Matthew 7:21-23
[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. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Introduction
In our present day generation, to many people, Hell is merely a figment of ones imagination.
But in reality, Hell is the most horrifying places that a person could spend eternity.
Hell is a solitude place which the Almighty God created for Satan and all who follow him.
In Isaiah 5:14 the Prophet Isaiah says, "Therefore hell hath
enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure."
SOMEONE might be saying right now, "I don’t believe in Hell,
because God is a good God and He wouldn’t condemn anyone.
But let me ask you this question…. "Do you believe in Heaven?"
If so where did you get your information from?
From the Bible!…God’s Holy Word.
Well the same Bible that tells us about Heaven also tell us about the Horrors of Hell.
In fact, it tells us more about Hell than it does about Heaven.
If you believe in Heaven… you must believe in Hell
also.
• Who are we to say that one part of the Bible is true and another part is not true?
• Who are we to say that some parts of God’s Word should be
accepted and the other part rejected?
Let’s look for a moment at some Biblical expressions which
describes the Horrors of Hell.
Hell is called…….
• A Lake of Fire……… A Place of Everlasting Destruction.
• A Horrible Tempest… A Place of Weeping and Wailing.
• A Bottomless Pit……. A Place of Torment.
• A Devouring Fire…… A Place of Outer Darkness.
• A Place of Sorry……. A Place where men will have no Rest.
• A Place of No Hope….. A Place where the Fire is Unquenchable.
• A Place where the Worms….. and Maggots will never Die.
• A Place where Men will be Tormented with Fire and Brimstone.
Yes… By all means, with these graphic descriptions of Hell it should let us know that….
Hell is a reality and a terrible place to spend eternity.
• Hell Is A Place Of Conscience.... Unending Suffering.
All those who will go to Hell will go through conscience, unending suffering and torment for eternity in the unquenchable fires that burns both day and night without ceasing.
And all the lost souls in Hell will not be able to escape from the agony of the Worms and Maggots that will never die.
In Hell you will not be able to escape from the smell of
Death that will infiltrate your nostrils for eternity.
Yes… Hell is the worst place that one could spend eternity.
When I was a boy growing up in Oklahoma, I accidentally stuck my hand into a pack of worms that was on a tree.
But… I Thank God that I was able to shake my hand and all of the Worms fell off!
But…. In Hell you will not be able to shake the Worms and Maggots off.
They will forever crawl all over you.
They will work themselves into every body opening that you have. Yes… in your eyes…in your ears…in your mouth…. in your nose…And yes in places that we won’t even mention.
Hell will be a Place where the Worms and Maggots Will Never Die.
When I was a boy my friends and I would go to the pond not far from my house and dig around for crawfish and tadpoles.
As we dug around in that smelly black mud and the smell would get on our hands and clothing.
But…. I Thank God that we were able to wash our hands
and clothing and the horrible stench would go away.
Hell will be a Place … where there will be a Smell of Death that will infiltrate your nostrils for eternity.
When I go fishing or work out in the yard too long I get burned from the heat of the sun.
But …. I Thank God that I am able to put some medicine on my burn and ease my pain.
Hell will be a place where the pain… from the fire cannot be
eased.
The Fire in Hell will burn and torment you both day and night
for eternity.
Your Companions In Hell Will Be The Most Vilest Creatures.
How would you like to live in the same house for eternity with...
• Thieving Trustees..…
• Murdering Church Members…..
• Crack-Headed Choir Members.....
• Serial Killing Sunday School Teachers…..
• Wife and Husband Cheating Class Leaders….
• Child Molesting Preachers…
• Back Biting Missionaries….
• Lying Ushers…
• Back Stabbing Stewards.
And….. all of the filthy scum’s of this world that rejected God’s Plan of Salvation?
Well… in reality these will be your daily companions if you reject Jesus Christ and go to Hell.
Hell will be a place of conscience unending suffering…..
A Place of No Hope.
I have given you many horrible descriptions of Hell, but there is still one more that I would like to include with a little more elaboration.
Hell Will Be A Religious Place. As I stated earlier in my title, it will be… "A Religious Hell"….
In our text today…Jesus gives us the indication that "Hell Will Be A Religious Place.”
In Matthew 7: 21-23….. "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. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart fromme, ye that work iniquity."
Jesus is implying here that Hell will be filled to record breaking capacity with religious people.
• People who were religious….. but not Saved and Born Again
• People who were religious…. But not Holy Ghost filled and Fire Baptized.
• People who were religious…. But not Redeemed and Washed in the Blood of the Lamb.
• People who were religious and had a form of Godliness…. But denied the Power there of.
• People who were religious and was forever Learning… but never coming to the Knowledge of the Trust
• People who were religious…. But would not Practice what they was Preaching and Teaching.
• People who were religious…. But would not live Holy and Sanctified.
• People who were religious…. But would not Love One another.
