Jump Start # 184 

Matthew 7:23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

  We return to our passage from yesterday. Here the Lord reveals the shocking surprise that some will receive that they will not enter Heaven. They counted on it. They thought it was a sure thing. They even defend themselves and build a case as to why they should be allowed in. They claimed that they had prophesied, cast out demons and performed many miracles. By their thinking they should be in Heaven. Jesus declared that they did not do the will of the Father. They were lawless. Remember, Jesus was lawful. He was obedient in all things, even the death on the cross, is what the Philippians were told. He did the will of the Father, not His own will. Lawless people do not impress the lawful Jesus.

  In response to their declaration that they knew Jesus, we find our verse today. As with so many Gospel passages, it is full of contrasts. They claimed to know Jesus. They even called Him, “Lord, Lord.” It was in His name that all these deeds were done. Jesus declared: I NEVER KNEW YOU.

  Wow! That silences them. There is no reply. The Lord didn’t say, I once knew you but we grew apart. Or, it’s been so many years that I’ve forgotten you. Rather, I never knew you. They don’t have a relationship. They don’t have a friendship. I am not the Lord to you. You have been on your own and now you will be on your own forever.

  Two thoughts come to my mind:

  First, it is possible for me to think I know the Lord when He doesn’t know me. Lawlessness will do that. Jesus wants us to follow Him. His way is to be obedient to the word of God. Jesus never broke or violated the commandments of God. He was without sin. The Lord knows me through a relationship as I walk with Him in obedience. Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). The Hebrews were told, “He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation” (Heb 5:9). Then in 1 John we find, “By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 Jn 2:3). How does a person have a relationship with Christ? It is obeying Jesus through faith. It is walking with God. Doing religious activities not found in the Bible is nothing more than lawlessness.

  Secondly, some will find out too late that they will not be in Heaven. That is the thought in this passage. They are shocked. They cry out their defense. Too late. Not everyone who talks about Heaven is going to be in Heaven. Not everyone who thinks they are going to be in Heaven will be there. It is those who obeying Christ through faith. Most people believe when they die they will go to Heaven. Most funerals are preached that way. But this passage turns those thoughts on its head.

  So this brings us to a very honest thought: Are you going to Heaven? What’s your answer based on? Hope? Wishes? Because you are a good person? Because you go to a certain church? Do you think the Lord knows you? How? Is it a feeling? An intuition? The passage brings us back to doing the will of the Father. Paul told the Ephesians, “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (5:17). Are you walking with the Lord in obedience? Are you doing what the Bible tells you to do? Do you treat others the way God says to? Do you manifest purity and holiness as God wants you to? Do you unfairly judge others? Do you follow the narrow path of God? Only you and God can answer those questions. And most importantly, you need to answer as God does.

  Why write such serious stuff? Why is this passage in your Bible? Possibly to awaken us from our sleep and to get us off auto pilot and to take seriously the words of God. Our Lord is good and merciful and kind but He will not save us if we are not serious about obeying Him. Grab hold of the wheel before you crash! Spend some time this weekend in your Bible. Get to church and connect. Pay attention. Be diligent. Call for a Bible study. Do the will of YOUR FATHER!

Roger