An Argument In Eternity Series

An Argument in Eternity

Matthew 7:21-23

August 14, 2005

OPEN: Student in Dr. Barrett’s class that argued his answers with foolish, untrained logic. He was arguing with a professor who had written his doctrinal dissertation on comparing the accuracy of the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the OT, with the original Hebrew. How foolish. Yet the Bible tells us of something even more foolish than this – men who will argue with Christ in eternity!

I. A Distinction

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

• It should be noted that it is Jesus that makes this distinction.

• There can be no mistake.

• Oh if we could get our world to understand this.

• If we could get Calvary members to understand it!

A. Entrance is Not By Man’s Words (Not Confession, Not Oratory)

• The name Jesus is cheaply used today.

• To some it is a word of profanity.

• To some it is a word of magic.

• They say, “Lord, Lord”

• Jesus name is thrown around by everyone from Dolly Parton to Bill Clinton.

• You can take your hat off for the opening prayer at a Clemson game, and even say amen at the end of it, but that is no sign that you have a sure home for eternity!

• The scriptures record many who use this appeal to the Lord’s name.

• Their words are the same as the five foolish virgins, and they are just as doomed!

Matthew 25:11-12 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. [12] But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

• But it is not by man’s words that we enter into Heaven.

• Consider a little story tucked away in the 19th chapter of Acts:

Acts 19:13-17 Then certain of the vagabond [NOTE: wandering] Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. 14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. 15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? 16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. 17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

B. But Entrance is By God’s Will (But Conformity, But Obedience)

Mark 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

1 John 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

Romans 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

II. A Delusion (22A)

22 Many will say to me in that day

2447. Pentium Cover-Up Hurts July 1994

Intel learned that its Pentium processing chip had a flaw. The chip would occasionally give wrong answers for division problems using large numbers.

Intel believed this was a minor flaw, something they felt would affect the average user once every twenty-seven thousand years. So Intel decided not to make known the flaw and for months continued to promote and sell the flawed computer chip.

But by Thanksgiving word of the flaw began circulating among computer users. Intel finally acknowledged the problem, but tried to downplay its significance. They refused to exchange the flawed chip except in special circumstances.

Only when IBM decided to stop selling computers with a Pentium chip did Intel back down, and agree to exchange the chip when anyone requested.

NOTE: I remember the day that a tech came to my home to replace my chip! Paul Sirois has that computer today!

The Pentium affair was a huge black eye on the image of the company, less because their chip had a flaw, and more because they tried to cover it up.

-Craig Brian Larson

-Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustration

• It is bad when a trusted company deceives us!