Romans 2:14,15 “In Need of Repair”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹⁴for, when Gentiles, not having the Law do by nature the things of the Law, these, not having law are a law to themselves, ¹⁵these are showing the work of the Law written in the hearts of them, the conscience of them defending and the thoughts accusing and/or defending between each other. 

As I have been studying these two verses, I have noted quite a few of what I would consider to be significant exegetical issues. I want to record them, if for no other reason, so I’ll be reminded of them if I should ever be back in this book.

Not necessarily in any order, I find it interesting that suddenly the word “law” becomes articular where it has been up to this point anarthrous. You can see in my translation above where I have tried to reflect these differences. Where the Greek is articular (includes the word “the”), I have taken the liberty to translate it as “the Law.” I am presuming that is the point – to distinguish between “the Law” and “law” in the general sense. The Gentiles don’t have “the Law,” but they still have “law.”

Then in verse 14, there is a grammatical peculiarity where I have translated it as “when Gentiles, not having the Law…” What is strange is that the Greek article is here a neuter plural, while the word for law is masculine singular. It doesn’t seem correct to jam them together and translate it as “the Law,” but I am clueless what else to do with it. In the references I have consulted, no one else seems to even notice the peculiarity and apparently across the board everyone translates it as “the Law.” It bothers me that translation isn’t addressing the difference in gender.

There is a question amongst expositors whether the “by nature” should be attached as “not having the Law do by nature the things of the Law” or “not having the Law by nature.” In this case, I acknowledge there is some ambiguity given the position of the dative word we’re translating “by nature.” However, I think the former makes more sense in the logic of the section, and then again, I’m not so sure it makes a lot of difference. But it is there and it is debatable which way to go.

There are a couple of other exegetical matters but I think I’ll identify them as I discuss their portions of the verses.

Basically, what I am seeing is that we are still on the main subject of God’s judgment and Paul is on his way to proving that “all have sinned and come short…” (3:23). I believe the traditional understanding is correct, that Paul is basically addressing the question of whether the Gentiles are accountable since obviously they didn’t have “the Law.” This whole discussion started with 1:18,19: “The wrath of God is being revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men…since what may be known about God is plain to them…” He there stated the principle of universal guilt but now is specifically addressing this question of whether people without “the Law” are off the hook. Is ignorance an excuse?

The very clear and emphatic answer is “No.” The fact is they all have a conscience, a sense of right and wrong. Even without “the Law,” they are aware there is law and the implication is they don’t even live up to that. That’s the big point, I think.

Others have written extensively on these verses, but what I’d like to comment on is this subject of “conscience.” I’ve never really looked at it specifically in the Bible, but having worked through a number of references and thinking about it, I believe it is a part of our original creation. God created us to be moral beings. He created us with the power of choice. In a perfect world, wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a conscience that worked perfectly, that always guided us to the right thing to do?

I personally do not doubt that, in eternity, that is exactly what the Lord will restore in us. I’ve thought for a long time, what it will be like to be what we call “confirmed in holiness” – by which we mean when the Lord will make us so we don’t sin anymore, so that we always do the right thing. What I could never quite reconcile in my mind was the fact that the freedom to choose is part of the fabric of our being. What if we will continue to be people who choose, but then we will have that perfect conscience that always guides us to do the right thing? It’s already true that I choose to be confirmed in holiness. I want the Lord to take away my sin nature. I want to be a person who always does the right thing. For Him to give me a perfect conscience would be something I will welcome with open arms.

I believe the problem for us today is that our conscience was corrupted by the Fall just like everything else about us. Although it is there and still functional, it is a broken machine. We know our conscience can be seared so that in certain ways, it doesn’t work at all. It can also be misguided to where we actually call good evil and evil good. That is part of the place of the Bible for us believers – that its truth can expose and correct our misunderstandings of what is and is not right.

People say, “Let your conscience be your guide,” but in this world I think we all know that is not always good advice. I need to let the Bible be my guide. If my “conscience” is asserting an understanding of right and wrong contrary to the Bible, I need to do what the Bible says. When Peter was having the vision in Acts 10, the heavenly voice said, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.” Peter’s response (based on his conscience) was, “Surely not, Lord!” And what was the answer? “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” You see, Peter’s “conscience” needed some re-training.

