“Lord, Lord” and still miss Heaven
I heard some critics of Christianity saying that there is no need of being born again because, after all, they said, not everyone calls Jesus “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven. This really broke my heart as the thought lingered in my mind for a long time. I was young then and I had heard the verse but I didn’t know much about it. It is true many will say to him, “lord, lord” and still miss heaven.
I knew about the verse they quoted. It was written in the Bible in red ink in my old KJV bible. But here is the problem, that verse was not read in full. It was read in part. This is the problem of cherry-picking verses to suit our tastes- we will end up losing the true meaning of the text.
Lord, Lord
Well, the verse they quoted says, “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.” Matthew 7:21
Jesus was speaking about the false teachers. He first says that they are known by their fruits. He warned his hearers that false teachers come as wolves in sheep’s clothing. The false teachers do not come with a false-teacher banner on their chest. They come in sheep’s clothing, appearing like they are one of the Lord’s servants but they are ravenous wolves. Though outward they appear like good trees, they are bad trees. They can therefore only be marked by their fruits.
After Jesus tells how believers can mark out false prophets and false teachers, he speaks to the whole crowd and says not everyone says to Him ‘Lord, Lord will enter heaven. This statement has 3 implications.
1. Those who do not call him Lord, shall not enter heaven.
Many times people only focus on those who call him Lord, Lord but they shall miss heaven and we fail to see the group which is not addressed here. If not all who call him Lord shall enter heaven, what about those who completely do not even acknowledge him as Lord even by mouth? This is the leading group to hell. They do not consider Christianity as anything. Such live and die without faith, without light, hope, and life. How miserable is their life! Perhaps some are masters and others servants, some learned and unlearned, some famous, and others are infamous. Many perhaps are totally lost in the pursuit of fame, money, and power and they never consider the end of the road they are running on!
2. Those who call him Lord but they shall not enter.
These know something about the Lord. They know Bible verses very well and can tell you which doctrine is right and which is wrong. Some are baptized members of churches, perhaps leading in several departments. They even do wonders in the name of Jesus. Some have moved places and converted the lost. But all the while, they shall not enter. Christ will say to them, “depart from me, you workers of iniquity.” This class has no advantage over the first class for their destination is the same. The reason they shall not enter heaven is that they do not do the will of the father. They practice lawlessness as Jesus will tell them in Mathew 7:23. Although they know the Lord, He does not know them! These call him “Lord, Lord” and still miss Heaven.
3. Those who call Him Lord and do Father’s will
These ones, call Him Lord and do the will of God. These are true believers. Christ knows this class of people. They labor, they persevere, they repent, they fight and they soldier on, bearing reproach. They do not give Jesus mere lip service but they obey the lord. Like Paul, they beat their body to keep it under subjection, so that having preached to others, they don’t get disqualified for the price.
Dear reader, where are you in these 3 groups? Are you in the first group? Please consider your ways and think about your maker. You have sin which is not forgiven, and you have broken God’s law. You are currently ignorant of Him who gives you breath. Stop and Consider.” O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Ephesians 5:14.
Are you in the second group? You are no better! You are merely lying to yourself. Please wake and repent. Do you suppose you can lie to God who knows all things? Why call Him Lord when you don’t do what He says? Is that not an insult to Him? Please repent. Perhaps you started well and you turned either right or left from the way Christ set you. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first.” Revelation 2:5
Are you in the third group? Courage dear one. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25.
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