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"The law written in their hearts..."

Text: Romans 2:15

DOCTRINAL WRITING

Doctrinal writing is certainly not an easy task! A writer must exercise great diligence and skill in sorting out the different elements that make up a doctrine. Three features of a doctrine may be highlighted:-

1. The revealed truth must be stated very carefully and accurately.

2. This truth must then be stated as an eternal truth-principle.

3. Appropriate application must be made.

THE LAW WITHIN THE HEART

While Paul addressed his Jewish readers, he did not neglect the Gentile readership. How does the concept of “the law” apply to them, since they were not the original recipients? In the following text, Paul offers a striking suggestion.

“For when Gentiles, who do not have the law,
by nature do the things in the law, these, although
not having the law, are a law to themselves.”
Romans 2:14

1. The formal written law

God Himself wrote the Ten Commandments and gave them to Moses (Cf. Deuteronomy 4:13). The Decalogue represents a basic moral code of law for Israel.

2. The moral code within the human heart

Paul’s argument may be broken down in the following manner.

a) The Gentiles were not given the formal moral code of law.

b) These laws may also be said to be:-

i) Universal laws

ii) Natural laws

iii) Laws written in the hearts of mankind

iv) These laws function to guide men intuitively (moral conduct)

c) The decent average person can “by nature do the things in the law”.

d) These principles that people live by become “a law to themselves”.