Some commentators seem to assume that before the Law was given, there could have been no sin as such; that until the time of Moses and the giving of the Law, men did sin, and died due to sin, but God did not reckon them as sinners because there was no Law recognized by men as coming from Him for them to break.
However, the Bible is clear that the Law was added so that "sin might become exceeding sinful...," "that the offence [sin] would abound...," that is, that sin might become transgression. Yet even before this, men died because there was "sin in the world, and death because of it."
Gentiles had (and still have, if they have nothing else) the witness of their consciences, excusing or accusing themselves because of their sin, even though"Gentiles...have not the Law..." (Romans 2). Consider Sodom and Gomorrah as just one example:
And the LORD said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous" (Gen.18:20).
The sins of these men evidently WERE imputed to their account, well before the Law:
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7).
Whether its the broken Law or the violated conscience, no man from Adam onward has had any excuse for sin before God. This is why it says "for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
However, the Bible is clear that the Law was added so that "sin might become exceeding sinful...," "that the offence [sin] would abound...," that is, that sin might become transgression. Yet even before this, men died because there was "sin in the world, and death because of it."
Gentiles had (and still have, if they have nothing else) the witness of their consciences, excusing or accusing themselves because of their sin, even though"Gentiles...have not the Law..." (Romans 2). Consider Sodom and Gomorrah as just one example:
And the LORD said, "Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous" (Gen.18:20).
The sins of these men evidently WERE imputed to their account, well before the Law:
Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (Jude 7).
Whether its the broken Law or the violated conscience, no man from Adam onward has had any excuse for sin before God. This is why it says "for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."