One of the pastoral and theological questions that Christians wrestle with, almost constantly, is whether God judges people differently based on what they know. Some questions that pop up might be; what about sins committed in ignorance? Are we more accountable once we know God’s law? And how does this square with the justice and grace of God?
Romans 4:14–15 brings these questions into sharp focus:
“For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression.”
At first glance, Paul’s statement seems startling. Where there is no law there is no transgression? Does that mean ignorance excuses sin? Does God judge differently depending on awareness?
To answer these questions faithfully, we must read Paul carefully, considering him within the wider context of Scripture, and hold together God’s justice, holiness, and grace.
The Context: Law, Promise, and Justification
In Romans 4, Paul is arguing that justification has always been by faith, not by works of the law. Abraham was justified before the law was given, and therefore he is the father of all who believe, whether Jew or Gentile.
Romans 4:15 is not denying the reality of sin prior to the Mosaic law. But Paul is making a specific point about legal transgression. The law does not create sin, but it does define it, expose it, and render it accountable in a particular way.
This is in line with what Paul says in Romans 7:7b: “Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.””
The law functions as a moral spotlight. It does not invent guilt, but it reveals it and intensifies responsibility.
Sin Before the Law: Not Innocent, But Unaccountable?
Scripture is clear that humanity was never morally innocent after the Fall. Paul has already stated in Romans 1–3 that people are drawn to sin and under the power of sin. Even Gentiles without the Mosaic law are “without excuse” because God’s moral order is revealed in creation and conscience (Romans 1:18–20; 2:14–15).
But Scripture also recognises degrees of accountability in Luke 12:47-48a. Jesus Himself teaches this explicitly: “And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating.”
Ignorance does not make one righteous, but it does affect judgment. Knowledge increases responsibility. This is not moral relativism; it is divine justice.
Unconscious Sin in the Old Testament
The Old Testament law itself distinguishes between sins committed deliberately and sins committed unintentionally: “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord’s commandments ought not to be done, and realises his guilt” (Leviticus 4:27).
Provision was made for unintentional sin through sacrifice. High-handed, defiant sin, however, brought severe judgment (Numbers 15:30–31).
This distinction is crucial. God never treats ignorance as righteousness, but neither does he ignore intention, knowledge, and the posture of peoples’ heart.
Does God Judge Differently?
The biblical answer is yes — but not in the way our modern sensibilities might assume.
God does not have different standards of holiness. His moral law reflects his own character, and he never lowers that standard. All sin is sin against a holy God (Psalm 51:4).
Yet God does judge justly, taking into account revelation received, knowledge possessed, and light rejected.
Paul makes it clear in Romans 2:12, “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.”
Judgment is always righteous, never arbitrary. God does not punish beyond what is just, nor excuse what is truly guilty.
The Pastoral Danger: Softening Sin or Hardening Grace
At this point, two equal and opposite dangers must be avoided.
The first is to soften sin by appealing to ignorance. The Bible does not let us say, “I didn’t know, therefore I am not guilty.” Even unconscious sin requires atonement. This is precisely why grace is so necessary.
The second danger to be avoided is to harden grace by treating all guilt as identical in both expression and consequence. Scripture does not flatten moral responsibility into a single undifferentiated category.
Romans 4:13-25 guards us from both errors. The law exposes sin and brings wrath, but it cannot bring inheritance. If inheritance depended on law-keeping, the promise would collapse.
Christ, the Law, and Full Accountability
In Christ, the law reaches its climax. With greater light comes greater responsibility. The gospel does not reduce accountability; it heightens it. “how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? ” (Hebrews 2:3a)
Those who hear the gospel and reject it stand under greater judgment than those who never heard it (Matthew 11:20–24). This should sober both preachers and hearers. Yet this same gospel offers the fullest provision for unconscious and conscious sin alike – “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7b)
Why This Matters for the Church
For pastors and teachers, this doctrine shapes preaching, pastoral care and much more. The law must be preached clearly so that sin may be known — not to save, but to drive sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ. For Christians, it cultivates humility. Because we sin more than we know. Our repentance must be ongoing, not only for what we remember, but for what God reveals.
And for seminarians and scholars, it preserves theological balance: God’s justice is precise, his mercy is vast, and his grace is never careless.
So, does God judge differently? Yes — according to perfect justice, full knowledge, and absolute holiness.
But does God save differently? No.
There is one promise, one inheritance, one justification — and it comes not through law, but through faith in Jesus Christ.
“That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:16-17)
In that grace, both conscious and unconscious sinners find their only hope – Praise the Lord!
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