"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. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in they name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:21-23).
John MacArthur in his book, The Gospel According to Jesus, writes,
Jesus spoke the words of Matthew 7:21-23 as a warning to people who think they are saved but do not live in obedience to God. Unlike preachers today who go to excessive lengths to avoid upsetting anyone’s assurance, our Lord was determined to destroy the false hope of all who falsely thought they were redeemed. He often challenged such people. He never encouraged someone who was unsure of salvation to ignore the doubts. His message stands in stark contrast to the gospel of today, which seems designed specifically to prop up false assurance. The pattern of modern evangelism is to give people a pleasing and easy message; take them through a simple formula; get them to pray a prayer, sign a card, or whatever; then tell them they are saved and should never doubt it. Such an approach to witnessing actually fights against the Holy Spirit, whose ministry is to bring both assurance to those who are truly saved (Rom. 8:16) and conviction to those who are not (John 16:8-9). God knows the difference; we do not. It is not our job to certify people’s salvation [p. 214].
God’s Word encourages SPIRITUAL SELF-EXAMINATION. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul writes, "EXAMINE YOURSELVES, WHETHER YE BE IN THE FAITH."
For fifteen years Jim Fixx, author of the 1978 bestseller, The Complete Book on Running, ran eighty miles a week. He appeared to be in tip-top shape. It didn’t seem possible that a man his age could be in better condition. Yet at age fifty-two Fixx died of a massive heart attack while running alone on a Vermont road. His wife, Alice, later said she was certain that Fixx had no idea he suffered from a heart problem. Why? Because he refused to get regular checkups. After Jim Fixx’s death, doctors speculated that his heart was so strong he may not have had the telltale chest pains or shortness of breath that usually signal heart disease! [sermonillustrations. com].
Just as Jim Fixx was mistaken about his physical well-being, so many people today are mistaken about their spiritual well-being.
The sad truth is that many people who think they are Christians are self-deceived. They think they are on the road to heaven when they are actually on the road to destruction.
Matthew 7:13-14
BOTH ROADS CLAIM TO BE THE WAY TO GOD. The wide gate is not marked "This Way to Hell"; it is labeled "This Way to Heaven," the same as the narrow gate. It just does not go there.
Notice the end of verse 14: "FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT."
Someone once asked Jesus, "Lord are there few that be saved?" His answer was, "STRIVE to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able" (Luke 13:23-24). The word "strive" implies an intense struggle. This goes against the modern idea that salvation is easy.
"Don’t believe anyone who says it’s easy to become a Christian. Salvation for sinners cost God His own Son; it cost God’s Son His life, and it’ll cost you the same thing" [John MacArthur, Hard to Believe, p. 93].
1. NOT EVERYONE WHO PROFESSES JESUS TO BE LORD WILL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (v. 21a).
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. . . ."
"Ye call me Lord and Master: and ye say well; for so I am" (John 13:13).
To address Jesus as Lord is to address Him as the one true God. Jesus is therefore talking about those who make a profession of faith in Him.
John Montgomery Boice writes,
Across [North] America on any given Sunday thousands of sermons will be preached to those who are Christians to urge them to live like Christians, and many thousands more will be preached to those who are not Christians to urge them to believe in Jesus. I doubt if many are preached to those who already believe the doctrines of Christianity and who think they are Christians but who, nevertheless, have never come to the point of accepting the Lord Jesus Christ personally as their Savior. . . .
The interesting thing about the situation that I have just described is that most people who listen to Christian preaching are, I am convinced, in the last of these categories. That is, they are not genuinely born-again Christians, but neither are they hostile to Christianity. They believe the doctrines. It is just that they have never committed themselves to Jesus Christ and are not really his. They believe, but they are not disciples. They do not deny Christ, but neither to they follow him [The Gospel of John, vol. 2, p. 637].
The people Jesus describes in this verse have God’s name in their mouths, but rebellion is in their hearts.
Charles Spurgeon said, "Our King receives not into his kingdom those whose religion lies in words and ceremonies; but only those whose lives display the obedience of true discipleship."
2. NOT EVERYONE WHO PERFORMS WONDERFUL WORKS IN JESUS’ NAME WILL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (vv. 22-23).
"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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Prophesying, casting out demons, and doing miracles are not proofs of true salvation.
Is it possible that actual prophecies were made, demons cast out, and some king of miracles performed even by those who were not genuine believers?
Three possible explanations:
1. The works were accomplished by God’s power.
The wicked high priest Caiaphas unwittingly and unintentionally "prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation" (John 11:51).
2. The works were accomplished by Satan’s power.
Jesus predicted that "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great sign and wonder; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect" (Matthew 24:24).
