SOMEONE CAN KNOW A LOT ABOUT CHRIST WITHOUT EVER KNOWING CHRIST – Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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 7:21-23) 

These are very alarming words Jesus said toward the end of the Sermon on the Mount, where He addressed a large crowd of listeners to guide them in a life of discipline based on a new law of love, even to enemies, as opposed to the old law of retribution. Jesus directed them on how to live a life that is dedicated to and pleasing to God, free from hypocrisy, full of love and grace, full of wisdom and discernment. 

Today, churches are full of religious people, who hear about Christ but who do not manifest any transformation in their lives! So, do they really know Him? 

The Sermon on the Mount starts out by saying: “Now when He saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them…” (Matthew 5:1-2) 

Then, nearly at the end of His lengthy sermon Jesus gives a warning when He declares that “not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” 

The title of “Lord” implies a master, someone to whom the speaker submits. In prior teaching, Jesus indicated that mere words and actions are not enough; they must be motivated by sincerity and truth, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1). In that same way, Jesus states in no uncertain terms that merely referring to Him as Lord is not enough and neither are acts of supposed righteousness as He told them, “and when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5). 

Entrance to the kingdom of heaven is limited to those who truly do the will of His Father in heaven. Those are His words that start with sincere faith in Christ, “Then they asked Him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent” (John 6:28–29), and extends to humility in how we live our lives, “If you love Me, keep my commands” (John 14:15). 

Faith that speak but does not act conveys unfruitful unbelief, “thus, by their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:20). Jesus is not suggesting that works merit salvation but that true faith will not fail to produce the fruit of good works. Therefore, “do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22). 

As Jesus continues He states: Many will say to me on that day, which is a reference to the day where a person will be judged by God. When this day arrives, some will say: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ These people will be claiming to have done remarkable signs and wonders. In fact, their whole self-assurance was in these works. This is further proof that these works, spectacular as they might have appeared, could not have been authentic. No one lacking in genuine faith could possibly produce true good works since a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (Matthew 7:18), therefore, performing all kinds of impressive deeds doesn’t deserve heaven. This is why Jesus plainly tells them “I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!” 

There are many who know about Jesus, that is, they know some truth about Him, but they have never trusted in Christ for salvation. They hold knowledge in their heads without allowing the truth to penetrate their hearts. Jesus explains the problem when He says: “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. They worship Me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matthew 15:8-9; Mark 7:6). 

It can be easy to substitute religion for a real relationship with Jesus. We often think that, if we are doing “Christian things,” that’s all that counts. Many recognize the fact that Jesus died on a cross, but until a person believes and receives Him as their Savior and make Him the Lord of their life, that fact will do them no good; because, “whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18). 

There is a difference between intellectual knowledge and saving faith. Knowing Jesus means we have accepted His sacrifice on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21). We ask Him to be the Lord of our life because; “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Acts 2:21). We identify with Him in His death and consider our old selves to have died with Him, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). We accept His forgiveness and cleansing from sin and seek to know Him in intimate fellowship through His Holy Spirit (1 John 2:27). 

So think about this . . . which term describes your Christian life, do you know Christ and are a Christ-follower or do you know about Christ? Someone that knows about Christ can be aware of certain things without necessarily putting them into practice. But someone that knows Christ chooses the path of action as he obeys Him. 

If you are not a Christ-follower and would like to be, here is what must take place: 

• First, you must trust Him (John 14:1) because you will not follow someone you don’t trust. Trust develops as you abide in Him and discover the beauty of His character, His love, and His plan for you. 

• Secondly, you must obey Him (John 14:15). A true follower of Jesus will combine trust with obedience. 

• And lastly, you must serve Him. God doesn’t want His children to be mere bystanders but to be active participants in His work. We are called to use our spiritual gifts and do our part as the body of Christ. 

Jesus provided the perfect example – He trusted His Father completely, obeyed Him sacrificially (Philippians 2:8), and lived a life of service (Matthew 20:28). We are called to emulate our Lord and Savior. 

When we repent of our sin and surrender our lives to Him, Jesus gives us the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 16:13; Acts 2:38). And when the Holy Spirit comes to live inside us He changes us forever and “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God” (1 John 3:9). 

To truly know Jesus is to enter into a relationship with our loving Lord and Savior, and to follow His greatest commandment, “love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength” (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27). 

It’s hard to love someone you don’t know. Loving Him starts with surrendering to His plan for your life. Therefore, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved” (Romans 10:9–10). 

The nature of God is so vast and complex that no human being can fully know everything there is to know about Him. But life is about continually seeking Him, learning more about Him, and enjoying His fellowship as Jeremiah 29:12-13 tells us “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” 

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