Matthew 7:21-23 , I never knew you

[Kan]

Jesus says "I never knew you." 

For the Lord who knows everything, can this be true or is it a figure of speech?

[thereselittleflower]

Jesus says "I never knew you." 

For the Lord who knows everything, can this be true or is it a figure of speech?

Maybe this parable will shed some light:

      21Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

      23“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. 24“When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. 25“But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. 26“So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying,

‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ 

27“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. 28“But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying,

‘Pay back what you owe.’ 

29“So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying,

‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ 

30“But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. 31“So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. 32“Then summoning him, his lord said to him,

‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’

 34“And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 

35“My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

 

This is someone who was completely forgiven.    Yet when he failed to forgive another, the forgiveness he was given rescinded, was taken away and he was condemned as if he had never been forgiven in the first place.

 

Jesus said the Father will do the same to us if we do not forgive others.

 

The Lord's Prayer makes this conditional forgiveness very clear.  When we pray for forgiveness it is to be prayed for in this way:

Luke 11:4

 forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

 

Jesus taught us to pray for forgiveness in the same way we forgive others.   If we do not forgive others, we will not be forgiven.

As the parable above teaches, forgiveness is conditional on our forgiving others.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2015 by thereselittleflower

[FreeinChrist]

Jesus goes on to describe those who will be able to call upon His name on the day of judgment. It will be those who hear His words and put them into practice, the same ones referred to in verse 21 as those who obediently do the will of the Father in heaven. True believers are the good trees that produce good fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), the true sheep who look to Christ, depend on Him, commit themselves to Him, trust in Him, and believe on Him for righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. These are the ones who will enter into the kingdom of heaven.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Matthew-7-21-23.html

Jesus goes on to describe those who will be able to call upon His name on the day of judgment. It will be those who hear His words and put them into practice, the same ones referred to in verse 21 as those who obediently do the will of the Father in heaven. True believers are the good trees that produce good fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), the true sheep who look to Christ, depend on Him, commit themselves to Him, trust in Him, and believe on Him for righteousness, salvation, and eternal life. These are the ones who will enter into the kingdom of heaven.

http://www.gotquestions.org/Matthew-7-21-23.html

Amen Bopeep, especially when reading the verses around this passage that speaks a mouthful.  For we see these words of Jesus.  And why call  ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?  Luke 6:46   If ye love Me, keep My commandments.  John 14:15  

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.   I Samuel 15:22 

 

 

[Kan]

Not so SimpleJeff and Little flower, 

Thanks for those answers.

There is a text which says that God is too pure to behold or to think evil. He has no room for it in His mind, heart and life. This would also include those whose lives are connected with it, and unwilling to have any conversation and contact with God? 

So that when He says I never knew you, He cannot be lying, because it is part of His personality not to become attached and or involved in a knowledgeable way, to or with any person who does not want Him in their life. So out of courtesy and respect, God does not get into their life, and therefor can honestly say "I Never knew you" "I was not invited to be into your life so I respected your wish and stayed out of it." 

This proves that God can consciously ignore facts. Here is proof, - "your sins I will remember no more."

We forgive, but we rarely forget. But this is saying that if God chooses not to know something or somebody, that it becomes an actual fact - unlike anything human. The Omniscient God can do impossible things.

Can God ignore that we exist? Yes. But He actively searches the hearts of men for the slightest sign of spiritual life.

These people under that confession "I never knew you" are reminded that they never wanted to know Him. They wanted power and influence - which they got, but never bothered to be personal with God, never shared their likes and talked to Him, never called on Him for victory over sin, never said "hello" or "sorry Lord." Never obeyed, but pretended that their own religious rules were enough honor to God.

 

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Jeff, ( this is kind of tongue in cheek ), but how is it that you remember what you forgot 40 years ago ?

Perhaps "forgetting" is not the same as "recalling" or how we [ now ] view [ or judge - perceive ] the event ?

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

LOL! oops!

I must have forgot to remember!

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Okay, I see my error there. Thanks Jeff. ( bonks himself in the head ).

[AllTheGoodNamesAreTaken]

Forgot what? 

 

[Omegaman 3.0]

Jesus says "I never knew you." 

For the Lord who knows everything, can this be true or is it a figure of speech?

Perhaps Kan, it is not about knowing about them, not an intellectual type of knowledge, but a knowledge in the sense of having an intimate relationship. I know my close friends, you on the other hand, I only know about!

[Kan]

Jesus says "I never knew you." 

For the Lord who knows everything, can this be true or is it a figure of speech?

Perhaps Kan, it is not about knowing about them, not an intellectual type of knowledge, but a knowledge in the sense of having an intimate relationship. I know my close friends, you on the other hand, I only know about!

So true.