The crown of sin is hypocrisy. People pretend to be righteous, wise, and pious, though they know from the testimony of their consciences that, in relation to the holiness of God, they are very wicked. Over and above this hypocrisy, they hatefully judge their friends, and speak of them scornfully, as if they themselves were the models of piety, and their friends were rubbish.
Yet, Paul breaks your haughtiness. He takes off your false mask, and shows you that you that you have no sound judgment. Do you know anybody who is untruthful? You are more untruthful than he is. Have you seen a murderer? You are more murderous in your hatred than he is. Your thoughts about yourself are not true. The Spirit of God condemns you. He first condemns the false professors of piety, who consider themselves better than the other sinners, but have never known anything of true piety. Jesus was not crucified by the mobs, but by the proud hypocritical professors of religion who strut and boast like the peacock in their shows of piety, while on the inside they are tombs full of everything unclean.
God condemns you not only because of your works, but also because of your intents, thoughts, and wishes. Your dreams are evil from childhood. In your intent, you are selfish. You disobey God, oppose his designs, transgress his laws, and despise your fellowman. You are adulterous in your spirit, and separated from your Creator. Your evil thoughts proceed from your heart. However, in the Last Judgment, you will hear your recorded words, and see your photographed works, and your polluted intents, and you will tremble with terror, and keep silent. You are sinful. You are corrupt in the recess of your heart. Confess your malice in common, and never despise another sinner. Your neighbor may be very wicked. But your zeal against his wickedness is no proof of your innocence. You die to your own sins, for you are answerable for yourself before God. Therefore, know your criminal self in the pure holiness of God.
You may not accept these hard words, or you may only reason with them, without being broken in your haughtiness, or pouring out your heart in repentance before your Lord. Then be aware that your ignorance of your own condition does not save you from the Divine Judgment. The eternal right will prosecute you and condemn you. All the important religions in the world know something about the Day of Judgment. Some of them call it the Day of Resurrection, Al-Qari’ah, or doomsday. Only the unbelievers deny standing before the living God. In that hour, all your secrets, thoughts, words, and abominations will be uncovered before everyone, and you will have to give an account for every idle word which you spoke, for every penny you squandered, and for every minute you did not seize to glorify God; for you are a steward of God’s gifts, and he will settle accounts with you for everything he had deposited with you. The rays of the glory of God will penetrate into the inmost recesses of your heart and your past, more accurately and deeply than all the X rays and other instruments known in hospitals. You will stand there completely uncovered.