Ed Urzi

“who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)” (Romans 2:15).

As mentioned earlier, this reference to the “heart” is a translation of the word kardia in the original language of this passage. “Kardia” refers to our innermost being in a physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual sense. Here, in Romans 2:15, we observe the interplay between one’s heart and his or her conscience.

The “conscience” refers to “the soul as distinguishing between what is morally good and bad, prompting to do the former and shun the latter, commending one, condemning the other.” ₍₁₎ Another source defines the conscience as. “that faculty of the mind, or inborn sense of right and wrong, by which we judge of the moral character of human conduct.” ₍₂₎

Much like an umpire, judge, or referee at a sporting event, the conscience serves as an arbiter of right and wrong. When those without access to God’s Word do what is right, the conscience judges accordingly and excuses their behavior. When they violate their consciences by engaging in inappropriate thoughts or behaviors, the conscience plays an accusatory role.

The human conscience thus enables us to assess our actions and motivations by functioning as an internal prosecutor or defense attorney. Today, when access to the Bible is widely available, our consciences should yield to the Biblical Scriptures in affirming or rejecting a particular thought, motive, or action.

For example, the Word of God should lead and inform our consciences based on the authority of Christ. Jesus validated His authority through His miracles (Mark 2:1-12) as well as His resurrection from the dead (John 20). Jesus affirmed the truth of the Biblical Scriptures (John 17:17) and accepted them as the Word of God (John 10:34-35) as well as the command of God (Matthew 15:3-4). He thus stands as the final authoritative source that should govern our consciences.

While our consciences serve as valuable guides when they are informed by God’s Word, they are not infallible. As Paul the Apostle said to the church at Corinth, “My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me” (1 Corinthians 4:3 NIV), Therefore, as one translation paraphrases this section…

“When the Gentiles, who have no knowledge of the Law, act in accordance with it by the light of nature, they show that they have a law in themselves, for they demonstrate the effect of a law operating in their own hearts. Their own consciences endorse the existence of such a law, for there is something which condemns or commends their actions” (Phillips).

Image Attribution: Ludovic Péron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

(1) G4893 syneidesis https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4893/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) “Conscience.” Easton, M. G. Easton’s Bible Dictionary.

“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” (Romans 2:14 ESV).

This passage tells us that those who have never received God’s Biblical criteria for righteous behavior are not lawless. Instead, everyone recognizes some lawful standard of right and wrong behavior. With this in mind, Romans chapter two tells us that people without access to God’s Word will be held accountable for the way they adhered to the laws they have established for themselves. As we read earlier in Romans 2:12, “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.”

One source makes an important distinction in this regard…

“The Bible is necessary to know God’s plan of salvation and for a fuller understanding of what God demands, but one does not need a Bible to have a basic knowledge of the difference between right and wrong… even those who never have seen a copy of God’s Word know they should refrain from murder, theft, and so on. This natural law, which conforms essentially to the Ten Commandments, is a restrainer of evil that allows society to function.” ₍₁₎

Even those who deny that premise still embrace it when others treat them unjustly…

” Our moral inclinations are manifested in our reactions when others violate our rights; we don’t see the moral law nearly as clearly when we violate others’ rights… But again our sinfulness is not found in our inability to know what the moral duty is but in our unwillingness to do it to others.” ₍₂₎

It is one thing to know that “right and wrong” exists as an abstract concept. Every rational person recognizes that self-evident truth even if he or she is unwilling to admit it. But it’s something very different to do what is right and avoid what is wrong with respect to ourselves and others. This is where we fall short and subject ourselves to God’s judgment whether or not we have access to His Word.

So, the issue stems from our failure to adhere to the standards of right and wrong that we establish for ourselves and others. In the end, all human beings will show that they have failed to meet God’s standards or the standards they have set for themselves. As one source observes, “This is helpful for those who are honestly concerned about God’s ‘unfairness’ in failing to reveal His standards to everyone. God will not judge pagans by Scripture’s standards of right and wrong. He will judge all men by their own standards.” ₍₃₎

Image Attribution: Unfair by Dave Pickersgill, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

(1) The Law On The Conscience. (2020, September 1). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/the-law-on-the-conscience

(2) Geisler, N. L. (2002). Systematic Theology: Introduction/Bible. Bethany House Publishers.

