Matthew 7 21-23 not everyone who says to me Lord Lord shall enter the kingdom of heaven but he who does the will of my Father in heaven many will say to me in that day Lord Lord have we not prophesized in your name cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name and then I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness these are the very words of the Lord Jesus Christ spoken during The Sermon on the Mount Jesus was laying down the truth about
the kingdom of God and the requirements for entering the kingdom of heaven many people have the hope of entering the Kingdom of Heaven one day however what if the time comes and those who had High Hopes are denied entry and cast out Jesus teaches that only those who are born again will enter the kingdom of heaven in Matthew 7 21-23 it is suggested that there will be people who have a false Assurance of salvation they genuinely believe they are born again yet Jesus does not know them this is a sobering and thought-provoking phrase I never
knew you depart from me you who practice lawlessness these words spoken by Jesus himself carry a weighty message that deserves our utmost attention they reveal a truth that should stir our hearts and cause us to reflect on the nature of our relationship with him the context of this verse is important Jesus is addressing a group of people who have performed remarkable deeds in his name they come before him confidently declaring their association with him boasting of their accomplishments in his service however Jesus responds with words that are both shocking and devastating he says I never
knew you in other words despite their outward acts and claims of Association there was no personal relationship between them and Jesus their Works were not the result of a genuine connection with him this verse highlights a crucial aspect of entering Heaven Jesus must know us it is not enough to Simply know about Jesus or perform religious acts in his name we must have a personal intimate relationship with him to enter Heaven we must do business with Jesus we must know him and he must know us think about it for a moment how well do you
know Jesus have you truly taken the time to know him intimately to seek his face to understand his heart have you opened the door of your life and allowed him to enter to dwell within you have you surrendered your will to his allowing him to transform you from the inside out entering heaven without knowing Jesus is an impossibility entering heaven without knowing Jesus is an impossibility it is like trying to enter a place where you are a complete stranger how can you expect to spend eternity in the presence of someone you do not know knowing
Jesus goes beyond religious rituals theological knowledge or external acts of righteousness it is about an authentic personal connection with him it is about walking with him daily seeking his guidance communing with him through prayer and studying his word it is about allowing his Spirit to work in you transforming your character and conforming you to his image but how do we get to know Jesus it starts with a genuine desire to know him more it starts with a humble heart that recognizes our need for him and acknowledges him as Lord and savior it starts with repentance
turning away from our sin and embracing his forgiveness and Grace it starts with surrendering Our Lives to him trusting him to lead and guide us in our generation there is a phenomenon known as cultural Christianity simply attending church on Easter and Christmas does not automatically make someone a Christian Jesus doesn't know you because you attend church once a year or four times a year likewise being born into a Christian household does not guarantee salvation Church attendance does not equate to True salvation salvation brings about change a genuine encounter with the Lord Jesus Christ transforms lives
true salvation makes one reconsider living a Godless life engaging in promiscuity or indulging in sin we understand that no one is perfect including myself as it says in first John 1 8 if we claim to be without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in US so I am not suggesting that Born Again Christians never sin no man or woman is perfect and we all fall short what I am saying is that true salvation will bring about change you will witness progress in your life unfortunately in this generation there is a feel-good gospel
that tells people to come as they are and stay as they are but that is not salvation God requires us to come as we are and once we are born again to depart from sin and unrighteousness you cannot claim to be born again if there is no discernible change in your life before and after salvation true salvation impacts your habits your speech your desires and even The Company You Keep brothers and sisters let us not be deceived by cultural Christianity or a superficial faith true salvation is a transformative experience it is a journey that leads
to a changed life let us seek a genuine Encounter With Jesus Christ allowing his Spirit to work within us bringing about lasting transformation May Our Lives be a testament to the power of God's salvation and may we continually grow in Holiness and righteousness throughout my years in Ministry I have witnessed the lives of many individuals I have seen people go through various stages of life witnessing the creation of families and the subsequent destruction of those same families years later I have observed people during this period individuals who have lived lives immersed in sin committing every
possible transgression without remorse or hesitation astonishingly in their own eyes they consider themselves saved convinced that if they were to die in that very moment they would Ascend to heaven however these people are deceiving themselves when the Lord Jesus saves you he brings about a transformation within you it is impossible to encounter the son of the Living God and remain unchanged the fruits of your life will begin to manifest differently God's saving power alters and revolutionizes the way you live sadly too many churches permit Christians to live in ways that resemble hell itself all while
expecting entry into heaven yet Matthew 7 21-23 clearly states that a group of people will experience a rude awakening do not allow anyone to deceive You by claiming that God permits you to live however you please such a notion is a lie and by believing it you are deceiving yourself it is important to recognize that self-deception can lead Straight to Hell salvation brings about change and the transformation resulting from it can be observed in the way you live the popular notion of come as you are and stay as you are is a deceptive ideology that
leads people down the path to damnation indeed God wants you to come to him straight as you are with all your mess sense and a past filled with mistakes however once you surrender your life to him and submit yourself to his authority God begins the process of changing you he directs you towards the things he expects of you molding you into a new creation brothers and sisters let us not be deceived by false teachings that diminish the transformative power of salvation instead let us embrace the truth that encountering Jesus Christ brings about a radical change
in our lives as Christians we are called to live in alignment with God's expectations and to manifest the fruits of a transformed life we may continually yield ourselves to God's transformative work allowing his spirit to guide us in all things in doing so we will experience the true and Lasting change that comes from genuine salvation Hebrews 12 14. pursue peace with everyone as well as Holiness without which no one will see the Lord salvation brings about a profound change in one's Pursuits and desires prior to Salvation you may have pursued worldly Ambitions such as wealth
indulged in illicit sexual encounters sought after Pleasures or prioritized relationships with others above all else however true salvation redirects your focus towards pursuing holiness this realization leads me to believe that Holiness cannot be attained accidentally it requires a deliberate and upright lifestyle today I urge you to make a commitment to actively pursue Holiness and strive for peace with all individuals Jesus Christ himself encountered many individuals who called him Lord and claimed to follow him yet they were not his true disciples similarly in our present time we witness people attending church every Sunday participating in various
church activities yet they have not truly experienced salvation they are not among the invited guests in God's Kingdom they mistakenly believe that mere Church attendance and engagement in church-related Affairs guarantee salvation and a place in heaven this is a false Assurance a deceptive notion dear brothers and sisters let us not be deceived by a mere appearance of Faith or religious activity genuine salvation goes beyond outward actions and involves a transformation of the heart and a surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ it is by his grace and through faith in him that we are saved
not by works alone it is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ a life marked by obedience to his teachings and a pursuit of Holiness that we find true salvation today let us examine our own hearts and motives are we truly pursuing Holiness or are we merely going through the motions of religious practices let us strive for a genuine and vibrant faith that is evident in our thoughts actions and relationships may we seek a personal Encounter With Jesus Christ and allow his transformative power to change us from within remember salvation is not obtained through religious
rituals or external actions alone it is a matter of the heart a sincere Devotion to following Christ and living a life that reflects his teachings may we continually seek his guidance his truth and his transforming power as we walk the path of true salvation
