Luke 1.6 describes them as careful to obey all of God’s laws in spirit as well as in letter.

If there really is a God doesn’t it make sense that His standard would be both the doing of what is right and with the right intent and motivation?

Religion always focuses on the doing of what it declares to be right without regard to the attitude of the heart. When God lived on earth in Jesus He made clear that God judged the heart for it was the determinant of right actions.

Certainly we can live without committing adultery or rape but none of us live without lusting. God said when we lust in our heart we have committed adultery.

This type of standard is not found in any religion outside of Christianity.

None of us appreciate hypocrites, those people who say one thing but do another. Neither does God appreciate those who do the right thing but with the wrong attitude, that is hypocrisy in His view.

Because God judges our thoughts and attitudes before our actions we all stand guilty before God as sinners.

All of us have thought badly of someone and while most of us have never carried through with our evil thoughts God in Jesus said those thoughts will be judged equally to those who carried them out.

This strict judgment seems the most right if there really is a God for God should not be able to be deceived by what we do when our hearts are far from His ways. But with this standard comes certain condemnation for everyone for no one is perfect in thought and deed.

Except God!

This is the good news that God lived perfectly as the man Jesus in order to exchange our imperfection for His perfection with us if we will ask Him for such a pardon and allow Him to Lord over us by no longer continuing to do those things that dishonor Him and submitting ourselves to His will.

There really is a God and His judgment will be at the very core of our deepest thoughts and feelings but thankfully pardon is available for everyone who surrenders to Jesus now before the Day of Judgment.