Exegesis
Exegesis is concerned with the original meaning of a text. It focuses on what the author wanted to say and what the text meant to the original reader.
What is the original or exegetical meaning of Romans 2:14-16? Compare Ezek. 3:17–19, Rom. 10:12-17.
There is no question that there will be people in heaven who never have heard the gospel. “Among the heathen are those who worship God ignorantly, those to whom the light is never brought by human instrumentality, yet they will not perish. Though ignorant of the written law of God, they have heard His voice speaking to them in nature, and have done the things that the law required. Their works are evidence that the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they are recognized as the children of God.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 638.
On some occasions God, apart from human messengers, reaches out to individuals in heathen lands and saves them. However, they are saved because the Holy Spirit has touched their hearts, and they have responded appropriately as evidenced by their works. They are not saved simply because they have lived up to their conscience; if they were, then they would be saved by keeping the law, and the New Testament clearly denies that possibility (Rom. 3:28, Gal. 2:16). The issue in Romans 2:11–16 is the accountability of Jews and Gentiles, not their salvation. The fact that God is no respecter of persons (vs. 11) is illustrated by what Paul says in Romans 2:12. “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” (NKJV). Those "without law" are the Gentiles who do not have the written law given to the Israelites on Mount Sinai. However, they will perish, not because they did not have the written law, but because they are sinners who have transgressed against the law “written in their hearts, their conscience” (vs. 15).
In the judgment, Jews and Gentiles will be judged and condemned by their respective laws, the Jews by the written law and the Gentiles by their law “written in their hearts.” Among the Gentiles, conscience performed the same function as the written law performed among the Jews. Scripture clearly says that “ ‘there is no one righteous, not even one’ ” (Rom. 3:10, NIV). This means that Jews and Gentiles are sinners alike and are all saved the same way, not by any law keeping but only by Jesus’ death on the cross.
| How reliable a guide is your conscience? Does following your conscience always guarantee that you will make a right decision? Justify your answer. |
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