For prior to the Law, sin actually existed in the world, but sin was not set down to man's account when there was no law.

and that by the same means the world which then existed was destroyed by a deluge of water.

It is of what has existed from the beginning, of what we have listened to, of what we have seen with our own eyes, of what we have witnessed and touched with our own heads, it is concerning the Logos of Life that we are now writing.