The basis for all judgment is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 2:16; John 3:16-21). Knowledge of God and of His gospel are not equally available to all people in the world. Will God take this inequality into account when He judges? This is a legitimate question. God’s  judgments are just and fair.  

 Yes, God does take into account the amount of light we had and what we did with it. All men will be judged according to the light they had, and punishment will be tempered accordingly.  

The Gentiles will be judged according to the law written on their hearts and in their conscience (Romans 2:12-16). 

 The Jews will be judged according to the Old Testament Law (Romans 2:12-16). 

 Christians will be judged according to the gospel. Also they will be held accountable for the amount of revelation they received of God’s will and provisions for them. More light means more responsibility (Luke 12:47, 48; Matthew 13:12; John 9:39-41). 

Christian leaders will be judged more severely than other believers. They will be held accountable not only for their own lives but for the affect they had on others. They will account for their stewardship both of teaching and of watching for the souls of those committed to their care (James. 3:1; Matthew 5:19; 18:5, 6; Hebrews 13:17). 

Those who hear the gospel but reject it will be judged more severely than those who never heard (John 12:48;15:22).

 These distinctions in reward and punishment demonstrate what is meant by being judged “according to our works.” What we do and do not do in light of what we know will determine our judgment. We are in this sense writing our own sentence by every decision we make.  

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin (James 4:17).