The Day of Reckoning
The passage points to a terrifying moment in the future: “that day” (v. 22). This isn’t just any day; it is the final judgment, the day when every person will stand before Christ, the appointed Judge of all mankind. All of our worldly accomplishments, pleasures, and pursuits will be measured by how they stack up on that day. Every moment of our lives is a step closer to this eternal reckoning. On “that day,” the eternal destiny of our souls will be fixed, unchangeable for all of eternity.
This is a sobering scene. It should send shivers down our spines and force us to seriously examine our own lives. We must ask ourselves: Is the life I am living now the one that will receive Christ’s approval on that day?
The Danger of a Verbal Profession
Jesus is clear: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven” (v. 21). This is a shocking statement. It’s not aimed at atheists, or those who deny God, but at those who confess Jesus as Lord. They have a correct understanding of who He is—Jehovah, God, and the Son of God—and they confess it with passion and zeal. They are orthodox in their beliefs and they are active in religious works, even performing miracles in His name.
This group is not a small, fringe minority; Jesus says “many” will come to Him on that day, making this claim. They believe they are doing good for God, but they are deceived. A mere verbal profession or intellectual knowledge of the Bible is not enough for salvation.
The True Sign of Salvation: Obedience
So, who will enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus provides the answer immediately: “but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (v. 21).
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. However, true, saving faith is not dead. It is a living, active faith that produces obedience. Doing God’s will is the outward sign that a person has been truly converted. It is the tangible evidence of a heart that has been subjected to God’s revealed will.
What is the will of God for us?
- Repentance: The first will of God for any sinner is to repent. We are called to turn from our sins, our self-will, and the world, and to turn to God. True repentance is a lifelong process of being “poor in spirit” and mourning over our sin. If we are not regularly confessing and turning from sin, we are not doing God’s will.
- Faith: God’s will is that we believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ (1 John 3:23). This is not just a one-time intellectual assent, but a daily, living trust in Him.
- Sanctification: It is God’s will for us to grow in holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:3). We are to kill sin and become more and more like Him, serving Him with our whole hearts and not conforming to the world.
Our lives must be lives of obedience—not a perfect obedience, but a consistent and determined purpose to do God’s will from the heart. Those who claim to be Christians but lack this obedience are deceiving themselves. When they stand before the Lord on that terrible day, they will be told, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”
Who are “the many”?
It is shocking to consider who “the many” are in Jesus’s warning. He is not talking about people who are overtly ungodly or who reject Christ. He’s speaking about people who seem to be on the right path—people who profess to be Christians, who are orthodox in their beliefs, and who are even involved in ministry.
They are the ones who say, “Lord, Lord,” and claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed many wonderful works in His name (Matthew 7:22). These are people who know the truth, believe in miracles, and are active in their faith. But despite all their religious activity, they will hear the most terrifying words from Jesus: “I never knew you. Depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
What does “I never knew you” mean?
When Jesus says, “I never knew you,” it’s not a lack of factual knowledge. In His omniscience, He knows everyone. Instead, the word “know” here signifies a personal, intimate, and loving relationship. This is the same word used in the Old Testament to describe the intimate relationship between a husband and wife. It’s the kind of relationship God had with Israel, and the kind of relationship a shepherd has with his sheep.
These people may have “known about” Jesus, but they never had a close, personal relationship with Him. They were on the fringes, going through the motions of religion, but their hearts were never truly surrendered. Their outward actions were a form of lawlessness, as they did not obey God’s will.
The Terrible Judgment and the Call to Self-Examination
The judgment given to these people is a terrible and final one: “Depart from me.” These are the worst words Jesus can ever say. To depart from Him is to depart from the source of all light, goodness, love, and purity, and to be cast into a place of endless separation, unquenchable fire, and undiluted divine wrath. The greatest horror is the realization that they professed Christ and did ministry, all while their hearts were filled with sin and disobedience. This is the ultimate form of taking the Lord’s name in vain—a Judas kiss of betrayal.
The gifts they claimed to have, such as prophecy and miracles, are not proof of genuine faith. God can sovereignly use unbelievers for His purposes, as He did with Balaam or even Judas. The true sign of grace is not the evidence of gifts, but the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit and a life of obedience to God’s will.
So, how can you know if you are one of the “many”? You must examine yourself. Don’t be like the hypocrites who never want to look at their own hearts. Ask yourself, “Why do I believe I will go to heaven?” The confidence of a true believer comes from the evidence of God’s work in their heart and their life of obedience, not from their religious activities.
As Paul urged in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves.” And as Peter said in 2 Peter 1:10, “Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” These people in Matthew 7 went a long way in religion, even performing high-level service, but they were still judged to be unbelievers.
Even if you don’t consider yourself a prophet or a leader, this message is for you. If you have been a regular churchgoer but have never truly repented and put your faith in Christ, your house is built on sand.
Please take this message to heart. Don’t be self-deceived. Nothing is more important than the eternal destiny of your soul. Examine yourself and ask God to reveal the truth to you.
Grace Reformed Baptist Church, Bangalore 