 5:20-21, Paul addressed Theme B, how the Law stirred up sin in the lives of the unregenerated. As demonstrated in my previous article, Rom 7:7-25 gives you the who, what, when, where, why and how of the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law. Thus, as you can see, Rom 5:20-21 contained two primary themes that became the basis for his entire discussion in Rom 5:20–7:25. Let’s use color mapping to show this.
Paul introduced two themes, written in parallel. Theme A is highlighted in green. Theme B is highlighted in orange.
These represent the two major topics of his discourse in Rom 5:20–7:25. He then expands these two introductory themes. If you want to read what Paul has to say about Theme A (how the Law caused sin to increase), then you’ll find that discussion in Rom 7:7-25 (text highlighted green below). If you want to read about how Adonai’s grace abounded, then that discussion is found in Rom 6:1–7:6 (text highlighted in orange below).
So, as you can see, the two short themes mentioned in Rom 5:20-21 formed the template for the remainder of his entire discussion in Rom 5:20–7:25.
Paul’s Two-Step Discourse Pattern—Sequence II
What’s amazing is that Paul continued to use this two-step pattern throughout his treatise! Rom 6:1-2 also contains two themes which will function as a template for his discussion in Rom 6:3-23. Theme A in Rom 6:1 pertains to Paul’s question concerning whether or not we should continue in sin, whereas Theme B in Rom 6:2 concerns Paul’s introductory statement concerning how we have died to sin. Once again, these two short themes are short introductions to a larger discourse, which Paul will embark upon. Also, for a second time, Paul switched the order in which he expanded upon his introductory themes. He addressed Theme B first in Rom 6:3-11, and afterward, he addressed Theme A in Rom 6:12-23.
If you want to read what Paul has to say about Theme A (whether or not we should continue in sin), then you’ll find that discussion in Rom 6:12-23 (text highlighted green below). If you want to read about how we have died to sin, then that discussion is found in Rom 6:3-11 (text highlighted in orange below).
Paul’s Two-Step Discourse Pattern—Sequence III
Rom 6:12-14 also contains two thematic sections: Rom 6:12-14 contains Theme A and Rom 6:14 contains Theme B. Theme A concerns the New Reality we as believers experience as a result of our death in Messiah Yeshua. Before regeneration, we were slaves of sin and subject to the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law. However, with the death of the old man, we have been ushered into a New Reality where it is totally possible by the grace of Adonai to no longer yield our bodies as instruments of unrighteousness. We now have a choice! Thus, the theme of element A is our ability to resist sin and yield to Adonai. In Rom 6:14, Paul introduced Theme B, the fact that we are no longer under the Law. As you can see, these two themes are intimately related. Element A, our ability to live in freedom from sin, is the effect. But the cause is element B, the fact that we’re no longer under the Law. In other words, the reason we no longer have to live as a slave of sin is precisely because we’re no longer under the Law, meaning, we’re no longer under the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law.
Thus, once again, Paul introduces two shortened themes and then expands them further in his follow-up discussion. However, this time, instead of switching the order of how he addresses the two themes, he addresses them in the exact order he presented them. For example, Theme A, pertaining to our new reality in Messiah Yeshua, is immediately addressed in Rom 6:15-23. A brief look at Rom 6:15-23 easily proves that it is a longer explanation of Rom 6:12-13 (text highlighted in green below). Furthermore, Theme B is addressed in Rom 7:1-6 (text highlighted in orange below). So, as you can see, this time the introductory themes for A and B are addressed in the same order they were introduced.
Paul’s Two-Step Discourse Pattern—Take IV
Actually, we can follow this pattern for a fourth time by looking at Rom 7:5-6. Rom 7:5 introduces Theme A, pertaining to how the Law caused sin to increase. This is followed by Theme B in Rom 7:6, which introduces the theme of how we can now serve Adonai in the newness of the Spirit. Theme A, the first theme introduced by Paul, is further expanded in Rom 7:7-25. Once you read Rom 7:5, followed immediately by Rom 7:7-25, it immediately becomes obvious that Rom 7:7-25 is an expansion or further development of the idea mentioned in Rom 7:5. Furthermore, Rom 8:1-7 is a further discussion of the short introductory theme Paul introduced in Rom 7:6. Again, please read Rom 7:6 and immediately jump to Rom 8:1-17 and you’ll easily see that Rom 8:1-17 is an expansion of Paul’s introductory idea about serving in the newness of the Spirit that he introduced in Rom 7:6. Thus, for a second time, Paul introduced two short themes and then addressed them in the same order, instead of switching the order in which he addressed them. A brief look at Rom 7:7-25 easily proves that it is a longer explanation of Theme A, Rom 7:5 (text highlighted in green below). Furthermore, the introductory Theme B found in Rom 7:6 (how we can serve in newness of the Spirit) is fully addressed in Rom 8:1-17 (text highlighted in orange below). So, as you can see, this time the introductory themes for A and B are addressed in the same order they were introduced.
