“Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name and in Your name drive out demons and, in Your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!'” – Matthew 7:22-23
It is indeed a sobering thought that one can do many things in Jesus’ name and still hear Him say, “I never knew you.”
The way to avoid hearing those words spoken to us is to understand that it is not what we do in the name of Jesus that will determine our eternal destiny, it will be what we have believed about Jesus. Our acceptance or rejection by Jesus on that day will depend solely on whether we trusted in Him for who He said He is: the Savior of the world who promises eternal life for all who personally accept His payment for their sins through His sacrifice on the cross. It is not through “doing good” that we earn our way to heaven, and it is not “doing bad” that forfeits our right to heaven. Good behavior, properly, is an outgrowth of our faith in Christ, not a substitute for it. According to the Scriptures, faith in Jesus is the only passport needed and accepted at Heaven’s border.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Something to take just a moment to consider today.
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