Some people, who do not know Jesus, say things like, ‘When I see God I will tell Him what I think ...!’  What foolish arrogance!  Paul says that when we all see God, and that means everybody, we will all become silent before Him.  We will not be able to answer any accusation, blame Him or make any excuse.  That happened when the religious leaders confronted Jesus; they could not defend themselves against the truth He spoke about them (Luke 20:26).

Paul was continuing to address those in the Roman church who had a Jewish background.  His argument is simple: you Jews have the law, you know what pleases God but you are unable to do everything right.  Paul later used himself as an example, saying, “ …I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do – this I keep on doing …” (from Romans 7:14-24)

Both religious and irreligious people will be found guilty of failing to meet God's perfect standard.  And so will the Apostle Paul.  Those who know God's law will be judged on their failure to keep it. And those who have never heard will be judged on their failed personal response to the voice of their conscience (Romans 2:12-15).  Paul is starting to summarise the ‘bad news’ which is the background against which the ‘good news’ of salvation by faith in Christ can be presented.  The apostle is demolishing the religious arguments that say, ‘Be as good as you can and God will accept you’.  Without Jesus as our attorney in heaven to defend us, we will have no way to defend ourselves against God’s wrath (1 John 2:1-2).

Satan's great delusion is that there are no consequences to sin.  He says that there is no court in heaven and that nobody can be accountable to God.  But the devil is wrong; he is telling very big lies (John 8:44). The truth is in this Scripture: it is designed to drive us to listen to the gospel message (www.crosscheck.org.uk). There will be no excuses we can offer; but we can believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept His death instead of the punishment that should come to us.  And we can tell our friends and colleagues about Jesus who loved us and gave Himself for us (Ephesians 5:2), because whatever they think, they will all face God and, without faith in Christ Jesus, none will have any answer.