“Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” (Romans 2:15–16, KJV 1900)
I mentioned before that I have been in courtrooms on juries, and also to give testimony, and support. It is amazing when you look at the prosecutor and his paralegal. They march into the courtroom with massive binders of documents dealing with the case. They are affidavits, records of interviews and interrogations, photographs and a plethora of other things that will be introduced as evidence. I cannot remember seeing any acquittals of the accused. I believe this is what it will be like in the final judgment.
Paul, continuing in the thought that God is not a respecter of persons, has just explained that both the Jew who sins under the law and the Gentile who sins without the law will both be judged and found wanting. Neither the Jew or the Gentile shall escape the judgment.
Paul then indicates that when Gentiles do that which the law requires, they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. In some way, even the Gentiles who are without the Mosaic law have a moral code that they understand. Moreover, God has endowed every person, both Jew and Gentile, with a conscience, which is a moral compass that responds to the law written in their hearts. Thus, in the judgment, a person’s knowledge of his deeds will affirm his own verdict.
On that day, the day of judgment, the secret and hidden things of people will be brought to light. The sins about which men presume no one knows, will be brought before the judgment. The reason is that God knows everything, even the deepest forbidden and hidden thoughts of man. The book of revelation indicates that a day is coming when the books shall be opened, in which the deeds of all people have been recorded. In those books will be condemning evidence of sin worthy of death. It will be a dreadful day for all but a few. For there will be another book, the book of life and some will find their name in it, these are the ones who have believed on Jesus Christ and they alone will escape such a fierce punishment for their sin. (Revelation 20:12-15) Praise the Lord that for us who believe, our name is written in The Book of Life.
Renewing the Heart 