Matthew 7:21–23 (NIV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”
You said that saying Jesus is Lord is the key, but in Matthew 7:21, Jesus says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Doesn’t that contradict what you said yesterday?
Perfect question. What does a pledge of fealty mean if there isn’t any fealty? This is another example of what Christianity isn’t. Here we see a shocking description of some people who think they’re not just Christians, but big-shot Christians—and they’re neither.
The rest of the passage is just brutal. In Matthew 7:22–23, Jesus goes on to say,
”Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’” (NIV)
I don’t get it. Their service to God seems impressive. What did they do wrong?
It’s what they didn’t do, and didn’t say, that’s the problem. They never said, “We tried to follow the will of the Father.” All these fancy tricks were their idea. No mention of praying or any other way of seeking the Lord’s will.
It’s a complete lack of understanding of what the word “Lord” means.
This is Jesus’s portrait of people who are shocked at being rejected—the damned surprised, so to speak. The problem is that they look like Christians—they look like super-Christians. That’s why I like to call this the scariest verse in the Bible.
And notice how they respond to Jesus’s criticism. They don’t have a clue.
Okay, but He says, “I never knew you.” What does that even mean? He knows everyone.
Of course, He “knows” everyone in one sense.
But Jesus is speaking of a relationship. Picture this:
Boss: Did you finish the Benson report?
Employee: No, but I performed many wonders in your name.
Boss: Okay, but I need that Benson report ASAP.You see how the boss could say that he doesn’t “know” this guy? Their relationship has a “nobody’s home” feel to it.
Yeah. So, some Christians aren’t the real thing. Is that your point?
Not exactly. My point is that people can sincerely think they’re Christians, but not really get it. Remember that I said that I don’t want your theology to be a bunch of scrambled ideas. My goal here is correct theology.
The “super-Christians” in this passage could be viewed as victims of poor teaching. They weren’t taught this lesson correctly, and so their vision of following God’s will was to do their best according to their own calculations. They did what they felt like doing, but it’s really more like a bunch of showing off.
The point is that Jesus wasn’t really their Lord. Those were just empty words. They were their own lords.
So, what’s the fix? How does one not miss the point?
By seeking His will. Many Christians spend their whole lives in prayer and never say a single prayer that’s a question. There are other ways to seek His will for our lives, but many Christian prayers sound like could begin with the words, “Dear Santa Claus.”
Anyone with a relationship like that with the Lord, is missing something.
And that justifies the words, “I never knew you.”?
Jesus saying, “I never knew you,” is like your boss saying, “You never came into my office. All I got from you was emails asking for favors.” Your relationship with God should not be a one-way street.
Wait. Didn’t Jesus say, In — John 15:7, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (NIV)
Absolutely. Don’t get me wrong; it’s okay to ask for favors, even seemingly selfish ones. In fact, we’re commanded to lay our requests before Him. He even promised to grant them.
It’s just that supplication isn’t the only kind of prayer. Other kinds include adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and, the key—seeking His will. Not all prayers must have all five kinds, but some should.
You can ask for favors but only, as the cereal commercial used to say, “as a part of a complete breakfast.”
You know that line was used in ads to market junk-sugary cereal, right?
Yeah, but it’s the perfect segue to tomorrow’s lesson. See you then.
