Romans 5:20

Moreover the law ^[1] entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace ^[2] did much more abound: ^[3] ^[4]

â The Law came through Moses (John 1:17, 7:19)
â Grace abounded. These words fail to capture the full magnitude of Godâs grace. The original word for abounded is the same word Paul uses in Romans 5:17 â the one that means super-abundant â except here he adds the prefix huper or hyper, which means over, above, and beyond (huperperisseuÅ). If you think Godâs grace is super-abundant to the point of superfluous excess, you are halfway there. And if you think his grace is hyper, youâre getting warmer but still not quite there. In Biblical terms, Godâs grace is literally hyper-super-abundant. Throughout his epistles, Paul uses a variety of big words to describe Godâs hyper-super-grace. The meaning of these words is not always clear in English, but read the original language and you will find Paul writing about the lavish wastefulness of Godâs grace (2 Cor. 9:8) and how Godâs supply of grace is super-abundant to the point of being excessive (Rom. 5:17, 1 Tim. 1:14). We lack scales for measuring Godâs grace, but Godâs grace is comparable in magnitude to his wisdom (see entry for Eph. 1:7). God is as gracious as he is wise. But then says, âNo, there really is nothing we can compare with Godâs graceâ (see Eph. 2:7). In describing grace, Paul used three words: huper-ballÅ (Eph. 2:7, 2 Cor. 9:14), huper-perisseuÅ (Rom. 5:20), and huper-pleonazÅ (1 Tim. 1:14). You do not need to speak Greek to recognize the common element in these words. Itâs the prefix huper or hyper which means over, above, and beyond. To put it in context, Paul also uses hyper-words for describing Godâs power and love (Eph. 1:19, 3:19). Godâs grace is as great as his power. Itâs as limitless as his love. Paul was the first to use the word hyper when describing Godâs grace, but he was hardly the only one to describe Godâs grace as extreme and over-the-top. John spoke of receiving grace upon grace from fullness of Godâs supply (John 1:16). Saying God is full of grace, is like saying the ocean is full of waves. âGrace upon graceâ means God can bless you with wave after wave of grace and never run out. Peter wrote about the grace that comes from âthe God of all graceâ (1 Pet. 5:10) and prayed that his grace would be yours to the âfullest measureâ or in increasing abundance (1 Pet. 1:2). Just as you canât travel to the edge of the universe, you will never find the limit of Godâs grace. James, one of the most misunderstood writers in the New Testament, had a wonderful grasp of grace. He spoke of a God who gives and gives, which is a picture of unending grace (Jas. 1:17). âGod gives us more graceâ (Jas. 4:6). The original word for more in this passage is derived from the Greek word megas. God gives us mega-grace. James is literally saying that God gives us âexceedingly, great, high, large, loud, and mighty grace!â Further reading: âWho are the hypergrace preachers?â To suggest that Godâs grace is less than hyper is unbiblical, even blasphemous. Itâs like saying God is good but heâs not that good, heâs wise but not that wise. Diminish grace and you diminish God. Get your understanding of grace from Christian magazines, and you can be forgiven for thinking that hypergrace is bad, modern, and unbiblical. But read the Bible and you will see that hypergrace is a small word for describing an extraordinary reality: The One who sits upon the throne of grace is exceedingly rich in grace and he has poured out his measureless grace upon you! Further reading: âIs hypergrace biblical?â
â Grace abounded all the more. Godâs grace is greater than your sin, his best is better than your worst. God is for you; who can be against you (Rom. 8:31)? God justifies you; who can condemn you (Rom. 8:33)? Nothing in this life â not your sins or your shortcomings â can separate you from his love (Rom. 8:38-39).
â King James Version (KJV)

[1] â The Law came through Moses (John 1:17, 7:19)

[2] â Grace abounded. These words fail to capture the full magnitude of Godâs grace. The original word for abounded is the same word Paul uses in Romans 5:17 â the one that means super-abundant â except here he adds the prefix huper or hyper, which means over, above, and beyond (huperperisseuÅ). If you think Godâs grace is super-abundant to the point of superfluous excess, you are halfway there. And if you think his grace is hyper, youâre getting warmer but still not quite there. In Biblical terms, Godâs grace is literally hyper-super-abundant. Throughout his epistles, Paul uses a variety of big words to describe Godâs hyper-super-grace. The meaning of these words is not always clear in English, but read the original language and you will find Paul writing about the lavish wastefulness of Godâs grace (2 Cor. 9:8) and how Godâs supply of grace is super-abundant to the point of being excessive (Rom. 5:17, 1 Tim. 1:14). We lack scales for measuring Godâs grace, but Godâs grace is comparable in magnitude to his wisdom (see entry for Eph. 1:7). God is as gracious as he is wise. But then says, âNo, there really is nothing we can compare with Godâs graceâ (see Eph. 2:7). In describing grace, Paul used three words: huper-ballÅ (Eph. 2:7, 2 Cor. 9:14), huper-perisseuÅ (Rom. 5:20), and huper-pleonazÅ (1 Tim. 1:14). You do not need to speak Greek to recognize the common element in these words. Itâs the prefix huper or hyper which means over, above, and beyond. To put it in context, Paul also uses hyper-words for describing Godâs power and love (Eph. 1:19, 3:19). Godâs grace is as great as his power. Itâs as limitless as his love. Paul was the first to use the word hyper when describing Godâs grace, but he was hardly the only one to describe Godâs grace as extreme and over-the-top. John spoke of receiving grace upon grace from fullness of Godâs supply (John 1:16). Saying God is full of grace, is like saying the ocean is full of waves. âGrace upon graceâ means God can bless you with wave after wave of grace and never run out. Peter wrote about the grace that comes from âthe God of all graceâ (1 Pet. 5:10) and prayed that his grace would be yours to the âfullest measureâ or in increasing abundance (1 Pet. 1:2). Just as you canât travel to the edge of the universe, you will never find the limit of Godâs grace. James, one of the most misunderstood writers in the New Testament, had a wonderful grasp of grace. He spoke of a God who gives and gives, which is a picture of unending grace (Jas. 1:17). âGod gives us more graceâ (Jas. 4:6). The original word for more in this passage is derived from the Greek word megas. God gives us mega-grace. James is literally saying that God gives us âexceedingly, great, high, large, loud, and mighty grace!â Further reading: âWho are the hypergrace preachers?â To suggest that Godâs grace is less than hyper is unbiblical, even blasphemous. Itâs like saying God is good but heâs not that good, heâs wise but not that wise. Diminish grace and you diminish God. Get your understanding of grace from Christian magazines, and you can be forgiven for thinking that hypergrace is bad, modern, and unbiblical. But read the Bible and you will see that hypergrace is a small word for describing an extraordinary reality: The One who sits upon the throne of grace is exceedingly rich in grace and he has poured out his measureless grace upon you! Further reading: âIs hypergrace biblical?â

[3] â Grace abounded all the more. Godâs grace is greater than your sin, his best is better than your worst. God is for you; who can be against you (Rom. 8:31)? God justifies you; who can condemn you (Rom. 8:33)? Nothing in this life â not your sins or your shortcomings â can separate you from his love (Rom. 8:38-39).

[4] â King James Version (KJV)

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