Chapter 5 (Part 2) – DEPART FROM ME. I NEVER KNEW YOU.
Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
John O’Donohue
You have given everything to me.
What can I do for you?
Bob Dylan, What Can I Do for You?
CONTEXT. CONTEXT. CONTEXT.
Context is important when interpreting and applying the Bible. Context is one of the primary principles of hermeneutics – the exegesis and interpretation of the Bible. When studying a small passage of God’s word, what appears before the passage and what appears after the passage MUST be considered. Yet, it seems that many pastors and teachers choose to ignore this basic principle when looking at Matthew 7:21-23.
One of the most abused passages in the Bible is Matthew 7:21-23. I keep coming across it in books and articles and hearing comments about these three verses, but, in a larger context, very few people are the subject of this passage. These verses continue to frighten new believers and mislead mature believers who should know better. This passage plants more seeds of doubt in new believers’ minds regarding their salvation than any other passage in the Bible. When these verses are read, believers – even solid, well-founded believers – continue to wonder if Jesus really saved them. There is no need whatsoever to be frightened or scared.
Recently, the abuse of this passage appeared in a bestselling book about spiritual disciplines. The author making these comments is just one of many who have ripped these verses out of their original context. Matthew 7:21-23 states:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”
Some teachers use this passage to emphasize that you can really never know if you are saved or not. Others use these verses as a warning to believers, to intimidate believers into legalistic living and avoiding all sin. They go on to say that a believer should live a perfect life without sin, always walking the straight and narrow with God. Further warning them that if they persist in sinful actions, then God will abandon them, forsake them, betray them, and ultimately reject them at the judgement.
Let me be absolutely clear: This is not what this passage is about. Jesus promised the opposite to those who trust him – rest, peace, and freedom from guilt about sin. However, those who abuse this passage inject anxiety into believers’ lives and chain them once again to the burden of sin that Jesus laid down his life to break and cast away forever. The Bible itself states that a person who professes he or she is without sin is deluded. All people sin – believers and non-believers. (1 John 1:8) And the Bible is clear about God’s promise of salvation and forgiveness to those who believe in him.
These teachers and authors should be ashamed for doing this! Their teaching is wrong. Their teaching frightens new believers. When believers hear a pastor, teacher, or leader say these words and teach this passage incorrectly, they internalize it and start to wonder. Doubt concerning salvation arises. The damage is done. Such damage is difficult to undo. Guilt and doubt result from such false teaching.
Pay attention to this truth: For those who believe in Jesus, Jesus will never abandon, reject, nor forsake you.
Believers in Jesus, you are going to sin. God knows this. The Bible speaks expressly to this matter. Do not be surprised if you continue to sin after receiving Jesus. The spirit and the flesh battle each other daily for your attention. Sin is why Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. Jesus forgives all sin – past, present, and future. Jesus’ sacrificial act for us removes God’s judgement of us.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1-4)
When you look at verses which are difficult to explain like Matthew 7:21-23, you must ALWAYS consider the context in which they are written. Without context, you can make the Bible say whatever you want to make it say. This is the danger about false teachers. False teachers make the Bible say things that God never intended. God will condemn the teaching of people who focus on selfish interests, people who do not have the best interests of his precious bride at heart, and people who twist verses to say what they want it to say instead of what he intended it to say. God will judge these teachers and their teaching – and it will not be pretty.
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USE PARAGRAPHS TO FIND CONTEXT
The Bible you read and study is probably separated into paragraphs (Some paragraphs have titles.) While the original text of the Greek New Testament did not include paragraphs, Bible editors and translators have done a good job at inserting the paragraphs related to subject and context.
The context of Matthew 7:21-23 begins at the top of the paragraph in verse 15. This passage is clearly directed to false prophets. Look at Matthew 7:15-17:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit.”
The context of this passage warns about false prophets who disguise themselves as believers in Jesus – part of his flock – because their motives are evil. Though it appears their actions are honorable, they do harm. Jesus goes on to compare false prophets to trees and the fruit those trees bear in verses 18-20. The “them” in the verse is referring back to false teachers; if the subject was about a tree, Jesus would have said “it.”
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.”