(3) Richards, L. O., & Richards, L. (1987). Bible Teacher’s Commentary. David C Cook. “Study Guide 124: Romans 1-3.”

“for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves” (Romans 2:14).

The Old Testament book of Psalms contains a verse that relates to the passage quoted above: “God gave his laws and teachings to the descendants of Jacob, the nation of Israel. But he has not given his laws to any other nation” (Psalm 147:19-20 CEV). Our text from Romans 2:14 thus offers some insight into God’s judgment of those who have not had access to those “laws and teachings.” But to establish that connection, we must lay some groundwork first.

First, we can say that no one (including those who do not possess the Old Testament Law) can deny the self-evident existence of “right” and “wrong.” A simple dialogue with someone who does not believe the concepts of “right” and “wrong” exist help demonstrate that reality…

Statement: “There is no such thing as right and wrong.”

Response: “Is that right?”

This hypothetical exchange highlights an important point: while we may debate the meaning of “right” and “wrong,” the self-evident nature of those concepts is undeniable. Therefore, when those who have never had access to God’s Law abstain from theft, lying, adultery, and other such behaviors, their actions align with the Law despite their lack of exposure to it.

In a similar manner, societies and individuals generally recognize that “justice” is right, and “injustice” is wrong. While the definitions of justice and injustice may vary, these recognitions are “laws unto themselves,” to borrow a phrase from Romans 2:14.

So, even though “…no one does good, not even one” as we’ll read later in Romans 3:12, this does not mean that human beings are incapable of recognizing and performing good deeds. As Jesus Himself once said, “If you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same” (Luke 6:33). In light of this, we can say that everyone recognizes that some things are good (or right) and some things aren’t. The criteria may change, but the principle remains the same.

Thus, everyone possesses a set of standards that informs their decision-making processes. Those standards determine right and wrong behaviors and enable us to make moral and ethical judgments. We can turn once again to the observations of Dr. Norman Geisler for some additional insight on this topic…

“What person does not expect to be treated as a person? Who ever actually believed that it was right to take what belonged to anyone at any time? Who ever truly believed that murder, rape, or cruelty to children was morally right? To be sure, mankind has not always lived up to its moral ideals—this is an indication of our depravity and need for Christ’s redemption…” ₍₁₎

(1) Geisler, N. L., & Feinberg, P. D. (1980). Introduction to Philosophy: A Christian Perspective. Baker Publishing Group (MI).

Image Attribution: Tumisu, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

“For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified” (Romans 2:13).

This portion of Scripture offers an opportunity to examine an important spiritual concept: justification. The original language of the New Testament defines “justification” as follows: “to declare, pronounce, one to be just, righteous, or such as he ought to be.” ₍₁₎

We use the term “justification” to describe the manner in which sinful human beings are made acceptable to a holy God. ₍₂₎ Another source defines justification in the following manner: “To be justified means to be declared righteous before God, that is, to enjoy a status or standing of being in a right relationship with God, of being accepted by him.” ₍₃₎

We can illustrate this concept with the familiar imagery of a legal courtroom. In the New Testament era, a judge typically presided over a plaintiff’s case and examined the evidence against a defendant. If the judge ruled in the defendant’s favor, he or she was declared to be “justified.” That judicial affirmation acknowledged the defendant to be righteous (or “without guilt”), thus resulting in his or her acquittal.

This legal scenario illustrates the concept of spiritual justification. The book of the Biblical prophet Ezekiel tells us, “It is for a man’s own sins that he shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). This brief portion of Scripture identifies our defendant (every individual human being), the crime (his or her own sins), and the sentence (death) in our spiritual courtroom.

