Romans 2:12-16

God's Judgment and the Law

¹² For all [the Gentiles] who have sinned without the law [the Mosaic law] will also perish without the law [the Gentiles will not be condemned by a law they did not possess but on other grounds (1:18-20) by the light and logic of creation available to them], and all who have sinned under the law [the Jews] will be judged by the law. [Jews and Gentiles, despite having and not having the law, are in the same boat of sin and death. All will be judged irrespective of being a Jew or Gentile, because all have sinned regardless of their ignorance. None can claim complete ignorance.] ¹³ For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified [being acquitted on judgment day]. [What does verse 13 say and mean to us today in regard to attending worship on Sundays?] ¹⁴ For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires [basically keeping the 10 Commandments], they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. [Humans are moral beings by nature being created in the image of God. We have a sense of right and wrong and a conscience, which is an ally to our duty to evangelism. We are not called to force moral standards on society, but we can help people see that God’s law is for their good.] ¹⁵ They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts [an echo of the prophecy of the new covenant from Jeremiah 31:33], while their conscience also bears witness [an independent witness within that examines and passes judgment on one’s conduct; for the Christian it is the Holy Spirit], and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ¹⁶ on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. [Verse 16 finishes verse 13 with verses 14 & 15 as a parenthesis between the two. There is no fundamental distinction between Gentiles and Jews in the moral knowledge they have, as the requirements of the law are written on all human hearts. God’s judgment will include the hidden areas of our lives. God knows our hearts, and because Jesus is our judge, there will be no miscarriage of justice on the last day for all the facts will be known as everything in our lives comes into the light. The good news for us is that Jesus is the judge—the central figure on the day of judgement—which brings great comfort to us. God’s judgment is part of the gospel. “We cheapen the gospel if we represent it as a deliverance only from unhappiness, fear, guilt, and other felt needs, instead of as a rescue from the coming wrath.” (Stott) This is why Christianity is not another private religion among others but a bold declaration that a Messiah has saved us from the wrath to come. We do not need a faith that is “therapeutic moralism,” but a faith that declares the Messiah has come and rescued us. This is why Paul writes this letter.]