Who is Matthew 7:21-23 referring to?
To whom did Jesus never know? Who will he say this to?
Matthew 7:21 - 23
ESV - 21 Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 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?
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Asked September 27 2013
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Anonymous
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
James Kraft
These verses are about those that have never trusted Jesus as their savior. John 6:40 and John 6:29
They were trusting in what they did, keeping the law and doing good works instead of what Jesus did for us. He paid our sin debt in full so we could go to heaven. John 3:18.
They were boasting in what they did, not what Jesus did for us.
Romans 3:26-28 For He is the just and the justifier of them that believe in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? Nay, but by the law of FAITH. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by FAITH apart from the deeds of the Law.
The law was given to show us we are all sinners to bring us to Christ for salvation by grace.
First Corinthians 15:1-4 That Christ died for our sins, according to he scriptures, that He was buried and rose after three days, according to the scriptures.
That is the gospel. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world, First John 2:2, so that anyone who would accept His payment for our sins would be saved. John 6:47 verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life. John 1:12.
So there are those who are trusting in what they do to earn eternal life. They have never accepted the free gift by faith alone apart from works. Romans 4:4-5.
We can not tell them apart. We can only go by what they say and not even that for sure. Second Timothy 2:13 If we believe not, (after we have once believed) He abideth faithful, He can not deny himself. Ephesians 1:113 He will never leave us or forsake us. Hebrews 13:5.
So a person could have once believed on Jesus for the free gift of eternal life, and then departed from the faith. They are still saved. Ephesians 1:13-14. Ephesians 4:30.
Jesus said, let the tares the unbelievers grow up with the wheat, those who have His spirit in them because at one time the did accept His free gift of eternal life.
Second Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless, the foundation of God is sure, having this seal, Ephesians 4:30, the Lord knoweth them that are His.
Back to Matthew 7:21-23. He did not know them because they we not His sheep. They did not have His spirit in them. They never trusted Jesus as their savior, they were trusting in the law and good works to earn their way to heaven.
It is very sad because these folks thought they were saved because of what they did. Not what Jesus did for us
They got to the great white throne judgement and boasted in how they though they should be let into heaven on their own merit.
As Jesus told the Pharisees, there will be prostitutes in heaven before you. They were trusting in the law to save them. They were trusting in their own filthy rags righteousness to be saved instead of the righteousness of God that comes by faith alone. Romans 4:6 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness apart from works.
Blessed is the man whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that ALL that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day. The simplicity of the gospel, John 3:18. John 6:47. John 3:16. John 10:28-29.First John 5:13.
They had a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.
James Kraft
They tried to justify themselves by keeping the law and doing good works instead of John 6:40 and John 6:29. They made the cross of Jesus of no effect.
Daniel Veler
James, your answer is in understanding why the Lord said the following in the scripture you referred to: 23 And then will I profess unto them, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." By understanding what he meant by "I never knew you," you must understand the definition of eternal life as outlined in John 17. Then you will understand .