If people believe in the existence of God as well as the distinction between good and evil in the conduct of human affairs, they will yearn for a just reckoning upon those who have done evil to themselves and others as well as for forgiveness for their sins done towards others.
Even for those who have no exposure to Divine revelation, there is the naturally intuitive response of accusing those who wrong them and finding excuses for the wrong they themselves have done to others, right down to the day of God’s judgment (Romans 2:14-16). Another inescapable fact beyond accusing (others) and excusing (ourselves) is the desiring of forgiveness for our own wrongdoings but a reluctance to forgive others of their wrongdoings toward us. This blatant violation of the Golden Rule of treating others as we desire to be treated (Matthew 7:12, specifically Matthew 6:14-15 on the matter of forgiving others so that God will forgive us). The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18;21-35) warns us not to be unforgiving after we ourselves have been forgiven.
What about the God Who will judge us? The scriptures forewarn mortals that, “... The Lord will judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (1 Corinthians 10:30-31). Indeed, the Divine judge is to be feared for His ability to punish a soul in hell (Luke 12:4-5). To be forewarned by God to fear Him so that we will keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14) is the best evidence of a loving God Who does not desire our eternal ruin as punishment after the judgment at thelast day (2 Corinthians 5:9-10).
Furthermore, our Judge is fair to provide a balanced picture of how He will dispense justice. Beyond showing favour through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son for repentant sinners obedient to the Gospel, He reminds us, “Do not be haughty but fear ... consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” (Romans 11:20, 22).
Indeed, referring to the people of Old Testament Israel as His chosen from whose bloodline should be born the Saviour, our great Judge repeats a principle by which He will judge all men: it is what they manifestly are in the end (not at the beginning nor at anytime along life’s journey) that will determine whether they will be rewarded for all eternity or punished. As long as they have physical life in “this tent” (2 Corinthians 5:1), sinners have time to repent and change our ways for the better in the time He gives us (2 Peter 3:9), another evidence if His loving, forgiving nature.
In a world full of unbelievers who are quick to see “unfairness” in all of God’s dealings with mankind, He chooses to make a case for His fairness in His judgments. He does this succinctly and yet comprehensively in Ezekiel 18:1-32 as well as 33:12-20. The theme is clearly the incontrovertible proof of the fairness of God in all His judgments, wherein there is provision for the worst of sinners to repent and turn over a new leaf (Ezekiel 18:30-32; 33:14-16). The converse is, of logical necessity, also true: he who begins with righteous living but falls into unrighteousness, he will dies in unrighteousness if he does not repent (Ezekiel 33:17-20).
Above all, there is no hint in the slightest of “inherited sin” nor “original sin” in the fair judgment of God before whom all sinners stand bearing only their personal sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23).
9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. - 2 Corinthians 5:9-10