• People who were religious…. But would Kill others with their tongue.
• People who were religious…. But would not Forgive others.
• People who were religious…. But would Test-A-Lie before they would Testify.
• People who were religious…. But would Never Say I’m Sorry or Repent of their sins.
• People who were religious…. But Evil to the very core of their hearts.
Being Religious will not save you….
But being Holy…Sanctified … and Christ-like will.
In this portion of our text... we hear the saddest words ever to fall upon the ears of Mankind.
"Depart From Me I Never Knew You."
These words will come from the lips of Jesus Himself….. and they should cause all of us to examine our own hearts ….. lest we too be deceived by the Devil.
I remind you that these words of Doom are to be pronounced upon Religious People.
People who had every intention of going to Heaven and Living in Glory!
Not one Drunkard…. Not one Liar…. Not one Whoremonger… or Infidel was in this group that Jesus called "Many".
Yes…. Some of the finest and most religious people in our communities and churches will make up the tragic number of people who was Religious…. But yet Lost.
There are many Choir members and Praise team members who sing religiously….
But they are not Saved and Born Again.
There are many Church members who come to church with the regularity of the Scribes and Pharisees religiously and shout and Test-A-Lie religiously….
But they are not Saved and Born Again…..
Because they never Repent of their Sins.
There are many Class Leaders who visit the sick and shut-in and warming the mourner bench religiously….
But they are not Saved and Born Again.
There are many Ushers who stand at the door and greet people religiously….
But they are not Saved and Born Again.
Sadly…. I say that many a pulpit being occupied by Pastors and Preachers who are religious….
But they are not Saved and Born Again.
This is why Paul said in Philipeans 2:12
but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
And in 1st Cor. 9:27 he said
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
This is something you have to work at, this is something you have to strive for…..
You see…. Being Religious will not Save us from Sin ….but Living Holy will.
Holiness is God’s standard of Living for His people and without Holiness we will not see God.
You see…. Being Religious will not Save us from Sin ….but
Living Sanctified will.
Living Sanctified means… being set apart or separated for the cause of Christ.
You see…. Being Religious will not Save us from Sin.…. but
Living Christ-like will.
It’s a pitiful fact that there are so many people who are religious..... but not saved.
They are good people.
People who are ready to serve on the church program..... yet they are not saved.
Hell, in Reality Will Be A Religious Place….
Because of the large number of Religious people who will go there for eternity.
Have you been Born Again.... or will you stand with the "Many" and hear Jesus Pronounce the Words of Doom… "I Never Knew You, Depart From Me, You Worker Of Iniquity.
Notice with me several things about the statement that Jesus made in this text…….
The Statement Jesus Made, Implies The Possibility Of One
Being Deceive By The Devil.
In Matthew 7:21 Jesus says…… "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."
• These Religious people were accustomed to saying. "Lord, Lord."
• These people were expecting to go to Heaven.
• These people honestly expected to be received into the Kingdom of God.
Yet they were deceived by the Devil!
• They were religious but not Born Again.
The Devil is the Arch Counterfeiter or the Chief Impostor.
He will slip a counterfeit over, on many Honest, upright and good people.
The Bible says… if it was possible even the most elect would be deceived also.
I Thank God for Jesus…..
Sometime the Devil uses the Counterfeit of Church Membership on us.
All saved people ought to join the Church and be baptized…. But Church Membership and baptism alone cannot save you. You must Live Holy.
Sometime the Devil uses the Counterfeit of Morality on us.
He will tell you its okay to reform yourself and stop lying and
cursing.
This should be done… but this alone will not save you.
"Reformation without Repentance is no good and it won’t save you."
In Luke 13:3 Jesus says…. "But, except ye repent, ye shall all
likewise perish."
And He repeated the same thing in verse 5 of the same chapter.
Repentance means to turn from one thing and turn to another, repentance from sin means you must turn from your sinful ways and turn to God and trust Him for the strength to help you not turn back.
Some time the Devil uses the Counterfeit of Self-Righteousness on us.
He tells us..... That we are good and we don’t need to be Born Again and Saved.
In Isaiah 64:6 the Prophet Isaiah says…. "But we are all as an
unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."
In Romans 3:10 & 12 the Apostle Paul says…. "There is none
righteous, no, not one: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."
To say that you are or you have or you do, is to call God a LIAR.
In Romans 3:23 the Apostle Paul says…… "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God."
If you have put your trust in any thing or any one other than The Lord Jesus.
You are being deceived.
And you will be among the great number that Jesus called "Many" who was "Religiously Lost and Eternally Deceived.
God is not mocked what every a man sow that will he reap also.
The Statement Jesus Made Identified Those Who Were
Hypocrites.
Many people in the Church today know that they are..... not Saved and Born Again. *****************************
And I’m sure that we have some here at The Living Word of God Church also… because every Church has them..... Amen.
