Romans 2:12

For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without the law: and as many as have sinned under the law shall be judged by the law;

'Without law' -clearly in the context, the 'law' being spoken of is the Law of Moses.. 'sinned under the law'. "That it cannot be 'law' in general is clear from the fact that there can be no sin unless there exists some law to transgress. (Romans 4:15; Romans 5:13; 1 John 3:4)"

The Gentiles, 'those without the law of Moses', still sinned, this demands that they were under law to God."Much is being said today about certain laws being binding only upon God's 'covenant people', as if there have been people in the world who were not God's covenant people. This concept is totally foreign to the Scriptures. Just as surely as all men have always been amenable to God, just that surely all people are 'God's covenant people'. There is no way people who are under law to God are not God's covenant people."

'Sinned under the law' -Possessing the law of Moses was no protection from condemnation.

The person that refuses to come to Christ, that says, 'I want to stand before God on my own merits', needs to realize that the only way to stand right with God outside of Christ is to have flawlessly kept the law of God. But law is. merciless judge for it demands no less than perfection.