one of the most sobering and chilling statements jesus ever made comes from matthew 7:23 then i will tell them plainly "i never knew you away from me you evildoers. " these words are not directed at atheists or people who openly reject god but to those who claim to know him they prophesied cast out demons and performed many miracles in his name yet still jesus says "i never knew you. " how can that be how can the all- knowing son of god say he doesn't know someone the answer lies in the kind of knowledge jesus is referring to this isn't about intellectual knowledge or awareness it's about relational knowledge jesus is not saying "i don't know who you are.
" he is saying "we have no relationship you never truly belonged to me. " this truth is more relevant than ever in a time where many profess christianity but don't walk with christ people know church culture can quote scripture and have spiritual experiences but jesus is clear it is not enough to say "lord lord. " it is not enough to have external appearances of faith it is not enough to do impressive spiritual works only those who do the will of the father and have a real relationship with jesus will enter the kingdom we live in a time of easy access to information podcasts sermons bible commentaries and theological debates are all a click away and yet a head full of knowledge doesn't equate to a heart transformed by grace it is entirely possible to intellectually understand the gospel and still be spiritually lost this is a frightening reality jesus is not impressed by head knowledge he is after your heart he is after relationship one can graduate from a bible school and still not be born again one can preach from a pulpit and still be far from god a head full of theology does not substitute a heart full of love and obedience in fact some of the most dangerous people spiritually are those who think their knowledge saves them but salvation is not a matter of iq it is a matter of the heart jesus didn't come to fill our minds with facts he came to fill our hearts with himself and where there is no heart transformation there is no salvation in matthew 7 jesus shows us that on judgment day many will be shocked they will have assumed they were saved they will argue plead and point to all the good they did but jesus will respond "i never knew you.
" please note jesus doesn't say "i once knew you and then you fell away. " he says "i never knew you. " that's a terrifying reality it tells us that these people had no genuine relationship with jesus even though they sincerely believed they did they lived under a powerful delusion one that is still alive today this must cause every believer to pause and examine their walk with christ do you truly know him does he know you have you entered into a real daily relationship with the living savior this is not a game eternity is at stake it is possible to be religious but not redeemed it is possible to be churched but not changed it is possible to be familiar with jesus and yet foreign to him the people in matthew 7 clearly had exposure to the name of jesus but exposure without surrender is worthless familiarity without faith will not save to know jesus is not simply to know facts about him it is to walk with him to love him to obey him and to surrender to him it is a personal intimate relationship built on trust faith and obedience it is the kind of relationship that changes how you live how you think how you speak and how you love the bible uses the term know in a deeply relational way in genesis 4:1 it says "adam knew eve his wife and she conceived.
" this type of knowing is intimate personal and deeply relational jesus is not calling us to mere acknowledgement of his existence he is calling us into a relationship marked by love and obedience to know jesus means you talk to him daily you seek his face in prayer you spend time in his word you desire to please him you feel convicted when you sin you hunger for righteousness it means he is not just a part of your life he is your life in matthew 22:36 to 40 jesus was asked "teacher which is the greatest commandment in the law? " he replied "love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. " this is the first and greatest commandment and the second is like it love your neighbor as yourself all the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments the greatest commandment is not about spiritual performance it's about love but not a vague emotional feel-good kind of love it's a love that engages the heart the soul and the mind a love that leads to obedience loving god with all your heart means he becomes the center of your affections loving him with all your soul means your emotions your desires and your identity are anchored in him loving him with all your mind means you think his thoughts meditate on his word and conform your world view to his truth this is not part-time love it is not casual it is all-consuming humans measure love in many ways we measure it by the gifts someone gives us we measure it by how someone makes us feel we measure it by grand gestures by romantic words or by acts of service but how does god measure love jesus gives us the answer in john 14:15 if you love me keep my commandments god doesn't measure love by emotion the world tells us that love is a feeling but feelings are fleeting one moment you're on fire for god the next moment you're cold and distant god isn't asking for an emotional high he's asking for commitment emotion can complement love but it cannot be the foundation god doesn't measure love by what you say people can say the right things and still be wrong saying "i love god," doesn't prove anything judas called jesus rabbi and still betrayed him the people in matthew 7 said "lord lord," and still heard "i never knew you.