In my previous paper entitled, Paul's Subject and Central Argument in Rom 5:20–7:25, one of my arguments relied upon interpreting Rom 6:14 within its original context. I demonstrated that Rom 6:14 was the central axis of a chiastic structure extending from Rom 5:20–7:25. The chiasm of Rom 5:20–7:25 is only a small piece of the puzzle in understanding Paul’s writings. In actuality, the entire book of Romans is written chiastically!
Unfortunately, even within academic circles, chiastic analysis has sometimes been looked upon unfavorably. Commenting on this, Myers states:
However, some of the earlier work in this whole field has left an unfortunate legacy that makes it essential to approach it very carefully indeed. Thus, until recently, the perception has been widespread that the study of chiasmus in the New Testament is little more than the esoteric pursuit of a few enthusiasts, whose exuberance in the 'discovery' of chiasms of astonishing complexity in almost every page of the New Testament seems to know no limits. It is not surprising that this has provoked an often justifiable backlash of scholarly skepticism among the more cautious, who feel that many such chiastic patterns tell us more about the ingenuity of the commentator than about the intention of the original author. The result has been a regrettable obscuring of the fact that the study of chiasmus has a legitimate, but often underrated, place in the field of New Testament rhetorical analysis in general, and in the Pauline letters in particular.[5]
Nonetheless, despite the hesitancy of some to venture into chiastic analysis, it’s a demonstrable fact that the entire Bible contains hundreds of chiasms, and it will only be to our disadvantage if we don’t find them and appreciate their exegetical benefits. A multitude of narratives in the Bible are arranged chiastically, and as I’ve noted before, it’s important to realize whenever this occurs because it helps one understand the author’s flow of thoughts. It’s beyond the scope of this article to review the entire chiastic structure of the book of Romans,[6] but below I will provide you with the thematic titles for each section of the chiasm so you can see how the book is structured chiastically. As you can see, I have found twelve matching themes that separate the book of Romans into two halves. The central axis is the thirteenth theme. And notice what the central axis of the entire book of Romans is—Romans 6:14! In other words, the most important message in the entire book of Romans pertains to the fact that we, as believers, have been set free from the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law. Or, as Paul stated three times Rom 6–7, we are no longer under, we have died to, and we are free from the Law, meaning the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law.
For our immediate purposes I want to concentrate on Rom 8:1-17, which I introduced above as the expanded explanation of Rom 7:6. Please notice that Rom 8:1-17 is element I’ in the chiastic structure of the book of Romans! This invites us to look at element I, to which element I’ is chiastically related. If you compare elements I through I’ on either side of the central axis in the chiasm below, you will find that it contains Paul’s complete discussion on how sin entered the human race and Adonai’s remedy for it (Rom 5:12-8:17).
Here are the thematic connections between elements I and I’ that confirm the accuracy of this portion of our chiasm.[7] Just compare elements 1-5 in I and I’ and you will see the connections.
Element I) Romans 5:12-19—Contrasting the Effects of Adam’s Sin vs. Yeshua’s Righteousness
Romans 5:12—Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
Romans 5:16b and 18—For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification . . . 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.
Romans 5:17-18—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.
Romans 5:12, 14, and 17—Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned . . . Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come . . . 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.)
Romans 5:17b—much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Element I’) Romans 8:1-17—Contrasting the Effects of the Flesh vs. the Spirit
Romans 8:2—For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. The connection is opposite to the theme in (1) above. Above, Paul discussed how Adam brought death to the human race by sin. Here, he discussed how Yeshua freed us from death and sin.
Romans 8:1, 3b—There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit . . . God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh
Romans 8:6, 10, 11 and 13—For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you . . . but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 8:2, 6, 10 and 13—For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death . . . For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace . . . And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness . . . For if you live according to the flesh you will die
Romans 8:17—and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. This passage and its matching element above both use the language of rulership.
