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, 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.
— ROMANS 2:14-15 —
Marko Petek: Theological Biblical Academy | Croatia
Merely possessing the Law of God does not secure diplomatic immunity from it. God requires total obedience to His Law. A sinner, who follows some standard and expects the same from others, knows he falls short. To crush the self-righteous confidence of religious people, Paul explains that even those without God’s Law have a conscience that demands compliance to its standards. Like an inspector, the conscience verifies if a person is compliant to the law in his heart. Merely possessing the Law of God does not secure diplomatic immunity from it. God requires total obedience to His Law. Even the most corrupt sinner has his own standards and feels an internal pressure to follow the law. Furthermore, that conscience that has been placed with-in him by God is like a video recorder that captures every detail of every man’s journey. It will serve as evidence against him in the court of God. Even though a person may be ignorant of the Law of God, the existence of his own personal law reveals that he has been created by the Creator. Because his law reflects God’s Law, he is under the jurisdiction of the King of the universe. Like a small child, he may try to cover his eyes in order to not be seen by God, but he cannot change the reality of his accountability to God. But the accusations of conscience only prove that every man is a lawbreaker. Therefore, we need protection from God’s justice that our own obedience cannot provide. The protection we need is found only in the righteousness of Jesus Christ our Savior. Have you sought this righteousness from Christ? Are you relying on His perfect obedience to the Law in your place? If so, then praise Him today for it!
