When the Gentiles sin, they will be destroyed, even though they never had God’s written law. And the Jews, who do have God’s law, will be judged by that law when they fail to obey it. For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight. Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it. They demonstrate that God’s law is written in their hearts, for their own conscience and thoughts either accuse them or tell them they are doing right. And this is the message I proclaim—that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. Romans 2:12-16 (NLT) Paul is stressing that both Jews and Gentiles are accountable to God for judgment. The differ from each other in that Jews possess the law, while Gentiles do not, even though by nature they do some of the things that are stipulated in the Law. God has given all people a moral instinct by creation, though repeated sin or cultural acceptance may distort their understanding. The point is that people will be judged according to the revelation they have. The standard of judgment for Jews will the written Law; while the standard for pagans will be the unwritten law of conscience and nature. People are not condemned for what they do not know, but for what they do with what they do know. Those who know God’s written Word and His law will be judged by them. Whereas those who have never seen a Bible still know right from wrong, and they will be judged because they did not keep those standards that their own conscience dictated. Our modern day sense of fair play and the rights of the individual often balk at God’s judgment. We need to keep in mind that people violate they very standards they create for themselves. In traveling around the world you would find evidence in every society and culture of God’s moral law. All cultures prohibit murder and yet in all societies that law has been broken. We belong to a stubborn race. We know what’s right, but we insist on doing what is wrong. It is not enough to know what is right; we must also do it. Admit to yourself and to God that you fit the human pattern and frequently fail to live up to your own standards and much more to God’s standards. That is the first step to forgiveness and healing.
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 21:49:56 +0000
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