Not everyone who says to me "Lord, Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness"
There
are people who call themselves Christians but they are not. there are
people who believe they are Christians but they are not. Jesus makes it
clear that the test is not what you say, or even what you do, but
whether you know him. Entering eternal life with Jesus is not
like a job interview where our CV (resume for any American readers!) is examined to see whether we've made
it. The people described in these verses are doing a lot of things, and
doing them in Jesus' name. They've got a way better CV than the one I
could present to Jesus, but he sends them away because he doesn't know them. Christianity is not a job interview but a party, where what matters is whether you
know the host. I wouldn't show up for a wedding reception of a couple of complete strangers, expecting them to let me in if I presented them with a list of how great a guest I've been at other parties. But I would expect to get into a part when I know the host.
Are you doing churchy stuff and talking churchy language without knowing the one for whom the church exists?
Are you doing churchy stuff and talking churchy language without knowing the one for whom the church exists?