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OrthodoxCatholic said:
(Re: Lau Tzu, his alleged redemption without knowing Christ and your total misconstruing of Rom 2:13-16) Note: The doers of the Law shall be justified. Sounds like our justification comes from what we "DO" and not just faith alone. And in Romans 2: 5 - 10 and John 5: 28 - 29, both St. Paul and Jesus validate this -- both of them stating quite clearly that the Great Judgment will be about what we have DONE -- those who have DONE GOOD (law keepers) receiving eternal life and those who have done evil (law breakers) receiving eternal torment.

Note also that it says that the Gentiles, who have not the Law (in other words, they are ignorant and untaught, as was Lau Tzu) have the Law written in their hearts, so that this becomes the Law unto them. And if they obey that Law, then they are covenant keepers *by desire* in obeying the promptings of the Holy Spirit, Who alone causes that law to be placed in their hearts and calls them to obey what is in their hearts.
Once again we are exposed to the truism, "A text out of context is nothing more than pretext!". 1) The Analogy of Faith, i.e., comparing Scripture with Scripture shows us that IF what you are suggesting this passage teaches, that men are saved by works of the law, then Paul is contradicting himself. For in so many other places, he makes clear that men are not saved by works of the law but by faith (cf. Rom 3:20, 28; 4:2; Gal 2:16; 3:11, 12; et al). 2) The verse immediately preceding, vs. 12 reveals what Paul's intent is in vss. 13-16, as does the entire book of Romans:


Romans 2:12 (ASV) "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;"



As one can plainly see, both the Jews, who had the advantage of having the Law of God written on the tablets of stone and the Gentiles, who although were totally ignorant of the Decalogue and/or the Pentateuch have the law written upon their hearts, are going to be condemned because they all are guilty of transgression that law. The fact that the Gentiles, by reason of conscience, conform outwardly in some measure, due to the restraining power of the Spirit, to this law written on their hearts, they nonetheless will be judged as transgressors.

The contrast which Paul is setting forth here is not between justification by faith vs. justification by works, but rather one between two groups of people; those who hear and do and those who merely hear. (cf. Matt 7:24-29; 13:3ff; Lk 6:46) Those who possess true saving faith will infallibly exhibit the fruit of that faith in the doing of good works. (Lk 1:74, 75; Rom 6; 8:28, 30; Eph 2:10; 1:4; Phil 1:12, 13; Jam 2:26; et al)

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You see, God is nowhere near as callous and cold as Calvinism makes Him out to be. When He says that He desires all men to be saved -- He means it!!
I'm going to assume that you are referring to 1Tim 2:4, re: "all men to be saved"? Going on that assumption, and for the sake of time and space, I would refer you to this exegesis of that text: An Exegetical Study of 1 Timothy 2:4.

In His Grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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