Then, the passage concludes with Jesus confronting false prophets about their deeds when they stand before him at the final judgement of God. The false prophets will make excuses, but Jesus will reject them. Now, you can read verses 21-23 in their proper context.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many [false prophets] will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them [the false prophets], ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”
Point One – The context of this passage is about false prophets.
Point Two – False prophets are metaphorically referred to as thorny trees, and they are known by their fruit.
Point Three – False prophets’ fruit is bad.
Let’s analyze how the false prophets respond to Jesus as they make excuses and attempt to change his mind. At the outset, their deeds look honorable and noble. The false prophets state their three actions: 1) they prophesied, 2) they cast out demons, and 3) they performed many miracles. But Jesus rejects these actions. Here is the truth about God’s salvation: prophesying, casting out demons, and performing miracles do not save you from your sin. Only Jesus saves you from your sin. The false prophets are relying on their works to save them. They are relying on prophecy, casting out demons, and miracles. Not once does any of the false prophets say, “You, Jesus, are our salvation. We repented and believed in you, and you, alone on the cross, saved us.” Instead of faith in Jesus, the false prophets’ faith is in themselves and in their works. Their excuse is all about “we.”
Point Four – Works, even works done in Jesus’ name, do not save you.
The truth of God’s word is that our belief in Jesus saves us.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Make no mistake, good works are honorable; the fruit of our being saved is good works. We were created to do good works. Works done in love, compassion, and done humbly for others because of what Jesus did for us are the result of Jesus’ forgiveness. Also, the fruit of our salvation does not attract attention to ourselves. Some of our works done for Jesus are actually done in secret such as the giving of our financial resources and praying for those who are hurting. But works do not save us.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)
Point Five – The person who does the will of God will enter heaven.
God contrasts false prophets and believers in Jesus in verse 21. Look at what God says about believers in the second part of the sentence. Jesus explains who enters the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 7:21 (in bold print):
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”
The one who does the will of the Father will enter his kingdom. Jesus clearly tells us who the one is who does the will of the Father. It is not vague; it is not ambiguous; it is not a secret!
“For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)
The will of God the Father is that you believe in Jesus. Your good works will not save you, but they are a result of your eternal life. If you believe in Jesus, you have eternal life. Period. Full stop. End of discussion.
Point Six – You should desire to be known by Jesus.
To the false prophets, Jesus says, “I never knew you.” So, what is it to be known by Jesus? The Greek word for “to know” is ginōskō(γινώσκω). The word has a connotation of personal experience or personal relationship. It is more than knowing information or having knowledge about something or someone. It is not merely knowing about Jesus. Look again at John 1:12:
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,…”
When you believe in him, God gives you the right to become his children. Relationship. As we saw in previous chapters, Jesus calls those who know him his brothers and sisters and friends.
Pay attention to this: Knowing Jesus is synonymous to possessing eternal life. The terms mean the same thing.
Believe it or not, I have heard teachers some churches cast dispersion upon the need to know Jesus personally or to have a relationship with him – even though to know Jesus is to have eternal life. These opinions are usually a reaction to personal evangelism and come within the context of the theology of soteriology – how a person is saved. This approach to salvation minimizes the intimacy that a believer in Jesus has with his or her savior.
The passage in Matthew is one of the clearest passages regarding both what Jesus thinks about those who do not have a relationship with him – in this case, false prophets (“Depart from me! I never knew you.”) – and those who are within the will of God and do have a relationship with him.
The apostle John has much to say about belief in Jesus, eternal life, and its relation to knowing Jesus. John states that eternal life comes from believing in Jesus. To believe in Jesus results in knowing Jesus. Knowing God and his son, Jesus, is eternal life. Belief in Jesus => knowing Jesus = eternal life. Knowing Jesus and eternal life are interchangeable terms.
“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3)
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15).
“Therefore, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31)
“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13)
Throughout the Bible, as seen in John’s writing, to believe in Jesus results in eternal life. To know Jesus is the same as having eternal life with him. Or as the bumper sticker states: Know Jesus, know life; no Jesus, no life!
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A final word for those of you who keep teaching Matthew 7:21-23 out of context: STOP.
Let’s move along. Onward, forward!