No — the law did not cause people to commit more sin; it revealed the sin that was already present in human nature.
Les Feldick teaches that the law's only purpose is to give the knowledge of sin and to show how sinful men really were. When Paul says the offence abounded, Les explains that sin was seen for what it really is, not that people became worse. The deeper problem goes back to Adam, because within man there is a nature that constantly wants to break the law.
Romans 5:20 — Paul directly describes the law entering so the offence might abound, while grace abounded even more.
Romans 3:20 — It states that by the law is the knowledge of sin, showing the law's purpose is revelation, not causation.
Romans 5:20 says, "Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." The law's entrance is connected to the offence abounding. Romans 3:20 says, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." The law gives the knowledge of sin. Romans 5:13 says, "For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law." Even before the written law, sin was already present in the world. Romans 7:14 says, "For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin." The law itself is spiritual, not sinful.
Les Feldick stresses that the law can only show a person how sinful he is. He says, "To show how sinful men really were. That's all the law could do... All it can do is show us our sin. It has no saving power." He relates this to Romans 5:20, noting that by the time Christ came, the whole world was steeped in idolatry and paganism. Les teaches that the Ten Commandments "just literally showed the old Adam how he really operated" — bent to take God's name in vain, worship idols, be envious, and thieve. The law entered, he explains, so "that the offense might abound" in the sense that sin might be "seen for what it really is," not that the law made people worse. He places the root of sin in Adam: people are not sinners because they break the law; they break the law because they have something within them that wants to break it. The law reveals what old Adam is really made of and reveals everything man does was contrary to the will of a holy God.
No. Les Feldick teaches that the law's purpose was not to make people worse but to reveal the wickedness already inside them. The Ten Commandments simply showed the old Adam how he naturally operated — bent to worship idols, take God's name in vain, be envious, and thieve. In Les's words, the law entered so "that the offense might abound" — in the sense that sin might be "seen for what it really is."
Before the written law, people had only conscience. Les teaches that when the written law came, there was no doubt that everything man was doing was breaking God's law, and it became sin. Until the law was given, God did not impute individual acts of transgression because they were not, per se, breaking a law; yet the sin nature was in the world from Adam to Moses.
Les points back to Adam. Adam was created perfect, with no sinful thought. The problem is that we have something within us that wants to constantly break the law. The law only brings that inward bent into the open; it does not create it. Even the pre-flood people and those between the flood and the law had the old sin nature.
Why Grace Is Not a License to Sin — Romans 6 Explained
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The Law Shows How Sinful Men Really Were
Les teaches that the law's only ability is to show people their sin; it has no saving or justifying power. He applies this to Romans 5:20, noting sin abounded by the time of Christ.
The Ten Commandments Reveal the Old Adam
Les says the Ten Commandments merely showed how the old Adam operates — bent to idols, profanity, envy, and thievery — which is the law's only purpose.
The Offense Might Abound Means Seen for What It Is
Les explains Romans 5:20 to mean the law let sin be seen for what it really is, not that the law made people worse; before the written law man had only conscience.
The Law Compounds Sinfulness by Revelation
Les says the law reveals everything man does is contrary to the will of a holy God, and it exposes what old Adam is made of.
Sinners by Nature, Not Merely by Lawbreaking
Les teaches people have something within them that wants to break the law, so we go back to Adam — the law is not the source of sin.
Sin Nature Was Already in the World
Les explains from Romans 5:13 that from Adam to Moses the sin nature was in the world, even though sin was not imputed without law.
Before the Law, God Did Not Impute Transgressions
Les clarifies that before the written law people were not per se breaking a law, though they had conscience; death still reigned, so they were still responsible.
Romans 5:20: Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
This verse directly connects the law's entrance with the offence abounding and is the key text for the question.
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
This verse states the law's purpose is to bring knowledge of sin, not to create sin.
Romans 5:13: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
This shows that sin existed before the written law, so the law cannot be the cause of sin.
Romans 7:14: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.
This verse contrasts the law's spiritual nature with the carnal nature of man.
No. Les Feldick says the law entered so the offense might abound in the sense of being 'seen for what it really is.' The law revealed how sinful people already were; it did not make them more sinful.
Les says the law has only one purpose — to give the knowledge of sin. It has no saving power. The Ten Commandments expose the old Adam's natural bent toward idolatry, envy, thievery, and profanity.
Les traces it back to Adam. People are not sinners because they break the law; they break the law because there is something within them that wants to break it. The law simply reveals that inward condition.
Watch the Teaching: Why Grace Is Not a License to Sin — Romans 6 Explained