Imagine spending your whole life thinking you're walking with God just to stand before Jesus and hear Him say the words, "I never knew you. Depart from Me."
In the book of James it says even demons believe and they tremble. Realize, demons ARE NOT ATHEISTS! They've seen His power, they know His authority, but knowing WHO Jesus is, is not the same as BELONGING to Him!
I can believe that a gym exists and still not get in shape! Belief that never changes the way you live is just information. In the book of Matthew 7:21, Jesus is speaking to the crowd and His disciples from the mountain side, and He's talking to them about judgement day. Jesus said, "Not everyone that says unto Me'Lord, Lord' will enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of My Father which is in heaven." And then He said, "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied IN THY NAME? and IN THY NAME have cast out devils? and IN THY NAME done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." When Jesus said, "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you" should scare every Christian as well as non-believers. In some translations it says, "you who practice lawlessness."
The key word for Christians to HEAR is, practice. Jesus is not talking about someone who sins, repents, and seeks God. He's talking about the people who call Him lord, do religious works, yet continue living in deliberate rebellion against what He demands. Lawlessness isn't just about breaking God's law, it's living life like God's authority just doesn't apply to you. Now, He didn't say I never HEARD of you because He knows about you. He said, I NEVER KNEW YOU. That means He never had a relationship with you.
Being a disciple of Christ isn't just knowing facts about Jesus. There's a ton of atheist history teachers that know facts about Jesus. So, don't confuse KNOWING "WHO" Jesus is, with KNOWING Jesus. There's a huge difference. We've all experienced somebody asking us if we know somebody and we say, 'I mean, I know 'em but I don't KNOW 'em.' God is saying if I don't know you-know you, you cannot come into My house. In the book of John 10:27 Jesus said, "My sheep know My voice and I know them, and they follow Me." I can get emotional reading that verse because here I am, AND I KNOW HIM. I know His voice (the Word) and I follow.
Here's an example you can follow: Michael Jackson. Millions around the world knew his name, millions of people knew his songs. Millions of people could have called themselves fans but what value is there in that? Now flip it around. Imagine if Michael Jackson knew your name! Imagine if he called you his friend, invited you into his home and treated you like family? And everybody knew you had a real relationship with him. Who is more valuable? The millions of fans that knew Michael Jackson or the few people that Michael Jackson actually knew? This is exactly what Jesus is trying to get them to understand. The question was never, 'do you know My name, the question was, 'Do I know you??'
That scripture doesn't scare me because they didn't believe. It scares me because they did! And, Jesus still said, "I never knew you." This is a call to some fellow believers .. stop trying to act like you know God in front of people. Straighten up, get serious. Jesus' return is closer than ever. Just look around you. Prophecy is being fulfilled like never before. Personally, I just want to live in such a relationship with Him that one day He'll look at me and say, "I know you, Pat, Well done my faithful servant." (Matthew 25: 21-23).
Until He Comes,
-Pat-
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