" words are cheap obedience is costly and it is costly obedience that proves real love god doesn't measure love by public appearance some people look holy in public but live like devils in private outward displays mean nothing if the heart is far from god jesus said in matthew 15:8 "these people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. " the world may be fooled by performance but god sees the heart god doesn't measure love by your resume it's not about how many ministries you lead how many people you preach to or how many hours you volunteer all these things are good but they are not the measurement god looks at your obedience one act of obedience in private is more valuable than a thousand public gestures done for applause god measures love by obedience john 14:15 is clear if you love me keep my commandments that's the test that's the standard that's the measurement obedience obedience reveals the state of your heart obedience proves whether your love is real or fake obedience is the fruit of a heart that has been transformed by grace obedience says "not my will but yours be done. " jesus never said "if you love me feel emotional during worship.
" he never said "if you love me say it loudly. " he said "if you love me obey me. " obedience is not legalism obedience is love in action it is love with feet love that walks the talk love that says "i will follow you even when it's hard even when i don't feel like it even when the world pulls me in another direction god's commands are not burdensome they are lifegiving they protect you they direct you they align you with god's heart when you truly love god obedience isn't a duty it's a delight you obey because you trust him you trust that his way is better you believe that his commands are not restrictions but invitations to life perhaps the most terrifying thing about matthew 7:23 is that these people were self deceived they genuinely thought they were saved they called jesus lord they did works in his name but they never actually surrendered to him they never truly obeyed it is possible to be so busy doing things for god that you forget to be with god it is possible to live your whole life assuming you're on the narrow path when in reality you're on the broad road that leads to destruction selfdeception is a powerful force it convinces you that you're okay when you're not it tells you that proximity to church is proximity to christ it tells you that knowing about jesus is the same as knowing him but it's not and many will find that out too late paul wrote in 2 corinthians 13:5 "examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith test yourselves.
" that's what we must do don't assume don't rely on feelings don't compare yourself to others look at your relationship with jesus do you know him does he know you is your life marked by obedience are you a doer of the word or just a hearer do you live for christ when no one is watching does your lifestyle reflect your love for god these are the hard questions we must all ask because on that day you won't be judged by your church attendance or your spiritual resume you'll be judged by your obedience and your relationship with christ jesus doesn't want your religious performance he wants your heart he wants a relationship he wants you to know him love him walk with him and obey him not out of empty duty but because of love and here's the most powerful truth you love him because he loved you first before you ever reached for him he reached for you before you even knew his name he knew yours while you were still in sin christ died for you no one will ever love you like jesus does his love is not shallow temporary or based on your performance it's deep eternal and sacrificial he bore your shame took your punishment and laid down his life so that you could live that is love that is the love that pursues your heart not your perfection god's love is greater than anything you can comprehend his love is so high you can't get over it his love is so deep you can't dig beneath it his love is so wide you can't get around it his love surrounds you on every side you may have been rejected by people but you are accepted by god you may have been overlooked by others but you are seen and cherished by him there is no mountain too high no valley too low no darkness too thick that can separate you from the love of god in christ jesus you are fully known and deeply loved don't settle for a christianity that only touches sunday mornings don't settle for a faith that lives only in your mouth and never takes root in your heart or actions don't be among those who call him lord with their lips but deny him with their lives those who tragically hear the dreadful words "i never knew you. " instead pursue christ not out of obligation but out of love for the one who gave everything for you know him love him obey him walk with him daily let your life become a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto god this is your reasonable act of worship not performance but devotion not routine but relationship let your love for god be seen in your obedience not because you're trying to earn his approval but because you already have it let your relationship with jesus be real personal and transformative let your life reflect the beauty of a heart that has been captured by his love because at the end of the day it's not about what others think it's not about how many times you went to church or how well you performed religious duties it's about whether jesus will say "well done good and faithful servant. " or "i never knew you.