As you can see, there is a clear, observable thematic arrangement of the entire book of Romans, despite the naysaying of some:
Even those who are highly sensitive to chiasmus elsewhere in the New Testament have difficulty finding chiastic structure in Romans. In his essay, "Chiasmus in the New Testament" (in Chiasmus in Antiquity: Structure, Analyses, Exegesis [ed. J.W. Welch; Hildesheim: Gerstenberg, 1981] 211-49) J.W. Welch observes that Romans evidences "little chiastic structure" (p. 219).[8]
Even apart from a specific discussion about chiasms, others have commented on the connections between Romans 5:12-19 and Rom 8:1-17. Myers notes the following connecting themes:
Other aspects of 8:1-17 indicate that in these verses Paul extends the thought of 5:12-19. In addition to katakrima, the common use of dikaiōma (5:18; 8:4) and the common reference to the death of Christ (5:18; 8:3) relate these two distant pericopes. Moreover, Paul's discussion concerning pneuma in contrast to sarx (8:4) clearly builds on the Adam-Christ contrast of 5:12-19. In chap. 8 kata pneuma and kata sarka denote mutually exclusive orientations of life (8:5) with mutually exclusive goals (8:6). It is not coincidental that these goals are described in the same terms as the benefits of Adam's and of Christ's work, namely, thanatos (8:6a, 13a; see 5:12, 17) and zōē (8:6b; see 5:17, 18). In 8:1-17 the Spirit is identified as the means whereby one comes to participate in the eschatological benefit of the work of Christ mentioned in chap. 5.[9]
So, I am well justified in observing and taking advantage of the chiastic arrangement of the book of Romans. In conclusion, we have discovered a fourth way of understanding Paul’s theology concerning the connection between sin and the Law. We saw how Paul used a two-step pattern four times in his discourse between Rom 5:20–8:17 and how the four usages of that two-step pattern provide a template for understanding the logical flow of Paul’s thoughts.
Addendum—Romans 5:12–8:17 at a Glance:
Paul’s discussion about sin’s entry and reign within the human race began in Rom 5:12-19 and extended to Rom 8:17.
In Rom 5:12-19, Paul explained how sin and death spread to humanity because of Adam’s sin. He contrasted that with how grace and life were made available to mankind by Yeshua’s act of righteousness.
Paul went on to introduce the enigmatic function of the Law to cause sin to increase (The Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law) in Rom 5:20. This verse set the stage for Paul’s entire discourse covering Rom 5:20–7:25.
In Rom 6:1-11, Paul taught that regeneration was the corrective action to the root cause of sin within the human race.
In Rom 6:12-13, Paul informed us that as a result of our regeneration and the death of the old man, we now have the ability to say no to sin and live a life of sanctification to Adonai.
Rom 6:14 is the reason we can live a life of sanctification to Adonai, because we are no longer under the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law.
Rom 6:15-23 is an exhortation to live a holy life in light of our deliverance from the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law.
In Rom 7:1-6, Paul gives an example of how we have become dead to and are free from the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law because of the death of the old man (regeneration).
Rom 7:7-25 is a full-blown description, the who, what, when, where, why and how of the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law and how it functions in the lives of the unregenerated.
In contrast to Rom 7:7-25, in Rom 8:1-17 Paul describes the new life that can be lived by those who have been regenerated and freed from the Stirring Up of Sin Effect of the Law.
[1] Robinson, Tony. “What Is Paul’s Subject and Central Argument in Romans 5:20–7:25?” Substack. January 5, 2025. https://tonyrobinson.substack.com/p/what-is-pauls-subject-and-central.
[2] Although I only generated an outline for Paul’s discussion in Rom 6:1-14, it’s also possible to extend it to the end of chapter seven.
[3] “What is needed is a study according to a "discourse analysis" methodology. "Discourse analysis" here means discerning the main logical point of each literary unit (paragraph) through a logical analysis of the development of the propositions in each unit and then tracing the logical development of the themes from paragraph to paragraph and attempting to discover the main point of the entire epistle.” G. K. Beale, I-II Thessalonians (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 24-25.
[4] Regeneration is only possible as we respond to the call of grace initiated by Adonai. John 1:12-13 “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God,” and John 6:65 “And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” are emphatic that we respond to Adonai’s gracious offer of salvation only because of His initiation and power. This is the grace of regeneration which Paul introduced in Rom 5:20 and has further expanded in Rom 6:1-23.
[5] Ian H. Thompson, Chiasmus in the Pauline Letters, (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1995), 13.
[6] The entire chiastic structure of the book of Romans containing every thematic connection I was able to find can be found here at the Biblical Chiasm Exchange – https://www.chiasmusxchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/The-Chiastic-Structure-of-the-Book-of-Romans-BCE.pdf.
[7] Similarly, each of the twelve matching elements.
[8] Charles D. Myers, “Chiastic Inversion in the Argument of Romans 3-8.” Novum Testamentum, vol. 35, no. 1, 1993, 34 No 21.
[9] Myers, ibid., 42.