@Wrangler well I said I would provide a Romans 2 commentary. I went until verse 16.
And it shows that Paul said in simple terms that what we believe directly is linked and counts for the type of deeds people are judged upon; either acceptance or condemnation. And the unrighteous not in truth of gospel shall be the only ones condemned. Beliefs and actions are not mutually separate. This is the main reason why the OP is flawed imo.
There is no hope for salvation, for the ones with the knowledge of God and his truth obtained in the many forms I would imagine, and chose to ignore it, whether knowing the/a standing law of God or not....and the conscious law infused in all mankind does not count, only for naught as Paul remarks
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Chapter 2 – All Judged by the Son of God – according to truth and righteousness of God
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Now Paul carries on with the last thought of Chapter 1. That all unrighteous ones cannot judge anyone else because they are condemned already with the same judgment and wrath of God upon them.
Suddenly, Paul makes the critical remark that ‘we’ (his audience, those called to be saints) those who have faith in the gospel, know the judgement of God is of the condemned. The truth will be used against these lost, those who are unrighteous and lack faith in the truth – the gospel.
And then Paul reverts back to the thought in verse 1 and says of the unrighteous, you think you can escape the judgement of God. These are the ones who despise the depth of God’s goodness towards them. And if they knew this fact and believed it in their hearts they would certainly repent of their sins and petition to God. This will be a righteous judgment of God and there is no other, because many chose not to accept the truth.
These hardened their hearts to avoid any type of repentance in truth, and they forgot the judgement of God is sure and established, for them only. And he will judge these unrighteous ones in what they did in their lives, based of course on what they believed, was reflected in their lifestyle, as their life. Not the hiccups and slips that occur from time to time in life count. This is how justice of doing deeds are viewed by God and via his Son.
Then Paul clearly divides mankind into two camps: those righteous knowing and believing the truth, and those unrighteous, never believing in the truth.
Dividing these: To those being saved, as being patient in their lives in their carnal attempt to avoid unrighteous acts, not that they will never do any, and to then continue on, onward, never giving up in doing good righteous deeds, only to seek the glory of their works for God to immortality and eternal life, and then the rest: those who never listened and never accepted the truth for righteousness.
I add in more description for a believer here to account for all types: those who have just begun their holy journey on the path of the Cross in the Kingdom that dwells within them, to the maturing believer who has overcome more unrighteous obstacles deeds along the way. And both gain patience in continuing to do good words for the glory of God.
So this is the judgement of the condemned, and Paul cites the order of condemnation: the Judahite first and then the rest.
Those exempt from judgement are those who continue to do ‘good’ works of the truth, to the Judahite first and then the rest.
So God does not play favorites and therefore does not gauge any level of respect for any human being. We all have the same ‘freedom’ upon God’s calling and desire to believe in the truth - in the gospel.
And to demonstrate this disrespect of God for people, Paul says that those
in sin or being still unrighteousness, and not knowing any law of God will still die, as God’s judgement, under this same status. No excuses.
And similarly, Paul says that those
in sin or being still unrighteousness knowing any law of God, and under or a part of it, will still die, as God’s judgement, under this same status. No excuses.
Paul says that God justifies (to righteousness) only those that perform God’s law (from the hearts, minds and hands). And I would think this is God’s moral code or laws as Paul further develops this idea.
And he applies it to those ignorant of any law of God and are a law to themselves.
Al creation, humankind and even other creatures of God are given a type of code that limits their actions to sustain their species of good order and conduct. For humans it is a type of basic moral code implanted as part of the image of God, that can be in line with the formal laws given of God, or not.
If those non-Israelites who coincidentally, unwittingly, conform(ed) and obeyed even a part of God’s laws given to the Israelites, and are capable, because God have planted these thoughts in their consciences, to all mankind, they are still not justified to righteousness in knowing the truth – of the Gospel. As verse 14 says, they are still their own judge of these laws to, and for themselves. It is based on what man wants to do with these laws for decision and not dependent on God’s will.
And in verse 15 it stated that this conscious law that arises is decided on their own behalf or for their own benefit and can change according to their own needs at the time as either accusing themselves or denying that they broke any law. So this conscience-driven law does not count for knowing the truth for righteousness and to salvation.
14 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,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them
Their unregenerated conscience still cannot be trusted. They are the captains of their conscience - unreliable.
In verse 16, Paul clearly states all inner and outer works of the mind, the heart and the hands shall be revealed -
according to truth the gospel.
So God will judge on what one believes in, that are reflective of the type of deeded. And all unrighteous deeds are judged and condemned.
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