ROMANS 2
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. – Romans 2:12-16
ROMANS 2 THE UNWRITTEN LAW
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When God created humans in his own image
The Lord also placed in their hearts his laws
It is unwritten in every man’s mind and his heart
This is why we know what is wrong and what is right
There is no excuse for man to justify his evil ways
Much more so those who are given God’s laws.
In this account, Paul explains the importance of both the written and unwritten law. For those who are Jews, they were given the laws by Moses when God freed them from the Egyptians. He made a covenant with his people to follow so that his promise will be received by them.
The Gentiles on the other hand didn’t have a covenant with God, but now, Paul is preaching to them the gospel. He made them aware that God has placed in their hearts the unwritten law of God. Even if they do not know God, they have a moral compass. We can call it conscience. We feel shame when we do something against that unwritten law, but we feel okay if we do not go against what is right. Paul also reproves the Jews because even though they know the law already and yet do not do it, they are as guilty as those who do not know the law of the Lord. The book of James calls this the royal law of liberty in his second chapter which is about loving our neighbor as yourself.
REFLECTION
- Cite examples how the unwritten law is manifest in every human being.
