That may seem like a ridiculous question but the Bible actually tells us that God does not know everyone. In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells us that on judgment day there are people who are going to be turned away from heaven because God does not know who they are.
Matthew 7:21-23 tells us: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Those who practice lawlessness will be turned away from heaven. To practice lawlessness is to live life continually doing things you know are wrong. Many people throughout America falsely believe that as long as they believe in God, they will go to heaven. They believe that they can live their life anyway they choose. After all, God is a loving God who always forgives our sin, right? It sounds good, but it’s not what Jesus said. Jesus made it very clear that you have to do the will of the Father.
Do you think the will of the Father is for you to live your life as though there is no consequence for bad behavior? Do you honestly believe that you can lie, cheat, lust, get drunk and still be good with God because you were taught He is going to forgive you? Believe anything you want, but that’s not what Jesus said.
The only way you will be forgiven is if you have had your sins washed away by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died he took our punishment, the wrath of God. He endured the horrible experience on the cross for you to be able to be set free from your sins, not just forgiven. If He is not in the process of cleansing you from your sins (the process of sanctification and regeneration), then you have not received His forgiveness yet.
Salvation and forgiveness only come when you make a decision to allow Jesus to begin the process of removing your sins. Salvation and forgiveness will not occur just because you prayed a prayer that someone told you to pray. Salvation and forgiveness will not occur just because you got baptized. Salvation and forgiveness will not occur just because you join a good church. Salvation and forgiveness will not occur just because you were raised in a Christian home. Salvation will not occur when you just recognize who Jesus really is and what He did. You must also surrender your life to Him.
You can cry all you want, that does not save you. You can run to the altar when the preacher calls people forward, but that will not save you. You can dance, raise your hands in worship, shout hallelujah all you want, but if He does not own you, it will be all in vain.
This is not my opinion, it is what Jesus said. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord , Lord…” You may call Him Lord, but that does not mean He is your Lord. You may deceive yourself, your family, your church, your community, but you can’t deceive God. He knows who have had their sins forgiven and washed away. You can’t just have your sins forgiven, they have to be washed away; removed.
The reason God does not know someone is because he cannot look upon sin. He hates sin and what it has done to his creation. Isaiah tells us that “your iniquity separates you from God.”
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.” Matthew 7:13
Talk is cheap. It needs to be backed up with action. “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (vs.20). It does not say you will know them by what they say. “…but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (vs.21). The key word here: does.
The most devastating and horrifying words you could ever hear spoken to you would be from Almighty God: “…I never knew you; depart from me,…” (Matthew 7:23)
You must repent of your sins, not just be sorry for your sins. Repentance means to “turn away from”. The problem seems to be that many get tired and frustrated over the fact that they continually sin. They try over and over to quit drinking or stop looking at pornography but they keep going back to it. Some even cannot understand why. Eventually, you give up and just make peace with your sin and just accept that you are that way and that’s just the way you are.
Giving up cannot be an option. You have to become determined to be set free. You have to realize how much God hates sin. You have to hate sin. Do you hate your sinful behavior? You may need to start off with facing the truth that you really don’t hate your sin, that you actually like it. Or at least admit that you don’t hate your sinful behavior enough to stop doing it. Realizing that you need to start hating your bad behavior is a good starting point.
The next thing you must understand is that you are incapable of living a sinless life. You are weak, your flesh is strong and you are incapable of becoming free from sin on your own. The whole point to God giving Moses the Ten Commandments was to show us how sinful we really are. The only way to get free is to confess your sin to God. Honestly tell Him that you realize that you are incapable to live as you know He wants you to live. You must call on Him for His mercy and grace and plead with Him that you need Him to fix you.
Are you really ready to do that? You must choose for yourself if you really want to give up your sinful life. It comes down to your own personal decision.
If you are ready and begin to call on Him for His mercy, then you will need for Him to fill you with His Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit, living inside of you, can help you overcome sin. He alone can set you free. You cannot save yourself. That is why Jesus has to save you. You cannot do it, so quit trying.
Just take a moment and realize how important it is for you to get this right. Think ahead to Judgment Day. You are standing there before the Lord, waiting to enter heaven, and He refuses to let you into His presence for the rest of eternity.
You are shocked…stunned. After all, you have always believed in Jesus. You went to church. You did a lot of good things and not a lot of really bad things.
You were expecting Him to say, “Well done my faithful servant, enter into paradise for the rest of eternity.” Instead, you are greeted with; “I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!” (Luke 13:27).
These words come from Jesus Christ, not some angry street preacher. You better get this right. Once you die, you do not get a second chance.
So think about it; has Jesus Christ changed your life? If not, you better quit playing games and truly give your life to Him.
I want to close with what Jesus said in Luke 13:23-28:
And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.”
Look again what Jesus is saying here:
- There are just a few who are getting saved.
- There is coming a day when He is going to shut the door.
- There are many who He will not recognize as His own.
- All your religious behavior will not get Him to open the door.
- If you are living in sin, He will tell you to depart from Him.
- There is a place that you will go where you can actually see those who are in heaven, but you will not be able to join them.
- The place you end up at will cause you to weep and gnash your teeth.
So, one more time, I will ask you, “Does God know you?” Those who are truly born again have an ongoing relationship with Him. Prayer is a two way conversation. Examine your life, only you know if you’ve been playing games or not. He will take away your sins so refuse to make peace with a lifestyle filled with continual failures.
May Jesus Christ reveal to you whether you are truly His or not. You must know the answer. Your eternal life depends upon it.
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