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 is building a case in these first few chapters for our need of salvation. He starts:
The world has become depraved because it has rejected God.
You may think you are off the hook, since you do not see yourself as depraved.
However, your actions show whether you seek to do good, or seek to live unrighteously.
We know that God will judge all, without playing favorites.
In this next paragraph Paul addresses those people who claim they are favorites because they have the Law. Their attitude, “You don’t have the Law because your are not special in God’s estimation. We have the Law and you don’t.” Paul directs us to look at the following issues:
- Those who follow the law even if it wasn’t given to them (2:12-16)
- The Jews who violate the Law whilst requiring others to obey (“Do as I say, not as I do.”) (2:17-24)
- The value of circumcision (2:25-29)
V. 12 - “sin without the Law... perish without the Law” - Paul does not specify ‘the Law’ in the previous verses - 1:1-2:11. He launches from “the Jews first and then the Gentiles” comment in verses 9 and 10 into the following discussion. The world is depraved and some will object, because they are ‘good’. Some will object because they are Jews and have the Law - there is no way they could be as bad as that.
Paul is addressing an ancient question, “How will God judge those who have not heard?” I think this question is sometimes asked in concern for others, and also is based on our perception of ‘fairness’ - If I have to be saved by belief in Jesus Christ (I do!), it’s not fair if God saves someone who hasn’t heard. (I am not saying I know how God will judge - save or condemn - people who haven’t heard.) There is also the false concern - it’s not fair for God to judge them just because they haven’t heard. In either instance, the objection is raised because we don’t trust God to do right - we feel capable to tell God how to do justice and salvation! That is overweening pride in our abilities and knowledge.
This is a straightforward simple statement. If you are a sinner and are not subject to the Law, you will not be judged on the basis of the Law. "The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father's iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son's iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.” (Ezek. 18:20) The Law did not invent sin, it calls attention to it, identifies it, makes us aware of sin.
“sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law” - This is a straightforward simple statement. If you are a sinner while you believe and adhere to the Law, you will be judged on the basis of the Law. "Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?'” (Eze. 33:11) I feel the need to issue a caveat: I am not saying you can be saved by obeying the Law. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ alone. No matter how hard you try, you will fail at keeping the Law without fail.
Law, or no Law, you need Jesus.
V. 13 - “not the hearers of the Law... but the doers of the Law” - Knowing about the Law is important. Knowing and obeying the Law is vital. You can study the Law, you can memorize the Law. If you do not live your life according to that Law, then the knowing is worthless. This can be seen also in Jam. 1:21-25.
For example: I worked for several years as an Electrical Engineer consultant - our firm designed factories. I relied on the National Electric Code (NEC) to design the conduit and wire carrying power to the equipment being served. Each wire size has a designated current capacity. This value is not the maximum amount of current that can be shoved through the wire, but the amount that can safely be conducted without overheating the wire and insulation. Ignoring the NEC and designing for the conductor to carry more that the proscribed amounts could result in insulation melting, short circuits, fire, or even deaths. Knowing the Code, and not designing by it will result in dangerous situations.
“Justified” - A simple mnemonic, ‘just as if your had never sinned’ helps us get a start in understanding this word.
V. 14 - “do instinctively the things of the Law” - Gentiles (any non-Jew) who are obedient to the Law, without becoming a convert, follow because it seems right to them. Acting ‘instictively’ means you are not stopping to think. For example: Your car begins to swerve or slide on ice. If you are thinking, “What did the instructor say? Hit the brakes? No, that doesn’t sound right. Accelerate? Ummm.” You will have plenty of time while your car is being towed to come up with the answer.
Sometimes instinct means ‘fight-or-flight’. Part of the problem is that our ‘instinct’ has been corrupted by sin. Our old nature, the one we were born and grew up with, will lead us to decisions that are detrimental. They may seem right at the time, but lead ultimately to death.
“Are a law unto themselves” - I do not think this means the ‘Law’ they are following has its origin within themselves, nor are they arbiters - judge and jury - of that law. It is they operate as if they were Jewish, not Gentiles.
V. 15 - “they show the work of the Law written in their hearts” - The law has become such a part of their lives they know the right thing to do immediately. Their conscience and thought processes will confirm whether their actions follow God’s laws or not.
V. 16 - “on the day” - There comes a day... No one, except the Father in heaven, knows the day or time when all will called to be judged.
“God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus” - God will work through Christ Jesus to execute judgements. Every person’s actions will be judged. All will be judged with respect to their faith in Christ Jesus. I am confident the latter is definitely part of the picture. After all, it will be determined in the presence of God the Father and the Son if every person has their name is in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
***The accusation: the world is depraved is because the world does not have the Law. Paul is saying, “It ain’t necessarily so.” We are being drawn to the conclusion that we are depraved with, or without the Law. Additionally, we come to the conclusion that it is possible to know and follow God without the Law. Praise the Lord for that! (Otherwise, only Jews could become Christians.)
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