With or Without Law

Paul opened chapter 2 of Romans by refuting the argument that a strong moral code should excuse one from the wrath of God. Now he addresses the question of whether possession of a God-given code of behavior provides a waiver of judgment.

Paul has two sorts of people in mind here: those who have “sinned without law” and those who have “sinned in the law.” The former might include the hypothetical “innocent native” living in a far-off jungle where he never has heard of the law of God, the directives for living that God gave to Israel and summarized in the Ten Commandments. As for the latter, Paul is thinking of the Jews, those to whom God gave the commandments. But Paul immediately asserts that both those with and without the law are alike sinful and perishing. In other words, God will judge both classes of people, not excusing the Jews for their possession of the law. The reason, Paul says, is that “not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.” Simply because God gave the commandments to the Jews does not mean He intends to treat them any differently at the judgment. They not only must cherish, honor, and preserve the law of God as a national treasure; they not only must read it, study it, preach it, and hear it preached; they must do what it commands. Only those who keep the law (enabled by divine grace, of course) are justified.

However, no “innocent natives” will be able to stand up at the judgment and excuse themselves because they did not have the law. The fact is that they have a law, one “written in their hearts.” In some way, Paul says, God has given an innate knowledge of His righteous requirements to all people. Dr. James M. Boice explains that Paul here is advancing the concept of the “law of nature,” which, he explains, is “an objective standard of which all are aware; it involves knowledge … of the right.” Further, every man has a conscience, “that part of our being that tells us we ought to do the right thing personally,” according to Boice. Thus, even those without the law still know what they should do, and the impartial God will hold them accountable to do it.

The only difference here is that the Jews, the possessors of the law, will be “judged by the law.” God’s direct revelation to them of His requirements makes their failure to meet them all the more culpable.