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


Pollycy

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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?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi Pollycy, I am doing an in depth study on Mathew right now. This is what I have studied from the verses you are concerned with.

Mathew 7:21-23

Not only are there false prophets, but there is false profession on the part of some who claim to follow Jesus. The ultimate test is whether they are obedient to the Father and characteristically do His will. "A man who speaks the truth but acts the lie is also in a sense a false prophet. Let this person therefore examine not only his neighbor but also himself". This principle does not mean that salvation in the kingdom is secured by works, but it does teach that works are fruits, or evidences, which are found in a true disciple. Jesus' words can be summarized this way. "This means that the listener to the gospel must not count on a mere belief in Christ's person on the one hand, or the performance of great works in his name on the other hand as proof of his salvation.These things will not save him. Rather, he must assure himself of his relation to Jesus Christ personally".

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Matthew 18:3-4 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

 Matthew 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

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44 minutes ago, 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? 

 

 

Hello Pollycy,  I hope i can help you with your question..

In the end times there will be false signs and wonders being performed to deceive people.. We read in the NT the following::

2 Thessalonians 2: KJV

7 "For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. {8} And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: {9} Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, {10} And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {11} And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: {12} That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

So we can see from the two scriptures Matthew 7:21-23  and 2 Thessalonians 2: 7- 12 that people will be performing miracles in the end times not to further the will of God but to aid in the great end times deception of satan and the wicked one  commonly known as the Anti-christ .. We know from scriptures that satan wishes to be worshiped as a god and what better way to do so then to deceive the world into thinking you are the returned Messiah or the promised Messiah.. we read in the same chapter as above the following:::

2 Thessalonians 2: KJV

3 "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; {4} Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."

So the son of perdition who is the anti-christ will be worshiped as God on earth.. Now who would worship a man on earth?   People who where under the delusion that the man was the Jesus returned..

So with the above in mind we can see how some who believed they where followers of Jesus would call out LORD LORD on the day of judgement and receive the reply that these people received from the Actual LORD Jesus Christ..

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Just another point::
 

Quote

 

I am nowhere nearly devout or "good" enough to cast out evil spirits or perform miracles,


 

No one is worthy to perform miracles but God.. Those who are given gifts of the Spirit do not receive them because they are good enough.. They are given them because it serves Gods will for them to perform those miracles when God requires them to be done..  I hope you cast out of your mind this mindset that focuses on humans being worthy enough for God.. This thinking is dangerous and can lead people to deny the sufficency of the Atonement of the LORD Jesus Christ to obtain their salvation. changing them into people who believe they must do the law to make themselves worthy of salvation..  Remember NO ONE is Worthy..

 

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I am deficient, obviously

Yes and we all are deficient.. Thats why Jesus had to come and suffer death for us.. It is good that you know you are deficient.. That's a good sign.. ?

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 How can you perform miracles in Christ's name and yet be repugnant to Christ?

  Yes...

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1 hour ago, Pollycy said:

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.  

It's a question of motives, Pollycy. A similar warning is given in the "love chapter".

1Co 13:1-3
(1)  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
(2)  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
(3)  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing.

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maybe a good example of I never knew you
 

Quote

 

Matt 25:31-46

31 "But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 "And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; 33 and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; 36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' 37 "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? 38 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? 39 'And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' 40 "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' 41 "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; 42 for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; 43 I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' 44 "Then they themselves also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' 45 "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' 46 "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." 
NASB

 

 

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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.  

 

 

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1 hour ago, 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.  

Pollycy, I believe you will be rewarded with greater insight into what it means to abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit as you spend time in God's Word and in fellowship with other followers of Christ who love Him and who edify one another in the Word. A verse that come s to mind is this one:

Col 1:21-23
(21)  And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has he reconciled
(22)  In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
(23)  If you continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

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When we are born again the Spirit of Christ comes to reside in us.  Christ in us makes us worthy, not anything we do of ourselves.  When we are in Him and He in us, we inherit all the heavenly treasures of Ephesians 1.   Jesus said "without Me you can do nothing".  We must be attached to the Vine with His life and love flowing out from us to others.  That is bearing fruit.  So we walk in the Spirit by reaching out to those where God's compassion directs us.  It is Christ in us directing the work, not self.  We are told that all our righteousness is as filthy rags.  It is the righteousness of Christ Who lives in us that makes us acceptable.  As we continue to behold Him in Scripture the Holy Spirit changes us more and more to reflect Him.  So keep your focus on the Person of Jesus Who came to reveal the Father to us.  Our salvation is a gift, nothing we can earn or be worthy of.  It is by grace--unearned favor--that we believe and are saved.

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