And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
You know what God wants and can tell right from wrong because you've been taught from his law.
Having God's instruction means you actually know the difference between good and better.
📚 Historical Context
In the first century AD, the Apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Romans to address the relationship between faith, the Jewish law, and true righteousness among both Jews and Gentiles. In Romans 2:18, Paul is specifically critiquing Jewish readers who prided themselves on knowing God's will through the Old Testament law and discerning what was morally excellent, yet he warns that this knowledge alone does not guarantee a right standing with God. This reflects the broader cultural context where Jews relied on the law as a marker of their spiritual superiority.
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