Word@Work Romans18 - Romans 2:14-16
Published: Fri, 09/09/11
Word@Work from BeaconLight
GOD'S LAW IN OUR HEARTS
Romans 2:14-16 (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, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. (NIV)
How do people know what pleases God? The Jews said that they had been given God's law through Moses. But what about people who lived before Moses like Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Paul explains that they and all the Gentiles - indeed everybody - have been given an inbuilt understanding of right and wrong. We call it our conscience.
Those who obey their invisible conscience demonstrate that they know something of God's law. They may have no other written information about how to obey God, but choosing to act according to their conscience pleases Him. But choosing to disobey the secret voice reveals their selfish rebellion against Him. However, nobody always makes the right choice, either to God's written law or to their invisible conscience. And so God's judgement on the final day will not be an assessment of how much we know His written law, but how completely we have obeyed either the law or our conscience or both.
Of course, as we disobey our conscience it gets distorted and no longer alerts us to the sinfulness of wrong desires. Some might therefore say that their conscience is clear, even though God's Word declares them to be in the wrong. So relying on that inner voice alone is inadequate. But God still knows what is right, even if we have de-tuned our conscience, so He will judge us righteously. But there will be many whose conscience troubles them; they want to be free from the guilt of sin. That is why we must keep on being bold to tell the gospel message: it is the answer to their unspoken prayer.
Prayer: Righteous and holy God. Thank You for implanting a sense of what is right and wrong into everyone. I am sorry when I have chosen to act against my conscience and even to distort it so that I no longer feel guilt when I sin. Please help me to retune my heart as I read Your Word and repent of my selfish rebellion. Help me to see that Your hidden law is already at work in everybody: may I be bold to share the gospel message so that the guilty might find freedom in Christ Jesus and escape His judgement on the final day. In His Name. Amen.
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How do people know what pleases God? The Jews said that they had been given God's law through Moses. But what about people who lived before Moses like Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? Paul explains that they and all the Gentiles - indeed everybody - have been given an inbuilt understanding of right and wrong. We call it our conscience.
Those who obey their invisible conscience demonstrate that they know something of God's law. They may have no other written information about how to obey God, but choosing to act according to their conscience pleases Him. But choosing to disobey the secret voice reveals their selfish rebellion against Him. However, nobody always makes the right choice, either to God's written law or to their invisible conscience. And so God's judgement on the final day will not be an assessment of how much we know His written law, but how completely we have obeyed either the law or our conscience or both.
Of course, as we disobey our conscience it gets distorted and no longer alerts us to the sinfulness of wrong desires. Some might therefore say that their conscience is clear, even though God's Word declares them to be in the wrong. So relying on that inner voice alone is inadequate. But God still knows what is right, even if we have de-tuned our conscience, so He will judge us righteously. But there will be many whose conscience troubles them; they want to be free from the guilt of sin. That is why we must keep on being bold to tell the gospel message: it is the answer to their unspoken prayer.
Prayer: Righteous and holy God. Thank You for implanting a sense of what is right and wrong into everyone. I am sorry when I have chosen to act against my conscience and even to distort it so that I no longer feel guilt when I sin. Please help me to retune my heart as I read Your Word and repent of my selfish rebellion. Help me to see that Your hidden law is already at work in everybody: may I be bold to share the gospel message so that the guilty might find freedom in Christ Jesus and escape His judgement on the final day. In His Name. Amen.
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