Romans 2:14–16
Memory Verse
For when Gentiles, having by nature no law, do the things pertaining to the law, these ones not having law, are law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, testifying together of their conscience and between one another concerning logic, accusing or also excusing, in the day when God will judged the secrets of men according to my gospel through Jesus Christ (Romans 2:14–16).
Through Adam’s disobedience of God’s commandment, he gained the knowledge of good and evil. Good is that which is beneficial, and evil relates to that which causes calamity (Genesis 3:22). This knowledge became a part of his nature, which was passed down to his offspring (Genesis 5:3).
God gave Israel the Mosaic Law; however, He did not give the other nations laws to govern their lives by. Rather, He permitted them to walk in their own way (Acts 14:16). However, that does not mean God did not leave a witness of Himself among them (Romans 1:20), or that they would not be held accountable for their works (Romans 2:14). The Mosaic law is holy and rational (Romans 7:12, 16). Its commandments are just and proper (Romans 7:12, 16). Therefore, those who by nature do not have a law, yet do the things of the law, display within themselves the knowledge of good and evil. By this knowledge, they will also perish. For knowing to do good, they choose to walk in the way of evil (Genesis 6:5).
The conscience is the internal faculty by which a person distinguishes between right and wrong based on their knowledge. Romans 2:15 describes the function of the conscience: it accuses or excuses a person’s thoughts and actions based on intuitive knowledge. The conscience does not derive from or rely upon Mosaic law. It is the manifestation of the knowledge of good and evil within human nature. The conscience is neither good nor evil by nature. It is the ability to discern what is beneficial from what is wrong. The conscience does not rely upon law. Those who have no law will by nature do the things of the law, showing these to be a law unto themselves. Since the conscience is neutral by nature, it is influenced by the knowledge a person possesses. Idolatry and adherence to the basic principles of the world system negatively influence the conscience. The sin nature of man manipulates the conscience to permit the malignantly evil desires it seeks to produce. Man’s heart is evil from his youth (Genesis 8:21). As those who are saved, we are to train our senses to discern right from wrong. By doing this, we train our conscience to align with the truth of God’s word as we walk by the Spirit (Hebrews 5:14).