Romans 2:12-16
12: For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;
13: for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
14: For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
15: in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
16: on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
Paul explained that each person will be judged for their sins whether they are under the Law (a Jew) or not (a Gentile). Justification doesn’t come to those who simply hear the Law of God, but to those who do what it says. When the Gentiles instinctively keep God’s Law, it shows the Law has been written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to it. We'll see that Paul went into more detail about this as we read on.
For example, the Law said not to steal. The Jewish people were taught that but just hearing that it was wrong wasn’t enough to justify them. If they stole, they would still be judged. On the other hand, if a Gentile who had never heard that it was wrong to steal, but instinctively knew it was wrong so he didn’t do it, he would be justified in God’s sight over the one who heard it but didn’t obey it.
Paul was not addressing repentance or forgiveness for a committed sin here. He was addressing the motive of a person’s heart. Specifically, for the Jews not to rely on their Jewish lineage and practices to save them. Paul was unfolding the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how it comes to each man’s heart in a personal invitation for righteous living.
13: for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
14: For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
15: in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
16: on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
***
Paul explained that each person will be judged for their sins whether they are under the Law (a Jew) or not (a Gentile). Justification doesn’t come to those who simply hear the Law of God, but to those who do what it says. When the Gentiles instinctively keep God’s Law, it shows the Law has been written on their hearts, their conscience bearing witness to it. We'll see that Paul went into more detail about this as we read on.
For example, the Law said not to steal. The Jewish people were taught that but just hearing that it was wrong wasn’t enough to justify them. If they stole, they would still be judged. On the other hand, if a Gentile who had never heard that it was wrong to steal, but instinctively knew it was wrong so he didn’t do it, he would be justified in God’s sight over the one who heard it but didn’t obey it.
Paul was not addressing repentance or forgiveness for a committed sin here. He was addressing the motive of a person’s heart. Specifically, for the Jews not to rely on their Jewish lineage and practices to save them. Paul was unfolding the gospel of Jesus Christ, and how it comes to each man’s heart in a personal invitation for righteous living.
Comments
Post a Comment