Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (Matthew 7:21-23)
Who are the people that believe they have salvation but Jesus will deny having known them?
Sometimes I lead a Bible class and begin a discussion by asking, “Who here has salvation?” Every hand goes up or everyone says “I do”. I’ve never asked this question in a class and had anyone say “not me”. Then I ask who it is that thinks they have salvation but actually have no relationship with Jesus at all, and everyone points to someone else. It’s the Catholics. Or, it’s the Seventh Day Adventists. It’s always some other group, some other people, but never us. We are always good; “they” are always the problem.
Isn’t that interesting? Everyone says they have salvation. And, everyone says the people Jesus will deny are some other group in some other building with some other doctrine.
First, Jesus said Professing Him as Lord is Not Enough
Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven…
Jesus made it clear not everyone who professes to believe or follow him will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Right off the bat we see that merely professing “Jesus is lord” is not enough. Just believing Jesus is lord is not enough. Just knowing the truth of Jesus is not enough. Anyone can speak the words. Anyone can be aware of the facts. But, it’s just not enough.
This should make sense, because we see throughout the Bible that Satan knows who and what God is; but, that knowledge does nothing for him. Satan knows who and what Jesus is. Satan knows how salvation by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus works. But, knowing these things doesn’t extend salvation to Satan. Believing these facts to be true doesn’t restore Satan to a relationship with God and Messiah. One can know all about Jesus but not be known by him.
In Acts 19, we see the sons of Sceva try to benefit by dropping Jesus’ name. Apparently, the sons of Sceva believed Jesus had real power and authority over demons. They believed in Jesus’ power enough to act on it, to boldly confront a demon, and to trust in proclaiming Jesus’ authority over the evil spirit. But, just proclaiming Jesus’ lordship did not extend any benefit to Sceva’s sons. Nor did trusting in Jesus’ authority help Sceva’s sons. Yes, they had knowledge of Jesus. Yes, they had enough faith to put that knowledge into actual practice. But, they were beaten because they had no legitimate relationship with Jesus to be able to call on his authority.
…but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Jesus directly stated that only those who do his Father’s will shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Not just those who know the facts of the Bible. Not just those who believe Jesus and the Bible to be true. No, only people who actually obey and practice God’s will can enter the kingdom of heaven.
This should make sense, because God has always required obedience to His instructions and commandments. God always said to love Him is to obey Him, and to obey Him is to love Him. God always hated rebelliousness and indifference to His instructions. God always favored those who walk in His ways and do His will with sincerity.
In James 2, we see that faith without works is dead. If we say we have faith in God and Messiah but want nothing to do with obeying and practicing the commandments of God and Messiah…our faith is a fraud. Dead faith can’t save us from anything, so we can’t expect to live like this and think we’re getting in to the Kingdom.
Second, Jesus Shut Down the Excuses and Rationales
On that day many will say to me, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?”
In Jesus’ teaching, he identified the myriad of excuses people might offer to justify themselves. When facing Jesus for judgment people will boast in their ministry efforts, the spiritual messages they believe they got from Jesus, the power and gifts of the Spirit they think they wielded, and the great accomplishments they think they made. But, Jesus will not accept these works.
All the things mentioned in this passage truly are the will of God, if they are done properly and through Him. Of course God wants us to minister, to deliver His messages, to stand against the enemy, and to perform great deeds for His glory and purpose. But these are all things we can do apart from God as well, without having any relationship with Him.
This should make sense. Aren’t we capable of doing ministry on our own terms? Don’t we see people impart messages they say were given them by God and the Spirit but actually are not divinely inspired? Can’t we see people build large organizations with lots of members and resources, but the Spirit of God is not with them? Aren’t there self-serving people drawing a large fan-base and making millions of dollars off God Inc?
On the one hand, the things mentioned in this passage can be the will of God
On the other hand, these things can be done by the will of the self
These things can be done with a relationship to Jesus
These things can be done without a relationship to Jesus
So, what exactly is the distinction? What did these people lack? Or, what did this people do wrong?
Finally, Jesus Stated the Problem
And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
Ultimately, the issue that separated these people from Jesus is…they are workers of lawlessness. Yes, they profess Jesus as lord. Yes, they devote themselves to serving God in ways He normally wants. But the deciding factor is that these people make a habit and lifestyle of disobeying God’s Law. These are people who know about Jesus and are motivated to do stuff; however, they remain in lifelong rebellion to God’s instructions and commandments.
This should make sense. Didn’t Jesus fully obey God’s Law? Aren’t we are told to be conformed to Jesus’ image and walk as he walked? Didn’t Jesus tell people to repent, to go and sin no more? Didn’t Jesus say that anyone who practices and teaches the Law and the Prophets will be great in his kingdom? When did Jesus ever teach we can intentionally live apart from God’s Law, with no desire to ever change, and still get in to the Kingdom of Heaven?
In 1 John 3, we see that Lawlessness (being without Law, or apart from Law) is the Biblical definition of what sin is. It’s our lawlessness that caused our condemnation in the first place. It’s our lawlessness that Jesus died to redeem us from. If we are born of God we can’t continue living a lifestyle of intentional, habitual, lawlessness. If we do remain in a practice of lawlessness then we are of the devil, we have never known Jesus at all, and we are fooling ourselves to think otherwise. Our practice of lawfulness or lawlessness is the evidence of whom we know and belong to, according to the apostle Jesus loved.
Concluding Remarks
This is not a teaching of “works-based salvation”. This is a teaching of obedience-based relationship. And this is what God and Messiah have taught throughout the entire Bible. If we love God, we will obey His commandments. If we obey God then we know Him and He acknowledges us. Satan’s work has always been to get people to turn against God and rebel against His commandments. If we despise God’s Law and make it our practice to disobey, that is evidence we are following Satan’s lead and have never known Jesus.
Atonement for sin is made by Jesus’ blood-sacrifice
Salvation is obtained though faith in Jesus as our redeemer
but…
Evidence of our relationship with Jesus is our desire and willingness to be lawful citizens of his kingdom
If we didn’t obey God before we were saved, and we don’t obey God after we are saved, then nothing has changed…we are exactly the same rebellious children we have always been. Still doing the same lawless deeds that originally condemned us. Still doing the same lawless deeds that caused Jesus to suffer and die on our behalf. Still doing the same lawless deeds that Satan delights in. The same. No change. No relationship. Holding on to our dead, empty, doctrinal faith that can’t possibly save us.
If we won’t change, we will be expelled from God’s presence on the day of judgement.