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For when Gentiles who do not have the Law naturally do the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they demonstrate the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Romans 2:14–16, LSB

I know a lot of “good” people who do not believe in Jesus Christ. We indeed have a lot of people who do good in the world and live lives that are not immoral by most people's standards. There is a natural law that God has placed in creation, and these will guide people to do things that they believe are just and right by those standards, but it is not these good things that save them. Without our Lord Jesus Christ, we are never able to fulfill God’s Law perfectly. We are not truly capable of keeping the natural Law written upon our hearts because we all have things within us we know are not right. These are the secrets Paul was speaking of.  We justify those secrets in our own ways, but the reality is that they have already convicted us, and without Jesus’ redemption, there is no hope. No sacrifice or work on our part will take any of our failure away, but in Christ we are given His full forgiveness and may enter into His peace.

Let us pray. I thank you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept me this night from all harm and danger, and I ask you to protect me this day also from sin and every evil, that in all I do today, I may please you. For into your hands, I commend myself, my body and soul, and all that is mine. Let your holy angel watch over me, that the wicked foe have no power over me. Amen.