A Hard Saying

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

These are some scary verses! Pointing to works, service and mission to justify your belonging in the family of God and thus your eternal reward will just not cut it. The theology behind this concept is an essential understanding of Saving Faith. Believing-Trusting-Faith is never merely adherence to a statement of faith, a prayer prayed for ‘fire insurance’, or moral living, but a soul-fastening, affection-stirring, obedience-delighting kind of surrender. This comes through the regenerating supernatural work of the Spirit bringing life, and with-it repentance and faith. When at once we have had our spiritual eyes opened, there is an evident and obvious brokenness, seeing your sin clearly and savoring the Savior deeply. There is no justifying one’s entrance into the Kingdom and there will be no lawyer-like plea at the gates of glory – just an overwhelming sense of awe that God chose to save you – a wretched sinner. We can’t see into someone’s heart, and often people (like our Matthew 7 individual) can’t even see their own heart clearly. So, we must act with discernment, slow-our-role of judgment, and hold high the banner of True Saving Faith. 

Jonathan Edwards said it this way – “The religion which God requires and will accept does not consist of weak, dull, and lifeless wishes which scarcely raise us above indifference. . . We are nothing if we are not in earnest about our faith . . . True religion is always a dynamic thing.”