Terrifying verse

 

The words of Jesus  I tremble to publish but true love insists.

A most terrifying Bible verse:

From the sermon on the mount, Jesus speaking:

“On judgement day, many will tell Me –“Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name, and performed miracles in your name.” – but I will reply “ I never knew you. Go away, the things you did were not authorized.””    Matthew 7:22

 

How could it be?

I let the Lord answer: “ Not all people who sound religious are really godly. They may refer to Me as Lord, but they still won’t enter the kingdom of heaven.  The decisive issue is whether they obey My Father in heaven.”        ( Matthew 7)

      Gathered in His audience were very religious men like Pharisees who studied hard the Torah and traditions so as to keep the law precisely. Also the scribes who constantly copied the scriptures. There were so many following the Jews religion but not Jesus.

So few accepted the teaching of Jesus as authorized by God the Father. So few were willing to take the humble place and do the will of God revealed by Jesus the Christ. Most importantly, so few believed on Jesus for who He claimed to be – the Messiah, the Saviour, the King, the Son of God.

             They didn’t know HIM, or rather He didn’t know them as sheep counted into His fold.  (John 10 “ I am the door, by Me if anyone enter in he will be saved………  My sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow Me. I give unto them eternal life….).

   How tragic this end, to have lived in religion, thinking activity there was enough to gain eternal life, then to discover (too late) that it was all empty.

 

Dare I repeat the words of Jesus Christ:

Luke 13:25     “ When once the master of the house has risen up and shut to the door, and you begin to stand without and knock …. He will answer ‘I know you not whence you are…. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth’ “

 

 Do I get pleasure publishing such negative warnings – no – but genuine love says I must. I don’t want anyone to hear such tragic words from the lips of Jesus the final judge – “I never knew you”.

 

How then can we be sure?  His promises are sure and as quoted above – He is the once dead, now living Shepherd. Entrusting ourselves completely to Him (enter and follow), He promises to take us in, and give us the gift of eternal life. His words change from the threat of damnation, to the hope of eternal glory.

As you read the Bible, what does  it mean to you? Is your faith valid, are you activities authorized by Him?