You can fool your Pastor, family and friends sometimes about your Spiritual walk with the Lord…. Because we cannot see what in you heart.
But let me serve you a notice today…. You cannot fool God.
You can go on pretending if you want too…..
But, I serve you notice today… that there’s an eye in the sky… that sits high and looks low and He sees every thing that we do in the public and in secret."
I beckon you, to come out of your Hypocrisy and stop your
Pretending while there is still Hope for Redemption.
As you listen to the statement that Jesus made… Let it convict your heart and change you life.
Don’t let yourself be named among the…"Many…. Who will stand before the Judgment Seat of God and hear Jesus declare unto you….
"Depart From Me You Worker Of Iniquity, I Know You Not."
You may be fooling a lot of people…. But you cannot fool God.
I heard King David say…in the Psalms 139…. "
(1) O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. [2] Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. [3] Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. [4] For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether. [5] Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. 7] Whither shall I go from thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence? [8] If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. [9] If I
take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; [10] Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me."
Listen to me……
I would ten thousand times.... rather walk down the aisles of some church and repent and confess Jesus Christ.
And admit, that I have been Pretending and playing the part of a
hypocrite….and not worry about what someone else might think.
Than to be identified among the..... "Many that Jesus tells to
Depart from Me into Everlasting Darkness and Damnation."
I pray that God will help you see, that if your heart is not right .....and you know it’s not right ..... that you will surrender to His will and His plan for your life today.
It would better to say, Lord I’m sorry for all the wrong I’ve done Right Now.
Yes.... It’s far better to be identified..... Right Now….
Than to be identified at the Judgment Seat of God.....
When Jesus will look into the Book of Life, and tell you that your name is not written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Oh how sad it’s going to be to hear these word coming from the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings.
If there is any doubt in your mind about your salvation…. If I was you..... I would settle it for now and for eternity.
***************************************************
Well..... you might be thinking or saying…. "How Can I Have the Blessed Assurance and Know That I’m Saved."
Well I’m glad that you asked……
First…. The greatest source of assurance comes from the Word
of God itself.
….. By believing and letting the Word be rooted and grounded in your heart.
In Psalms 119:11 King David said… "Thy word have I hid in
mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
You will know that you’re saved and Born Again if your life is being governed by the standards of God’s Word.
Not by a feeling… neither by your experience… but by God’s Word will you know that you’re Saved and Born Again.
Secondly…. You Will Know You’re Saved and Born Again By
The Witness Of The Holy Spirit Of God.
In Romans 8:6 the Apostle Paul said…. "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
If you’re Saved… the Spirit will witness with your spirit.
If you’re not enjoying the blessed witness of the Spirit right now….
There is something wrong, and you need to surrender your will and your life to the Lord Jesus Christ right now…
.....Maybe your prayer life is not sincere.
…. Maybe your worship is not wholehearted.
….. Maybe you are not completely separated from the things in the world.
I tell you God’s Spirit will bear witness with your spirit…. If you’re Saved and Born Again.
Thirdly… You Will Know You’re Saved and Born Again By
Personally Examination Of Your Life.
Does your life bear the Fruit of the Spirit?
A Saved persons life will produce and bear the indwelling Spirit of God!…
In Galation 5:22 the Apostle says…. "But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith."
If you’re saved your life will show evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit of God.
Conclusion;
Many will say to Jesus…." Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
...... and in thy name have cast out devils?
..... and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then Jesus Christ will I declare unto them....
I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
• Hell will be eternal Banishment from the presence of God….. and from any Hope of going to Heaven.
• Hell is a region where the Fire shall never be quenched.
• Hell is a place of filth where the Worms and Maggots will never die.
Someone once said…."Hell is the Dumping Place for all of the Filth of this earth."
Since, Jesus Christ Himself spoke these Words about Hell….
To me this verifies the surety and Reality of a Literal Hell.
May God Bless and have Mercy upon all those who deny and teach others to believe that there is "No Place Called Hell."
Start alter call music……………………………………….
Everyone stand, every eye closed and every head bowed…….
Adlib here………..
If there is any doubt in your heart and your Soul.
I beg you, come to this alter to fall upon your knees right now and let Jesus Christ fully come into your Heart as your Personal Savior.
If your 99% sure, that’s not good enough, you won’t make it.
You need to know, that you know, that you know.
Don’t worry about what those around you might think, don’t worry about what they might say…
There is too much at stake here… Heaven is real…Hell is real…One is to be had… the other is to be shunned.
Don’t be deceived by the Devil.... and stand with the "Many"… who will forever be Lost and Banished from
the presence of the Almighty God.
• If you’re anything less than 100% sure…PLEASE come and pray…
• If you’re in a backslidden state… PLEASE come and pray…
• If you feel that you need assurance…or feel you need to re-dedicate your life, your family, your children…PLEASE come and pray…
It’s better to deal with it now, than to later hear those dreaded words “Depart from me”