But in speaking of Christ, 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (NIV). Therefore, God justifies sinful human beings on the basis of Jesus’ sinless life and sacrificial death. It’s important to note that the legal basis for a judicial conviction is neither annulled or invalidated; instead, that sentence has been been completely fulfilled in Christ.

Since Jesus’ sacrificial death satisfies the legal sentence associated with sin, those who place their faith in Him are acquitted of all charges and declared to be justified. God then imputes (or legally transfers) Christ’s righteousness to those who accept Him (see Romans 4:5-8). So, justification does not ignore sinful conduct, for God’s wrath against sin is fully satisfied in Christ’s atoning death. Therefore, He is both “…just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” as we’ll see later in Romans 3:26.

Portions of this study originally appeared here

(1) G1344 – dikaioo – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (kjv). (n.d.). Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1344/kjv/tr/0-1/

(2) “Justification” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright © 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers

(3) Fung, Ronald Y. K. The Epistle to the Galatians (p. 113) quoted in Constable, Thomas. DD. “Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable” (2:15-16). “https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/galatians-2.html“. 2012.

“(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Romans 2:13).

There is great value in reading or listening to God’s Word, just as there is value in possessing a map that guides us to our intended destination. However, a map is only useful if we are prepared to follow its direction. In a similar manner, it is possible to hear or read God’s Word but fail to follow its instruction.

Our text from Romans 2:13 highlights the importance of hearing and acting upon God’s Word. The New Testament epistles of James (James 1:22-25), and 1 John (1 John 2:3-6) underscore this need as well. In fact, Jesus addressed this very subject on several occasions…

“Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock” (Matthew 7:24 CEV).

“As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, ‘Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.’ He replied, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!'” (Luke 11:27-28 NIV).

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter” (Matthew 7:21 NLT).

While the need to listen and act upon God’s Word is a subject of great importance, there is a larger context to this portion of Romans chapter two. That context involves the question of whether we can be made right with God by keeping the Old Testament Law. We can understand the idea behind this section in the following manner: if our path to righteousness with God consists of keeping the Old Testament commandments, then we must keep them in their entirety without fail. As a result, justification through the Old Testament Law is contingent upon flawless obedience to everything it commands.

Much like a construction worker, Paul the Apostle is building towards a conclusion based on the foundation he is establishing here in Romans chapter two. Paul will complete that process in the following chapter when he erects the last structural component of his argument: “No man can justify himself before God by a perfect performance of the Law’s demands—indeed it is the straight-edge of the Law that shows us how crooked we are” (Romans 3:20 Phillips).

This reference to justification presents us with an important theological concept that we will explore at greater length in our next study.

As we conclude our brief discourse concerning the destiny of those who have never encountered the gospel message of salvation through faith in Christ, we can turn to the following observations from the late author, apologist, and Biblical scholar Dr. Norman Geisler. Dr. Geisler addressed this subject in several of his published works and his comments on this topic are well worth our consideration…

“…Romans 1:18–20 says that God clearly reveals himself through natural revelation ‘so that they are without excuse.’ Human beings are not innocent regarding God’s natural revelation. If a person who has not heard the gospel and lives to the best of his or her ability, that person is simply doing works in an attempt to achieve salvation. But salvation is by grace… No one can do anything to gain access into heaven. If there was such a way, then the work of Christ on the Cross was a futile act.

…those who seek the light they have through nature, which is not sufficient for salvation, will get the light they need for salvation… But those who turn their back on the light they have (through nature) and find themselves lost in darkness, have no one to blame but themselves. For ‘men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil’ (John 3:19).” ₍₁₎

“If any unbeliever truly sought God through the general revelation, God would provide the special revelation sufficient for salvation. After God led Peter to the Gentile Cornelius, Peter declared: ‘I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right’ (Acts 10:35). The writer of Hebrews tells us that those who seek, find. ‘He rewards those who earnestly seek him;’ (Heb. 11:6).

