Deceptive and Deceived Disciples
“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!’”
Matthew 7:21-23
| This is a scary passage for many self-professed Christians. I say self-professed because it is possible to think you are a Christian and not really be converted. I am not talking about people from mainline churches that do not preach the gospel and compromise at every point with the world. Jesus already warned those who enter by the wide gate only to find that it leads to destruction. (Matt 7:13-14) This was said to people who thought they were genuinely believers and had “evidence” to back up their claims. Some say that one should never question his or her salvation. I understand the sentiment because there are some who can be so introspective, they are continuously doubting God and questioning his covenant promise. But that doesn’t mean that we should never consider the possibility we don’t genuinely have saving faith. Paul said to the Corinthian church, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you —unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-6). Lip service is not enough. Saying the right words, expressing the right doctrines, or saying the “sinner’s prayer” is not enough if he is not spiritually made alive and has not genuinely believed in the heart. “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10). True conversion is both the right profession and a changed heart. These people gave a profession of faith, but they were not true believers. They even emphatically called Jesus ‘Lord.” He responds, “only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven,” will enter the Kingdom of God.” What is God’s will? Jesus answers this, “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40). Ministry performance does not prove someone is walking with the Lord or even that he is truly converted. Notice the ministry performance of these people. They prophesied in Jesus’ name, they drove out demons, and they performed miracles. These are some amazing feats. However, neither miraculous events, powerful encounters with evil spirits, nor “sign gifts” proves someone is a genuine believer and saved from his sin. Unbelievers and pagan religions have been known to do versions of these things. These people were NEVER Christians. It is not that they used to be Christians and no longer are, they were never truly converted. Jesus does not say, “I used to know you, but I don’t know you any longer.” What he does say is, “I never knew you.” In other words, there was never a time where they were believers. They were self-deceived and they deceived others by their miraculous works. Someone can walk the part and talk the part and not really be in God’s kingdom. One final point, all their effort and good works were meaningless to God. In fact, their “good works” were odious and repugnant to God. They were displeasing to God no matter how good they looked to people. Jesus assesses their ministry noting that it was evil and that they were evil doers. Good works, from an unregenerate person, are of no value to God and are not pleasing to him. Only when someone is truly converted and they are doing good from the heart in the power of the Holy Spirit, are those truly good works pleasing to the Lord. |
David Monreal
