I have been struggling for the last couple of days about what to do about this verse:
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord', will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he 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 perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' " Matthew 7:21-23
So what do I do about that? What do you do about that? I say 'Lord, Lord'...I do things in the name of Jesus (ok...so I haven't driven out too many demons lately!). But what would make me NOT be an evildoer? I want to be known by God...to be let into heaven...to do the will of God!
I don't want to be cast away as if He never knew me.
2 comments:
Lisa,
I think John 6:28-29 answers that question pretty well.
Cammy
Our discussion centered around whether or not these "evildoers" really thought they had a saving faith. They must have had some level of faith/belief to prophesy and drive out demons in Jesus' name. If that's the case, could we too be so deceived? It made Lisa very uneasy to think that people who had such "faith" and a visibly fruitful ministry were deceived and not actually saved. The verse about the heart being wicked deceitful came to mind (Jer 17:9). According to the Matthew passage, many fruitful churchgoers (incl. Deacons, Elders, Pastors, missionaries, etc.) are probably deceiving themselves. How does one separate "thinking he has faith" from "having faith?"
Ben D.
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