God has many ways at his disposal through which he can get the truth of the Gospel to lost souls. The normative way is through preachers of the Gospel (Rom. 10:14–15), whether in person or on radio, TV, or some recording. On one occasion God will use an angel to preach the Gospel ‘to every nation, tribe, language and people’ (Rev. 14:6). Many people have been given a Bible, read it, and been saved. Others have been saved through Gospel literature. We have no way of knowing whether God has conveyed special revelation through visions, dreams, and in other miraculous ways.

The truth is that God is more willing that all be saved than we are. For ‘the Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance’ (2 Peter 3:9). God’s justice demands that he condemns all sinners, but his love compels him to provide salvation for all who by his grace will believe. For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ (Rom. 10:13).” ₍₂₎

(1) Geisler, N. L., & Rhodes, R. (1997). When Cultists Ask: A Popular Handbook on Cultic Misinterpretations. Baker Books

(2) Geisler, N. L. (1998). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Baker Academic.

We now come to a surprising (and perhaps unanticipated), juncture in our study concerning the eternal fate of those who have never heard of Christ: there will be representatives of every human people group in eternity. We can draw this conclusion based on the following passage from the Biblical book of Revelation…

“And they sang a new song, saying: ‘You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth'” (Revelation 5:9-10).

We should also consider the following interaction between Jesus and a Roman centurion as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew…

“And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 8:11 NLT).

Finally, we have God’s promise to the Old Testament patriarch Abraham, the man of faith…

“I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, see also Genesis 22:18, and Galatians 3:8).

Based on these Scriptures, we should expect to find representatives of every human tribe, language, people, and nation in eternity. Therefore, any theory that proposes to address the fate of the unevangelized must factor these passages into its conclusion. This is not intended to diminish the importance of evangelistic efforts or missionary endeavors. However, we must not disregard these passages as we consider our response to this question.

In seeking to address these considerations, we should begin with a few non-negotiables. We can start with the recognition that no one can find salvation apart from Christ and His atoning work…

“[Jesus said] ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me’” (John 14:6).

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5, see also Acts 4:10-12).

Next, we can say that God must also perform an initiating work of regeneration in leading us to salvation. While some take issue with this position, the following chapter of Romans highlights the need for that regenerative work…

“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one’” (Romans 3:10-12, see also Matthew 11.27).

Finally, those who approach God must possess genuine faith and belief in Him (Hebrews 11:6). We’ll turn our attention to the means by which God may facilitate such things in the concluding message of this sub-study.

It may be easy to overlook one key element concerning the eternal destiny of those who have never had access to God’s Word. That element involves God’s love and compassion for all the members of His human creation. While the Scriptures tell us that God extends mercy at His discretion (Romans 9:15), and is angry with the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11), they also highlight God’s compassion and concern for every human being.

Consider the following Biblical declarations…

“‘Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?’ says the Lord GOD, ‘and not that he should turn from his ways and live?'” (Ezekiel 18:23 NET).

“Should I not be even more concerned about Nineveh, this enormous city? There are more than one hundred twenty thousand people in it who do not know right from wrong, as well as many animals!” (Jonah 4:11 NET).

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

Unlike human beings, who are often indifferent to others, these passages illustrate God’s concern for humanity. In addition, Psalm 145:8 tells us that God is gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, and great in mercy. The following verse then continues by saying, “The Lord is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works.”

These passages direct our attention to God’s common grace, or the unmerited favor He bestows upon the just and unjust. Jesus reiterated this point in His Sermon on the Mount when He reminded us that God makes the sun to rise upon the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust as well (Matthew 5:44). Therefore, we must account for this key piece of information when addressing questions concerning the fate of the unevangelized.

Is it fair to question God’s fairness in judging those who have never had access to His Word? As with most questions of this nature, it is often best to begin by defining our terms. A look at some definitions of the word “fair” in this context yields the following results..