Once again, that is one of the benefits of reading and studying our Bibles. Our broken consciences have been filled with all kinds of standards and “rights and wrongs” that have no support at all in the Bible. Each one needs to be exposed and replaced with truth. I feel like my whole adult life, the Bible has been doing exactly that. One “truth” after another has been challenged and I’ve had to re-align my understanding of what God actually thinks is right and wrong.

Of course, God’s “rights and wrongs” are wonderfully liberating. Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” and I always find that to be the case. My “rights and wrongs” always incur some kind of slavery, some kind of hardness in my heart. God’s “rights and wrongs” always come with a freedom I’ve never known before, a real heart freedom, a freedom to love I didn’t know before.

It’s interesting to note in verse 15 the words I translated “between each other.” I think the most immediately obvious understanding is he’s talking about our thoughts which we all are very aware do exactly what he’s saying – “excusing and condemning” – at the same time. It has also been suggested the “between each other” is the idea that, even among the “lawless” Gentiles, they constantly judge each other’s behavior as well. How evident is that today? The politicians play this game incessantly. Even the godless liberals jump up and condemn as “wrong” anything they don’t like, and then of course defend their own people who do exactly the same and worse. Perhaps that is the “between each other,” some expositors suggest.

Interesting that people who deny that there even is truth or any standard of right and wrong, are very quick to call things “wrong” when they don’t like them. As much as they may want to live in a world without God, they do exactly what it is saying in Romans 2:15 – display the “work of the Law” written in their hearts. Their consciences are enormously corrupted, so that they really do call good evil and evil good, and as it said at the end of chapter 1, they not only do evil, but applaud anyone else who does it too – but they daily display that in fact they do have a conscience, corrupted as it may be.

And so, in even the worst case, it’s evident that Paul is right. They do have a sense of right and wrong. And again, if they ever got honest, they’d have to admit, they haven’t lived up to even their own (perverted) standards.

Ignorance is no excuse. Our good God has given everyone every possible chance, every possible warning.

May we be thankful for our conscience. Realizing its work, may we be all the more determined to know our Bibles and let the Lord “fix” that conscience here on earth until finally that day when “This robe of flesh I’ll drop and rise to gain the everlasting prize!”

Romans 2:13 “Deluded Hearers”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹³for [it is] not the ones hearing of law [who are] righteous ones before God, but the doers of law will be declared righteous. 

This passage reminds us of the danger of being “hearers of the Word” and not “doers.” It is apparently a huge temptation for human beings to be “satisfied” that they have heard the Word, that they “know” the Word, that they personally own several copies of the Word, that they sing about it, talk about it, revere it  -- all without ever pausing to ask the question, “Yes, but do I do it?”

Before we get too far with these thoughts, we need to remember where we are in the Bible. We are in Romans 2. We are in a passage where the Lord wants every human being to see that without Christ they are lost and hopeless. If all we read was just this one verse, we might think we really can be “doers of the Word” and thus declared righteous. In this larger context of Romans 1-3, that would be an absurd conclusion, “for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified in the sight of God.” No, in these verses the Lord is trying to shatter the delusions of the moral and religious lost. He must first destroy this idea that because they “know” the Word, they’re on their way to heaven.

As you and I would ponder our eternal destiny, He wants us to forget the “hearing” part and focus on the “doing.” Am I a “doer?” If, for even a second, I would pause to ponder that question, what must be my answer? No. In the same moment I consider it’s not enough to be a hearer, I also am convicted I am not a doer. Not only that, but in my heart of hearts, I know I never will be. If the standard of earning heaven – being declared righteous – is to be a successful doer, then I am lost and I know it.

Precisely where the Lord wants you and me to be. That is Paul’s point. That is where Romans 1-3 is trying to carry the human race. Strip away all the delusions and the plain simple fact is that I do not and cannot carry out God’s Law. I need a Savior. Ah, yes. Later on he will tell us, “But now, a righteousness of God apart from the Law has been declared…” As we would read this one verse in chapter 2, we need to remember its context and the message of the rest of the Bible – the Law only is and only ever was a “schoolmaster” to bring us to Christ.

But first, God has to expose our delusion that somehow being hearers of the Word can save us.

There are two major passages in the Bible that address this problem head on:

Matthew 7:24-27: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

James 1:22-25: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”

In my mind, this problem of hearers/doers is, in Romans 2, primarily a problem for unbelievers. As discussed above, it is a problem that keeps them deluded and lulled to sleep spiritually. Basically the Law cannot convict them of sin if, having heard it, they are quite sure they no longer need to give it any thought. Hopefully, for some, if even for a minute, they would let the Holy Spirit challenge their “doing,” they would immediately realize they fall short.

