For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
~ Romans 2:12-14
We are judged by our actions, whether or not we know God’s law. The Scripture calls us to be the doers of the law, not the hearers of the law. The Israelites thought they were saved because they were God’s people; many people in church today believe they are saved by their church membership or attendance. But our righteousness is not determined by what group we belong to, but by what we do.
Holy, everlasting God, I know I am not justified on the basis of going to church. You look at what I say and do—and on that basis, I am not righteous, Lord. I do things I should not do, and I do not do things I should. Going to church doesn’t make me righteous. I will never stand in my own righteousness; I need Your righteousness. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
These daily devotions are available in a book The Grace of God, with all profits donated to Love for the Least to share the compassion of Christ with an unreached world. L4L shares the Good News of the Gospel with the least and unreached by making disciples of Jesus who make disciples (2 Tim 2:2) and by helping to meet the physical needs of the poorest of the poor.