613 laws of God and all given via Moses to prepare us all for the need of a Saviour to rescue us from the penalty of not being able to do them!
Paul talks a lot about the law simply because that is the high standard of God. Take away the standards and the holiness and there can be no sin.
Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. (Romans 3 v 19-20)
Every mouth silenced and the whole world accountable for their own sin. No one person is excluded.
But what about what Paul said in 2:13 “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.”? That’s the point: no one has been able to fulfil the law in order to be declared righteous. No one but Jesus.
Every person that ever lived is speechless before God. That’s the point. It is like the criminal in the court now awaiting sentence. There isn’t anything that can be said. There is no defence. All they have to rely on is the mercy of the judge.
No one can appeal to their good works done aligned to God’s laws. No one can claim any heritage of religious duty. No one can achieve the standards of God. Silenced.
Missions Paul 