“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.” -Romans 2:12
Here Paul clearly affirms that a written law is unnecessary for the just condemnation of a sinner. Since God is impartial when he judges, he will judge “those without the law” by the revelation they have received, both in nature and in their consciences. With these alone, they will be found guilty—with out excuse—because they have not acted in accordance with the light they’ve been shown. And, as we’ve seen previously, some of that judgment is intrinsic, meaning it is realized in the consequences of their sin.
He further affirms that the Jews, having been given a written law through Moses, stand condemned by their law. For Deuteronomy 27:26 says, “ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’” In other words, being a Jew does not mean absolute security from judgment; rather, it means absolute clarity, absolute certainty, and absolute priority in judgment.