--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Paul suggests that gentiles can practice…" description: "\"“Paul suggests that gentiles can practice a law written in their hearts, which will be seen as not only equal to but also above the written Torah…It sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/willis-barnstone-110998_bible_paul-suggests-that-gentiles-can-practice_212750.jpg" --- # Paul suggests that gentiles can practice a law written in… ![“Paul suggests that gentiles can practice a law written in their hearts, which will be seen as not only equal to but also above the written Torah…It should be remembered that in Paul’s day the only religious law for Paul was that of the Jewish Bible, in Hebrew… Though Torah and the New Testament…” quote by Willis Barnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/willis-barnstone-110998_bible_paul-suggests-that-gentiles-can-practice_212750.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/willis-barnstone-110998_bible_paul-suggests-that-gentiles-can-practice_212750.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/999/willis-barnstone-110998_bible_paul-suggests-that-gentiles-can-practice_212750.jpg) > ““Paul suggests that gentiles can practice a law written in their hearts, which will be seen as not only equal to but also above the written Torah…It should be remembered that in Paul’s day the only religious law for Paul was that of the Jewish Bible, in Hebrew… Though Torah and the New Testament, including Paul’s letters, will eventually shape church law, the New Testament’s books are not in themselves composed as law. They are not a self-consciously composed constitution. They contain no Ten Commandments in form or statement.”” [Willis Barnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-barnstone/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage explains that Paul viewed the law written in the heart as superior to the written Torah, but that the New Testament itself is not a legal code and lacks a formal constitution or Ten Commandments. **In simple terms:** Paul valued inner law over written law, yet the New Testament isn't a legal document. Key Takeaway Distinguish between moral spirit and formal law. Themes religion scripture law theology Mood thoughtful analytical Type theological explanatory When to use this quote - theological study - personal faith practice - church governance Key Concepts inner morality canon law interpretation Questions to Reflect On - Does inner law replace written law? - How do churches interpret Paul's teachings? A Different Perspective The summary may oversimplify Paul's nuanced theology. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Judaism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judaism/) [Law Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-paul-2192311/) [Law Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-written-563565/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Paul Letters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paul-letters-1052904/) [Paul Suggests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paul-suggests-2192310/) [Ten commandments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten-commandments/) [Written Torah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-torah-2192309/) ## Related quotes > [“Yes, Paul led his friends into all sorts of risks for Christ’s sake, but they followed him cheerfully, confident of his love for them.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders-2/yes-paul-led-his-friends-into-all-sorts-of-risks-for-christ-s-sake/) [J Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders-2/) > [Another thing I like to say to my students is this: "How many Corinthians read Paul's letters?" The answer is none. They couldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/another-thing-i-like-to-say-to-my-students-is-this-how-many/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [There is a law written in the darkest of the Books of Life, and it is this: If you look at a thing nine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-law-written-in-the-darkest-of-the-books-of-life-and-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but the moral law is written on the tablets of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/opinions-alter-manners-change-creeds-rise-and-fall-but-the-moral-law/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I will stand up for judges who faithfully follow the law as it is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-long/i-will-stand-up-for-judges-who-faithfully-follow-the-law-as-it-is/) [Wendy Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-long/) > [All I can say is that with business and the interest of any party before me, I will consider and apply the law as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/all-i-can-say-is-that-with-business-and-the-interest-of-any-party/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [“When a fixed code of laws, which must be observed to the letter, leaves no further care to the judge than to examine the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesare-beccaria/when-a-fixed-code-of-laws-which-must-be-observed-to-the-letter-leaves/) [Cesare Beccaria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesare-beccaria/) > [For me, I've tried to always live in the moment and I don't think that much about what is law, what is written down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-carrera/for-me-i-ve-tried-to-always-live-in-the-moment-and-i-don-t-think-that/) [Carmen Carrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-carrera/) > [“ROM2.15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rom2-15-which-shew-the-work-of-the-law-written-in-their-hearts-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gods law has been written on all of our consciences, but only in Christ is it written on our hearts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/gods-law-has-been-written-on-all-of-our-consciences-but-only-in/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [Every law that was ever written opened up a new way to graft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/every-law-that-was-ever-written-opened-up-a-new-way-to-graft/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [There exists a law, not written down anywhere but inborn in our hearts; a law which comes to us not by training or custom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/there-exists-a-law-not-written-down-anywhere-but-inborn-in-our-hearts/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is a voice forever sounding across the centuries the laws of right and wrong. Opinions alter, manners change, creeds rise and fall, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anthony-froude/history-is-a-voice-forever-sounding-across-the-centuries-the-laws-of/) [James Anthony Froude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anthony-froude/) > [The Ten Commandments don't tell you what you ought to do: They only put ideas into your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-bibesco/the-ten-commandments-don-t-tell-you-what-you-ought-to-do-they-only/) [Elizabeth Bibesco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-bibesco/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Willis Barnstone > [“The Bible is a work of art. Were it not art, were it simply an instruction manual, it would not satisfy or convince, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willis-barnstone/the-bible-is-a-work-of-art-were-it-not-art-were-it-simply-an/) [Willis Barnstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-barnstone/) [Explore all 2 Willis Barnstone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willis-barnstone/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) [Michael Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-arnold/) > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) [Robert A. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-peterson/) > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) [Stephen Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-taylor/) > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) [Walsham How](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walsham-how/) > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? 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They came together the first day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/the-definition-of-a-church-is-crystal-clear-in-the-new-testament-we/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) [Browse all 8,465 Bible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Paul suggests that gentiles can practice a law written in their hearts, which will be seen as not only equal to but also above the written Torah…It should be remembered that in Paul’s day the only religious law for Paul was that of the Jewish Bible, in Hebrew… Though Torah and the New Testament, including Paul’s letters, will eventually shape church law, the New Testament’s books are not in themselves composed as law. They are not a self-consciously composed constitution. 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