Of course, the challenges in Matthew and James are addressed to believers. Even having been born again, apparently our flesh would still use the same old ruse to lull us to sleep and keep us from growing and being fruitful for the Lord. I would guess in our case, just to stop and ponder it for a second is convicting because we are all too aware we fall short. The very root of our faith is the realization we need a Savior and thankfully have found Him! I don’t think this is something we need to “beat ourselves up” over, but rather a call to prayer and humility before God. “Lord, search me and know my heart…and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the Way everlasting!” If the Lord shows us something we need to change we need to prayerfully get after it. If nothing particularly comes to mind, we can stay confident in the ocean of His love.

Romans 2:12 “Fair”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹¹for there is no partiality from God; ¹²for whoever sins without law will also be destroyed without law, and whoever sins in law will be judged by law. 

As I’ve studied this verse I have simply been amazed at how fair and reasonable God is. In verse 6, we learned that each individual person will be judged entirely on what they themselves have done. “”God will give to each person according to what He has done.” In verses 9 and 10, He says very clearly it matters not whether a person is Jew or Gentile. In verse 11, He says emphatically “God does not show favoritism.” Now today we come to verse 12 and learn that even judgment itself will be based on what each person actually knew. “Whoever sins apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.”

Jesus Himself alluded to this idea of a measured judgment when He said, “And that servant who knew his Master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to His will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For to whom much is given, much will also be required…” (Luke 1247,48).

What really amazes me is God’s heart, even in judgment. He would have every right (humanly speaking) to just gather up the whole bunch of us and throw us into hell. Let us remind ourselves that in Romans 2, everyone is on their way to hell. That is the point. Back to verse 1, even the moralizer who is doing “better” than all those dirty sinners in chapter 1 is only condemning himself, proving by his very criticism that he knows better. In fact, this situation is only getting worse as we go! To the moralizer (us), God is saying, “I will judge each person entirely on their own merit.” It matters not that others might be “worse.” “When you stand before Me, you will stand entirely alone.”

Verse 12 before us puts us moralizers in even deeper trouble. So you know enough to criticize other people? The fact is now we learn we will be judged based on what we knew. In other words, that “sinner” we want to condemn may have been raised in an entirely “unchurched” home. Maybe their parents were never married. Maybe being immoral and hitting each other and lying was “normal” in their family. Compare them to us who grew up “churched,” who grew up knowing this or that is “wrong” but did it anyway. What verse 12 is trying to tell us is that actually our “knowledge” only makes us more accountable for our wrongs! We’re the people Jesus said would be beaten with many stripes! It’s not only bad that I can condemn other people for sins then do them myself. It’s even worse because I knew better!

So maybe the Lord should just throw the whole miserable lot of us into hell, be done with us, and maybe do another Creation that might do better? What do you think? Instead we find Him first of all granting to every human being the dignity that He will take the time to judge us based on what we ourselves did. The whole lot of us may deserve hell and yet still He will pause to consider each individually. Then we learn that He will even take into account what each of us actually knew and temper His judgment accordingly.

How much more fair and reasonable could He possibly be -- especially when the outcome for each is that we deserve hell? Even when the human race stands before Him as a black, rotting, stinking horde of justly condemned wretches, He still pulls each one aside one at a time to judge them fairly and reasonably. It’s just who He is.

The whole matter is very clearly depicted in Revelation 20:11-14:

“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away…And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books…And they were judged, each one according to his works…And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Notice that “the dead were judged” and that “each one according to their works.” This is the “fair” to which I’m referring. Once again, the bad news is that, based on those works, whether we knew much or little, we all stand condemned because no one has lived up to the “right” they knew. What is wonderful, however, is that even here in Revelation 20, at the very White Throne of Judgment itself, guilty sinners learn there is another way. What is this Book of Life? All are judged. All are condemned by their works. Yet, the actual measure that determines their eternal destiny is not their works but rather this matter of whether or not their names are written in this Book of Life!

In 3:21, we will learn, “But now a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known…!” That is the hope to which Paul is leading us. However, here in chapter 2, he is still laboring to convince us we need that “righteousness,” whatever it is.

And so we study on under this God who, we learn, is totally fair and reasonable. His loving heart peaks out even from behind judgment to assure us that, if we will only run to Him, somehow He’ll make a way.

May we study on!