Scripture Reference: Romans 2:1-16

Jesus Christ

Please review Romans 2:12-16 for background to this section.

God’s impartiality in judgment is also seen in the fact that He will deal with people in accordance with the dispensation in which they live. “The law was given through Moses” (John 1:17), which marks the beginning of the dispensation of Law. The Law was provided for God’s Chosen People Israel, and the Gentiles were considered outside the Law. Therefore Paul declared, as many as have sinned without [apart] law will also perish without [apart] law. Gentiles who sin will perish, but the Law of Moses will not be used as a standard of judgment against them. On the other hand the Jews who have sinned in [under] the law will be judged by the law [hearers and doers of the law . . . in the sight of God]. The Gentiles are not excused from God’s judgment, but they will not be judged according to the standard (the Mosaic Law) that was not given to them.

Reading the Mosaic Law was a regular part of each synagogue service, so that Jews were those who hear the Law. However, being recognized as righteous was not an automatic assumption of being a Jew and hearing the law. Those who will be declared justified are those who are literally, the doers of the law, not just the hearers only. James made the same point (James 1:22-25). Again God does not give eternal life or justification to those who only perform good works, but to those who believe (trust) in Him and whose conduct reveals their regenerate hearts.

The Jews looked down on the Gentiles partly because they did not have the revelation of God’s will in the Mosaic Law. But, as Paul pointed out, there are moral Gentiles who by nature do the things in the law. Such persons show that the law is not to be found only on tablets of stone and included in the writings of Moses; it is also inscribed in their hearts and is reflected in their actions, consciences, and thoughts. The Law given to Israel is in reality only a specific statement of God’s moral and spiritual requirements for everyone. Moral Gentiles by their actions show the work of the law written in their hearts. This is confirmed by their conscience, the faculty within human beings that evaluates their actions, along with their thoughts that either accuse or excuse them of sin. This is why Paul called such Gentiles a law to themselves.

To Be Continued

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New King James Version®, NKJV © 1982 by Thomas Nelson.
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