What did Christ mean in Matthew 7:21-23?

[Blood Bought 1953]

 

Alas.....many so-called Christians refuse to accept the Shed Blood Of Our Savior , sprinkled on the Mercy Seat in Heaven to make atonement for the sins of the entire world.All one has to do to obtain the benefit from this Shed Blood is ask for it.Its a gift to all that believe.

Water is great.......Blood is better

Edited December 27, 2018 by Blood Bought 1953

[JohnD]

On 12/6/2018 at 9:37 PM, Pollycy said:

Like most Christians, I try to live by what we are taught in the Holy Bible, and especially the teachings of Jesus Christ.  

But it is very confusing to me, and almost terrifying in a way, to read what is written in Matthew 7:21 - 23:

Matthew 7:21-23 New International Version (NIV)
True and False Disciples
21 “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. 22 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?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

What I find so disturbing is the idea that someone could be such a devout Christian that they could cast out evil spirits and perform miracles in Christ's name, and yet be named as "evildoers" by Christ, and for Him to say that he wanted them to get away from Him.  

I am nowhere nearly devout or "good" enough to cast out evil spirits or perform miracles, although Christ has been very, very good to me, and has blessed me greatly in my life.  But, if He wanted nothing no association with people who obviously were 'stronger' in the faith and more 'productive' in the faith, what must the Christ of God think of people like me?  

I am deficient, obviously, but I don't even really know where to start to correct this situation.  BTW, I've read Matthew Henry's commentary on these verses, and I still don't have a good understanding of the issue.  How can you perform miracles in Christ's name and yet be repugnant to Christ?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have heard many sermons on this passage. Many points ranging from this being a last attempt to weasel their way bast Jesus the Judge... to those who believe in works salvation... to cultists... and even to orthodox folks who never really believed in Jesus until he was standing right in front of them...

 

But I think the text is stating that far more people have far less certainty in their salvation than they believe.

 

Matthew 24:24 warns us to not be deceived because many false christs and false prophets are in the world. Jesus speaking: "Many will say I (Jesus) am Lord and will deceive many." We have only to turn on Christian radio or television to see this fulfilled. But it goes much further than this.

 

1 John 5:13 (AV)
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

 

Rightly dividing the scriptures are our only way to know for certain.

 

 

[Sower]

12 hours ago, Oseas Ramos de Siqueira said:

On 12/26/2018 at 9:22 PM, Gary Lee said:

I am politely requesting you to answer in your own words, Oseas. Then, just back them with scripture. If this is possible.
If you can not do this, I understand.

By the Word of God I tell unto you that from me you will always have the answer you MUST hear by the spirit which is within me, not the answer you want to hear. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches. 
 

The best I can understand Oseas, is that you can not, or you will not answer me, but defer to the Holy Spirit to do your answering. So be it....

1 Peter 3;15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:

2 Timothy 2:24   And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.

It would benefit you Oseas, if you learned how to gather your thoughts, and express/explain yourself, like the scriptures above tell us. 
Throwing dozens of scriptures around, not related to the question ask,  does not impress anybody. (The very obvious tactic I referred to)
It only confuses them.

 

 

 

 

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

44 minutes ago, Gary Lee said:

The best I can understand Oseas, is that you can not, or you will not answer me, but defer to the Holy Spirit to do your answering. So be it....

1 Peter 3;15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear:

2 Timothy 2:24   And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.

It would benefit you Oseas, if you learned how to gather your thoughts, and express/explain yourself, like the scriptures above tell us. 
Throwing dozens of scriptures around, not related to the question ask,  does not impress anybody. (The very obvious tactic I referred to)
It only confuses them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

......for the love of Pete......please change your writing style!!  Who can read your posts? Thanking you in advance......B.B. 

[Sower]

9 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

......for the love of Pete......please change your writing style!!  Who can read your posts? Thanking you in advance......B.B. 

Wow!. Nobody has told me that since the sixth grade. I changed to this 'style' a year or so back because people were were complaining they could not determine who was "talking" or 'quoted', and confusing.
So I started using black, the most common color for words written. Then blue for quotes, (Blood Bought 1953 said:) to distinguish between the two. Red to highlight like every body else. (Wonder why they put those colors up there?)  Every body seemed 'happy'. Yours is the first/only complaint. 
Get some shades, like me..................

[Blood Bought 1953]

2 minutes ago, Gary Lee said:

Wow!. Nobody has told me that since the sixth grade. I changed to this 'style' a year or so back because people were were complaining they could not determine who was "talking" or 'quoted', and confusing.
So I started using black, the most common color for words written. Then blue for quotes, (Blood Bought 1953 said:) to distinguish between the two. Red to highlight like every body else. (Wonder why they put those colors up there?)  Every body seemed 'happy'. Yours is the first/only complaint. 
Get some shades, like me..................

