If these people who prophesied, cast out demons, and did many wonders in Jesus' name failed to enter heaven, how does that stack up against an ordinary Christian like me?
“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 18:3 NKJV
As we’re living at a time when the fulfillment of prophecies about the end times seems to unfold in rapid succession, one question comes to mind: Will we make it to heaven on judgment day?
"Not Everyone Who Says... 'Lord, Lord' Shall Enter the Kingdom..."
Some of us may feel wary or a bit skeptical, wondering if we will be received in heaven when the appointed time comes.
Especially when coming across this verse:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
If these people who prophesied, cast out demons, and did many wonders in Jesus' name failed to enter heaven, how does that stack up against an ordinary Christian like me?
And if faith is the prerequisite for salvation, then why were these people who believed in God severely rebuked instead of being commended?
The key to such a question lies in the last word of the verse: "lawlessness."
These people God rebuked, though they touted their allegiance to God, and flagrantly defied His commands. Their faith was not genuine because true faith ought to serve as our catalyst for a profound transformation of our inner life, molding us into people who mirror the character of Christ.
That is why God called on us to emulate the commendable qualities innocent children possess. It’s a requisite condition for entering heaven.
Children’s innocence, meekness, humility, and the ease with which they forgive others without holding grudges speak volumes of their gentle and forgiving hearts. And most of all, they have a complete lack of self-trust in their own abilities, a quality the world ardently disapproves of, yet it finds favor in God’s eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, self-trust is not bad if our choices and actions are grounded in wisdom. But God takes pleasure in a man who is solely dependent on the Lord’s goodwill for his sustenance, apprehensive in trusting his own wisdom in managing his life.
Just like a child relying on his parents for survival, the Lord also wants us to depend on Him, to consult Him in every decision we make, whether it be in times of abundance or adversity. Why? Because entrusting our lives to God is a reflection of humility as well as profound trust and deference to our Maker.
As it’s written: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 KJV
Faith and Good Works
Faith must also go hand in hand with good works. As it’s written:
“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” James 2:14-17 NKJV
Thus, if we profess our faith in God yet continue to be trapped in sin without shame or fear of repercussions–then our faith lacks sincerity at its core.
Matthew 7:21 (NIV) says, "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."
And John 14:15 (NKJV) reads, “If you love Me, you will obey my commandments.”
God’s Spirit can only work mightily in our lives if our faith in God is genuine and comes from the heart, devoid of any hint of deceit or pretense. Then, resisting sins won't be as difficult as the Spirit of God draws us to do what is good and just in His eyes.
Considering this, should we need to be morally perfect to enter heaven?
No, not by any measure— for no one is perfect but God alone. God understands that we are helpless and predisposed to succumbing to our fallen nature. That is why He sent us the Messiah because we can’t make it to heaven on our own.
Nevertheless, once we have been redeemed by Christ, we can no longer fault our fallen nature as an excuse to indulge in the mud of sin— because once we receive Jesus as Savior, the Spirit of God empowers us, directing our steps along the path of righteous living.
We may still stumble now and then, but the Spirit enables us to rise above our iniquities and not continue committing sins that are blatantly at odds with God's teachings.
But though we are humans, susceptible to committing sins, the Lord still requires us to strive for holiness by putting on God’s full armor so that we can withstand the sly schemes of the enemy.
“For I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, because I am holy.” Leviticus 11:44 NKJV
Just like in any relationship, our affinity with the Spirit requires a collaborative effort to ensure a desirable outcome.
As Jesus once said, “The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). This statement signifies that we must also do our part, allowing the Holy Spirit to saturate our being, yielding our desires and aspirations to what God envisions for our lives.
Walking and Living in the Spirit
As moral depravity becomes a norm in many liberal societies, Christians must be a beacon of light. And to be a light in this increasingly dark world, we must strive to walk and live in the Spirit.
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not able to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” Galatians 5:16-18 NIV
We must serve as a light to both unbelievers and fellow believers. Because by doing so, we will inspire one another to live a life of obedience. Thus, we are to call out sin when a fellow believer falters, but we must do so in a spirit of gentleness. It’s not about being self-righteous—it is about calling out sin for what it is. God rebukes us for judging others, but we are encouraged to correct one another so that we may not deviate from God’s path, preventing sins from wreaking havoc on our lives.
And seeing our time on earth drawing to a close as prophecies about global upheavals unfold in a continuous stream, let us be reminded of what Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV): “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
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