We’ve all got it!
Scripture: Romans 2:12-16 (ESV)
“For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”
Devotion:
In this passage, Paul is talking about something pretty intriguing – that everyone, whether they’ve heard about God’s law or not, has a sense of right and wrong. It’s like having an internal compass that sometimes points us in the right direction, even if we’ve never seen the map. This internal guide is what Paul refers to as the law written on our hearts. It’s a reminder that deep down, we know when we’re off track. Incidentally, I think this is one of the most compelling reasons to believe in God. Every human being has a shared sense of morality. Where does this come from, if not from a moral law giver. Sure – we differ on the specifics – that much is to be expected if we live in a world of sin. But the essence is the same. As CS Lewis said in Mere Christianity:
“[The Christian] does not think that all these variations of the moral law are of equal value, but he does think that they all point to something which transcends them all – to the idea of Right, a Law of Nature, governing the universe. For example, some people might prefer to have several wives instead of only one. The Christian admits that different cultures and different times have had different rules about marriage. (He himself thinks monogamy the best form of marriage.) But what he insists on is that in all these cultures and at all these times it has been agreed that you must not simply take any woman you like. There has always been some kind of Rule of Fair Play, which differed in details but always had the same moral idea at its centre.”
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Paul here says the same thing. Every person has an internal sense of right and wrong. But here’s the catch: just knowing right from wrong isn’t enough. Whether we’ve grown up in the church, hearing the law every Sunday, or we’re on the outside looking in, just doing life guided by our internal moral compass, we all miss the mark. It’s like trying to hit a bullseye in the dark. Sometimes, we might get close, but we never quite hit the target perfectly.
This is where Jesus comes in. He not only knew the law inside and out; He lived it perfectly. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He offers to take our imperfect attempts and cover them with His perfection. It’s as if He turns on the light, showing us where we’ve gone wrong, and then hits the bullseye for us.
What Paul is driving at here is that it’s not about how well we know the rules or how closely we follow our conscience. It’s about trusting in the One who fulfilled the law perfectly on our behalf. Jesus doesn’t just correct our course; He makes a completely new way for us to be right with God.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank You for being the perfect fulfillment of the law, for showing me the way when my internal compass leads me astray. Help me to trust not in my own understanding or efforts but in Your complete and perfect obedience on my behalf. Teach me to live not by the law written on stone but by the law of love You’ve written on my heart. Amen.
Challenge for the Day:
Today, pay attention to those internal nudges of right and wrong. When you feel that tug on your conscience, take a moment to reflect: Is this leading me towards love and truth, the way Jesus would lead? Then, make a conscious effort to follow that path, not just as a rule-follower, but as someone striving to live like Jesus, in love and truth.