Online Bible Study - Foundations of Faith

Law and Gospel

Please open your Bible and read Romans 2:14-15. "Indeed, when the 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 in their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them." In these verses we learn that these people (Gentiles) who knew nothing about the true revealed God, show "that the requirements of the law are written in their hearts" (v. 14). This imprint or impression of God's law that is left in the hearts of all people is what we today refer to as "conscience."

Are you aware that you have a conscience? Does your conscience hurt when you say or do something wrong? Yes, it does! This is solid proof of the Law of God in your heart. Your conscience is alive and well. If you don't have such feelings, maybe you have killed your conscience. God forbid!

So God's law is in the heart of each and every living human being on the earth. No one has a true, real or valid excuse that they do not know what is right or wrong.

Now let's look at the second important fact concerning God's law.

The Law is made known in all the places in the Bible where God shows us our sins.

The Bible clearly shows us that we are, by our very nature, sinful. Our sin and sinful nature are made clear to us by the existence of the Law of God. If people have not read, heard or obeyed the Law of God, they are living in sin. It is only the existence of their conscience that gives them the uncomfortable feeling that they are doing something wrong and are in great danger. "Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact sin is lawlessness.. No one who continues to sin has either seen Him (Jesus) or known Him" (I John 3:4 & 6b).

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