A Law To Themselves
All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. ( Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them. ) This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Yeshua Christ, as my gospel declares.
- Romans 2: 12-16
I think this passage reveals one of the most amazing mysteries for the believer. This passage ( and the context of this chapter and other places ) seems to speak for those who, throughout the ages, have not known God's law ( those far and away from any knowledge of the law revealed to Moses ). It also speaks to those who have yet to hear the Gospel. And, if I dare say, speaks to those who have yet to encounter a real Christian living out the message of the Gospel, despite running into religious people. We can read in the depictions of history that many people have gone in search of God, in search of what is good and in search of what is true. God didn't abandon those outside of what would eventually be termed "the Jews" but had a plan for them as well. He still has a plan for those who have yet to see a real Christ-like person and hear the Gospel of love, hope and faith.
I am very glad all will be judged through Yeshua Christ, for He was humble, loving, forgiving, understanding and the very definition of love. He was the example of how a man can be righteous. Imagine being judged by any other person, past or present. Imagine being judged by a man who murdered others and justified it! Imagine being judged by someone who can't stand the sight of you or deems you beneath him because you don't come from the same pedigree as them. Imagine being judged according to your name or your skin color. Imagine being judged by an imperfect and biased man. Yeshua Christ is no such person. All others were mere men, having sin attributed to them. Yeshua Christ was no such person.
Let us look at what was said in times before the law:
God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
- Genesis 17: 15-21
The establishment of the covenant with Isaac didn't mean exclusion from the blessings of God for all other peoples. Nor did this covenant mean automatic condemnation or darkness for all those not descended from Isaac. God blessed Ishmael and his descendents, making them into a great nation.
How has God viewed all people throughout the ages?
I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
- Jeremiah 17: 10
God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
- Romans 2: 6-8
Those who are descendents of Jacob / Israel, Ishmael and from other peoples have been granted the opportunity to know the righteousness that only comes by faith, not so much by religious adherence or heredity, but by believing the message of the Gospel.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Yeshua Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Yeshua.
- Romans 3: 21-24
Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
- Genesis 15: 6
God's timing is and has always been precise in allowing certain things to happen, even the timing and exact places the Gospel of the risen Christ spread over the centuries. His graceful hand has never been absent from any single person who has ever lived. It is quite amazing what the Eternal Holy One has done and continues to do!
May His Holy Name be praised forevermore!
- Romans 2: 12-16
I think this passage reveals one of the most amazing mysteries for the believer. This passage ( and the context of this chapter and other places ) seems to speak for those who, throughout the ages, have not known God's law ( those far and away from any knowledge of the law revealed to Moses ). It also speaks to those who have yet to hear the Gospel. And, if I dare say, speaks to those who have yet to encounter a real Christian living out the message of the Gospel, despite running into religious people. We can read in the depictions of history that many people have gone in search of God, in search of what is good and in search of what is true. God didn't abandon those outside of what would eventually be termed "the Jews" but had a plan for them as well. He still has a plan for those who have yet to see a real Christ-like person and hear the Gospel of love, hope and faith.
I am very glad all will be judged through Yeshua Christ, for He was humble, loving, forgiving, understanding and the very definition of love. He was the example of how a man can be righteous. Imagine being judged by any other person, past or present. Imagine being judged by a man who murdered others and justified it! Imagine being judged by someone who can't stand the sight of you or deems you beneath him because you don't come from the same pedigree as them. Imagine being judged according to your name or your skin color. Imagine being judged by an imperfect and biased man. Yeshua Christ is no such person. All others were mere men, having sin attributed to them. Yeshua Christ was no such person.
Let us look at what was said in times before the law:
God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
- Genesis 17: 15-21
The establishment of the covenant with Isaac didn't mean exclusion from the blessings of God for all other peoples. Nor did this covenant mean automatic condemnation or darkness for all those not descended from Isaac. God blessed Ishmael and his descendents, making them into a great nation.
How has God viewed all people throughout the ages?
I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.
- Jeremiah 17: 10
God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
- Romans 2: 6-8
Those who are descendents of Jacob / Israel, Ishmael and from other peoples have been granted the opportunity to know the righteousness that only comes by faith, not so much by religious adherence or heredity, but by believing the message of the Gospel.
But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Yeshua Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Yeshua.
- Romans 3: 21-24
Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.
- Genesis 15: 6
God's timing is and has always been precise in allowing certain things to happen, even the timing and exact places the Gospel of the risen Christ spread over the centuries. His graceful hand has never been absent from any single person who has ever lived. It is quite amazing what the Eternal Holy One has done and continues to do!
May His Holy Name be praised forevermore!
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