• legitimately sought, pursued, done, given, etc.; proper under the rules. ₍₁₎
• free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules. ₍₂₎
• Just to all parties; equitable. ₍₃₎

As we’ve already seen, these definitions clearly align with the Biblical affirmations of God’s character. To this, we might add Abraham’s rhetorical question from Genesis 18:25: “Shall not the God of all the earth do right?” The answer to that question is unequivocally “yes.” We can also turn to the observations of two Biblical scholars who encourage us to adopt a measured, common-sense approach to this difficult question…

“Even though God has revealed himself to the heathen in creation and in conscience, fallen humanity has universally rejected that light. Hence, God is not obligated to give them any more light, since they have turned from the light they have. In fact, although they have the truth, ‘the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness’ (Rom. 1:18).

Someone lost in the darkness of a dense jungle who sees one speck of light should go toward it. If that person turns away from the little light and becomes forever lost in darkness, there is only one person to blame. The Scriptures say, ‘This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil’ ( John 3:19 ).” ₍₄₎

“We ask about being fair. I don’t think God owes it to anyone who doesn’t want Christ to give them the desire to want what they need. He doesn’t owe that to anybody. The problem is that if God does it for some, why doesn’t He do it for all? I can only say to you that I have no idea why He doesn’t do it for all. But this I do know and ask you to think about carefully: Just because He does it for some in no way requires that He do it for everybody else–because grace is never required. God always reserves this prerogative ‘I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy.’ It’s not up to us to direct God’s mercy.” ₍₅₎

(1) Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Fair definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fair
(2) Definitions for fair. What does fair mean? (n.d.). https://www.definitions.net/definition/fair
(3) Fair – definition of fair by the Free Dictionary. (n.d.). https://www.thefreedictionary.com/fair
(4) Geisler, N. L. (1998). Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. “Heathen,” Salvation of. Baker Academic.
(5) Sproul, R. (2017). The R.C. Sproul Collection Volume 2: Essential Truths of the Christian Faith / Now, That’s a Good Question!. United States: Tyndale House Publishers.

As we consider the question of eternal judgment (especially with respect to the unevangelized), there are several elements that appear in the first twelve verses of Romans chapter two that merit our attention.

First, God’s judgment will be according to truth: “But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things” (Romans 2:2). In light of this, we can say that God’s judgment will not be clouded by false narratives or futile attempts to cast doubt upon the evidence. Instead, God will truthfully assess our conduct.

Next, our sinful behavior produces a cumulative effect. Romans 2:5 tells us, “…you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God…” Much like the compound interest produced by a savings account at a financial institution, God’s wrath against sin “treasures up” as well.

Romans 2:6 then goes on to tell us, God will judge us on the things we do: “[God] will render to each one according to his deeds.” This passage reminds us that God’s judgment will encompass the things we do, and not the things we wanted (but neglected) to do. Thus, we are encouraged to be hearers and doers of God’s Word today.

In addition, God’s judgment will be completely impartial according to Romans 2:11: “For there is no partiality with God.” Unlike human beings (who often demonstrate favoritism towards those who can advance their interests), God is utterly unbiased in His judgments.

Finally, God’s judgment will encompass everyone, no matter when or where they lived: “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law” (Romans 2:12). This final element draws our attention to the question of God’s fairness in judging those who have never had access to His Word.

As we reflect on that question, we should note that God always does what is just, right, and proper in every circumstance, including this one. Perhaps the best way to illustrate this aspect of God’s character is to consider the various ways translators have rendered the following text from Deuteronomy 32:4: “He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He” (NKJV).

A brief survey of this passage as it appears in other translations can enhance our understanding of this divine attribute…

• “he never does wrong” (CEV).
• “[He is] without bias” (CSB).
• “without iniquity, just and upright is he” (ESV).
• “He is a faithful God, who does no wrong. He is honorable and reliable” (GW).
• “A faithful God, without prejudice” (HCSB).
• “he is fair and upright” (NET).

With these things in mind, we can reach the following conclusion: God’s judgment of those who have never heard of Christ will correspond with His fair, just, and equitable character.