Originally Posted by Theodore A.Jones
Romans 2:13 makes it expressly certain that if you refuse to have the faith obey the law Paul is referencing you certainly will not be declared righteous by God. And Paul is not referencing the OT code in his statement.
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Romans 2:12-16 (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; for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified: (for when Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are the law unto themselves; in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness therewith, and their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing [them]); in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ."
1. One cannot "refuse to have the faith...", for faith is not something a person receives/accepts. But rather, faith is given to an individual when the Holy Spirit regenerates him. You either have true faith or you don't. Many have a spurious faith which is a product of their own making. But again, true saving faith is a gift of God as is true heartfelt repentance which in every case is expressed in a desire and effort to keep the holy moral law of God (Eph 2:8-10).

2. One is not "declared righteous" by God on the basis of law keeping, which Paul makes very clear in the subsequent chapters of Romans and also in his epistle to the Galatians, and elsewhere (Rom 3:20,24,28, 4:2ff; 5:1,9, 8:30; 1Cor 6:11; Gal 2:16, 3:11,24, 5:4; Titus 3:7.

The FRUIT of regeneration which inevitably follows justification is sanctification; the desire to be conformed to Christ and His perfect righteousness, which is imputed to the one justified, in the keeping of God's law. The doing of the law, albeit imperfectly rendered in this life is EVIDENCE of regeneration and true faith, but it is in no way the BASIS of justification.

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simul iustus et peccator

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