So, Heaven or Hell?
Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God’s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants. On that last Day many will call me Lord. They will say, ‘Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ Then I will tell those people clearly, ‘Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you.’
I asked for a show of hands at church the other day. Who believes that we’re saved by faith alone? Who believes we’re saved through what we do? Who believes it’s a combination of both faith and works? Well, what do you believe?
There are not all that many things that scare me in life. But this one thing does scare me; that churches are full of people who believe in Jesus, and yet are likely going to hell.
Man, that is an outrageous thing to say, isn’t it? That flies fully in the face of what Christians believe; that we’re saved by God’s grace through our faith in Jesus Christ. So how can it possibly be that a Christian who professes a faith in Jesus is going to hell?
Well, before you shoot the messenger, let’s get Jesus’ take on this very thing:
Matthew 7:21 Not everyone who calls me Lord will enter God’s kingdom. The only people who will enter are those who do what my Father in heaven wants.
Ooh… ouch! Now I’ve heard people try to explain that away in all sorts of different ways … but as I was taught in Bible College, invariably a plain reading of scripture is the most reliable in understanding what God is trying to say. And right here, it’s absolutely obvious. In fact, if you read the next few verses, it becomes even more painfully obvious.
Matthew 7:22,23 On that last Day many will call me Lord. They will say, ‘Lord, Lord, by the power of your name we spoke for God. And by your name we forced out demons and did many miracles.’ Then I will tell those people clearly, ‘Get away from me, you people who do wrong. I never knew you.’
That’s pretty much unmistakably clear, isn’t it? Live a life that honours God.
That’s His Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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