Romans Romans 2:12-16 Q&A

Please explain Romans 2:12-16 regarding those who don’t know the dos and the don’ts. Also, explain Matthew 25:31-34.

The passage reads, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; For not the hearers of the law are just before Elohim, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. In the day when Elohim shall judge the secrets of men by Yahshua the Messiah according to my good news," Romans 2:12-16.

Paul conveys two truths. First, justification is achieved not through hearing only, but through doing. In other words, justification is predicated on the obedient record of those deemed by Yahweh suitable or worthy to be selected by Him.

Second, a person is held accountable for what he or she knows, including those without the Word. For example, if we understand that adultery is sin and we nonetheless commit adultery, we are then held to account for that sin regardless of our spiritual state.

John in Revelation 20:11-15 clearly teaches that we are judged based on our works, no different from our faith determined by works (James 2:14-17). As we saw from Paul in Romans, works is not hearing, but doing.

Matthew 25:31-34 reads, "When the Son of man shall come in his splendor, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his majesty: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world,"

Yahshua illustrates that judgment is a separation between the righteous and wicked. "Everlasting fire" refers to the everlasting results of His judgment and not a literal, eternal fire. Sodom and Gomorrah suffered the example of "eternal fire," being utterly consumed forever (Jude 7). They are not still burning.

In addition to the above, we believe that one is also judged based on understanding. "Yahshua said unto them, If you were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, we see; therefore your sin remains" (John 9:41). While sin is always present, in cases of ignorance condemnation is not. This concept of understanding applies to all examples of Yahweh’s judgment, which is fair and just.