3. The claims were false.
Jesus will say to these people on the day of judgement, "I NEVER KNEW YOU."
Of course He knows them; He knows everything. The word "KNOW" in the Bible is used to characterize an intimate personal relationship.
In Amos 3:2, God said of Israel, "You only have I KNOWN of all the families of the earth." That doesn’t mean the only people He knew about were Jews, but that He had an intimate relationship with just them.
The Old Testament says, "Adam KNEW his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain" (Genesis 4:1). That doesn’t mean he knew who she was, or her knew her name; it means that he knew her in the intimate act of marriage.
In a unique and beautiful way the Lord "KNOWETH them that trust in him" (Nahum 1:7).
"There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness" (Proverbs 30:12).
The words of an engraving from the cathedral of Lubeck, Germany, reflect our Lord’s teaching in Matthew 7:21-23:
Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us, You call Me master and obey Me not, you call Me light and see Me not, you call Me the way and walk Me not, you call Me life and live Me not, you call Me wise and follow Me not, you call Me fair and love Me not, you call Me rich and ask Me not, you call Me eternal and seek Me not, if I condemn thee, blame Me not.
3. ONLY THOSE WHO PRACTICE THE WILL OF GOD WILL ENTER INTO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (vv. 21b, 23b).
3.1 Those who "work iniquity" will not enter into the kingdom of heaven."
". . . depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (v. 23b).
The phrase "YE THAT WORK INIQUITY" indicates continuous, regular action and identifies the unforgiven sin and unrighteous life patterns of those claimers of salvation. You continually and habitually "work iniquity" is the idea. PROFESSION OF CHRIST AND PRACTICE OF SIN ARE TOTALLY INCOMPATIBLE.
The Lord knows well that even His most faithful disciples will fail, stumble, and fall into sin. Otherwise He would not have told us to pray, "Forgive us our debts" (Matt. 6:12). And when "we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). No Christian is sinless, but the fact that we continually confess our sins, seek the Lord’s forgiveness, and long for righteousness (Matt. 5:6) is evidence that we belong to Him. God’s will may not be the PERFECTION of the true believer’s life, but it is the DIRECTION of it.
It is not a SINLESS obedience that is here in view, but it is a SINCERE one.
3.2 Those who do the will of the Father will enter into the kingdom of heaven.
". . . but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (v. 21b).
Salvation and obedience to the will of God are inseparable, as the writer of Hebrews makes clear: "He became the author of eternal salvation UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM" (5:9).
"Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46).
A. W. Pink, "Not only is a bare profession insufficient for the saving of the soul, but it is an insult to Christ Himself. It is a horrible mockery to call Him Lord while we continue to do only what is pleasing to ourselves, to profess to obey Him while we treat His commands with contempt. It is obedience which marks men as His disciples and distinguishes them from the subject of Satan."
"Follow . . . holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14).
Holiness is a CHARACTERISTIC of all who are saved, not a CONDITION for their receiving salvation.
It is not the one who say he knows Jesus or who believes certain facts about Him. It is the one who DOES the Father’s will.
Charles Spurgeon:
Three times over the person is described as doing all "in thy name"; and yet the Lord, whose name he used so freely, so boldly, knew nothing of him, and would not suffer him to remain in his company. The Lord cannot endure the presence of those who call him "Lord, Lord", and then work iniquity. They professed to him that they knew him; but he will "profess unto them, I never knew you."
How solemn is this reminder to me, and to others! Nothing will prove us to be true Christians but a sincere doing of the Father’s will! We may be known by all to have great spiritual power over devils, and men, and yet our Lord will not own us in that great day; but may drive us out as impostors whom he cannot tolerate in his presence [Spurgeon’s Popular Exposition of Matthew, p. 45].
How can you know if you are a true Christian?
Three marks of a true disciple of Christ:
1. CONTINUING IN CHRIST’S WORD
"If ye CONTINUE IN MY WORD, then are ye my disciples indeed" (John 8:31).
2. LOVING ONE ANOTHER
"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye HAVE LOVE ONE TO ANOTHER" (John 13:35).
3. DOING GOOD WORKS
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye BEAR MUCH FRUIT; so shall ye be my disciples" (John 15:8).
CONCLUSION
Are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?
No doubt most of us will answer gladly, "Yes, I am his disciple." But as we think about it, let us think about discipleship according to the definition Jesus himself gave to it. Jesus defined discipleship as one who continues in his Word, loves the brethren, and bears much fruit. Do we do each of these? Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, then you are really my disciples." He said, "By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." He said, "This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." God grant that we may do each of these things as we drop all lesser loyalties and draw every closer to him [James Montgomery Boice, The Gospel of John, vol. 4, p. 1048].
