Passage
ESV 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.
Outline
People have a tendency to show partiality, or bias, towards people who are not like them, including Jews and Gentiles. However, Paul explains that God is not biased when it comes to His judgment: He will judge all people the same. In this passage, Paul gives three premises for God’s impartiality:
- Vs. 12-13 There is no partiality with God, because all who die without Christ will be judged by the same Law
- Vs. 14-15 There is no partiality with God, because all actually have the same Law
- Vs. 16 There is no partiality with God, because all will stand before the same Judge
The good news is that just as God does not show partiality with respect to the Law, He also does not show partiality with respect to the gospel (Romans 1:16).