Romans 2:12-14

Romans 2:12-14 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.  For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.  (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law.

Jews had the Law of Moses and Gentiles do by nature the things of the law since the works of the law is written on their hearts…  Therefore, everyone is guilty of sin because all have sinned against either the Law of Moses or the works of the Law.  This passage affirms that verses 6-11 were only about a hypothetical salvation that no human being can hope to attain.  This is more of the bad news that man is in a terrible situation.  Praise God that God has provided a way for mankind to be reconciled to God and this is the good news that begins in Romans 3:21.