 

Gary.......sorry for the confusion....it’s Oseas that I can’t read......you are just fine! Lol

[Sower]

25 minutes ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

Gary.......sorry for the confusion....it’s Oseas that I can’t read......you are just fine! Lol

No Problemo! BB     .... I can read him, just cannot communicate with him.

[enoob57]

On ‎12‎/‎8‎/‎2018 at 6:54 PM, Pollycy said:

I thank all of you very, very much for your thoughtful, caring replies.  Indeed, this question is the one that vexes me most as I try to be a Christian in a deeper way than I have in the past.   I don't want to be a hypocrite, but I sin repeatedly, knowing that I am doing so.  I reach out to the Spirit of Christ among us, but my attention wavers and I lose focus and intensity.  When Christ says in the scripture that those he disavows never knew him, I try to strain at really knowing the very person of Christ, but I falter because it seems a daunting, almost impossible thing to do.  

I do pray that Christ's mercy, guidance, help, and protection will always rest upon all of us who approach God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit with a sincere, earnest heart, and that He will forgive us (me!) our shortcomings and inadequate efforts to KNOW the Christ of God in the way that we should for Him to acknowledge our sincerity, if not our consistency.

Again, my thanks to you all.  I hope to get to know the Christian community here better as we go along together.  

 

 

It is the heart that can forego all else with His Word 'the life' both now and forever... The foundation with nothing between upholds forever that built upon it! Naked assurance is of God!

[UnprofitableServantJames]

On 12/7/2018 at 6:37 AM, Pollycy said:

Like most Christians, I try to live by what we are taught in the Holy Bible, and especially the teachings of Jesus Christ.  

But it is very confusing to me, and almost terrifying in a way, to read what is written in Matthew 7:21 - 23:

Matthew 7:21-23 New International Version (NIV)
True and False Disciples
21 “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. 22 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?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

What I find so disturbing is the idea that someone could be such a devout Christian that they could cast out evil spirits and perform miracles in Christ's name, and yet be named as "evildoers" by Christ, and for Him to say that he wanted them to get away from Him.  

I am nowhere nearly devout or "good" enough to cast out evil spirits or perform miracles, although Christ has been very, very good to me, and has blessed me greatly in my life.  But, if He wanted nothing no association with people who obviously were 'stronger' in the faith and more 'productive' in the faith, what must the Christ of God think of people like me?  

I am deficient, obviously, but I don't even really know where to start to correct this situation.  BTW, I've read Matthew Henry's commentary on these verses, and I still don't have a good understanding of the issue.  How can you perform miracles in Christ's name and yet be repugnant to Christ?  

 

 

 

One common mistake is that miracles are direct proof that God is with you. I think this verse, accompanied with Jesus saying how a "wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign"; puts this scripture into context. As Christians, we shouldn't go out 'searching' for a miracle, rather what we should do is get busy serving God, and do miracles as and when God tells us to. It shouldn't be the point of our ministry, rather a by-product of a life of following Jesus. "

If we continue reading on from this part of the scripture, Jesus goes on to say that "everyone that hears these words (teachings) of mine (Jesus), He will liken him to a wise man who build His house on the rock..." If we want to have our faith rock solid and un-wavering, then we need to build it on the rock of Jesus' teachings. Anything else will cause us to our build our house on sand and won't last the tribulation that we go through here on the Earth.

Also, I think it causes us to question our OWN salvation. As you rightly observed, these people called Jesus as Lord (as many so-called 'born-againers do), yet on judgement day God never knew them? How come if they knew Jesus and said a prayer professing Him as Lord? Jesus goes on to say, "Only those that DO the will of His Father Will Enter His Kingdom".

Are we doing the will of our Father in Heaven?

Food for thought?

In peace

 

 

 

 

[notsolostsoul]

Just think of cult leaders as an example. These individuals used The Word to gain followers. During their teachings in the beginning they may have touched individuals and lead them away from their sins (drove out demons/ healed many from their afflictions/ performed miracles). 

However they themselves did it for the wrong reasons and were filled with demons themselves. So eventhough they claimed they were doing the Lord's Will, they really weren't. (At least from a human point of view)

These individuals will have a lot to repent for and Jesus may say to them that they did not know him or ever knew him.

As for doing God's Will, the better we get to know him, the better chance of us doing His Will.

Pharisees are another group of individuals where they spoke and doctrine practiced but their actual behavior of exclusion and little care or mercy for others (besides their own kind), comes to mind as an example of individuals claiming to do God's Will, but got it wrong.