'Truly, this only I have found: God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes' (Eccl. 7:29).
'For when the Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law , are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written on their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them' (Romans 2:14-15).
As I said, what an imagination. I challenge you to make this stretch from Eccl 7:29 to change the rest of the context of Romans 2 concerning the law.
12 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;
13 for not the hearers of
the law are just before God, but the doers of
the law shall be justified:
14 (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;
15 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);
16 in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men, according to my gospel, by Jesus Christ.
17 But if thou bearest the name of a Jew, and restest upon
the law, and gloriest in God,
18 and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are excellent, being instructed out of
the law,
19 and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them that are in darkness,
20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having in
the law the form of knowledge and of the truth;
21 thou therefore that teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou rob temples?
23 thou who gloriest in
the law, through thy transgression of
the law dishonorest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, even as it is written.
25 For circumcision indeed profiteth, if thou be a doer of
the law: but if thou be a transgressor of
the law, thy circumcision is become uncircumcision.
26 If therefore the uncircumcision keep the ordinances of
the law, shall not his uncircumcision be reckoned for circumcision?
27 and shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil
the law, judge thee, who with the letter and circumcision art a transgressor of
the law?
