"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
This lesson should be taken as a continuum of yesterday's, and should answer some of the questions that were raised by that lesson.
In my opinion, those to whom Jesus is referring in this passage, are the very souls who occupy most of the world's padded pews on Sundays.
"Christianity" (the "Church" today) for the greater part, has become an empty facade and is no longer even close to being representative of what Jesus intended.
In my opinion, those to whom Jesus is referring in this passage, are the very souls who occupy most of the world's padded pews on Sundays.
"Christianity" (the "Church" today) for the greater part, has become an empty facade and is no longer even close to being representative of what Jesus intended.
Today's "Church" has come to be exactly what the Church of the Laodiceans had become, as Jesus so plainly describes, in Revelation 3:15-16, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."
Sadly, today there is far more emphasis placed, and time spent, on occupying padded pews in an air conditioned building, than there is actually trying to get the good news of God's grace to the lost. Who, by the way, seldom ever show up in "church" on Sundays and Wednesdays.
Sadly, today there is far more emphasis placed, and time spent, on occupying padded pews in an air conditioned building, than there is actually trying to get the good news of God's grace to the lost. Who, by the way, seldom ever show up in "church" on Sundays and Wednesdays.
There is a very distinct warning in the latter portion of today's lesson, it says, "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
Attention should be paid to whom it is that qualifies as "ye that work eniquity". Is Jesus referring to those who use profanity? Is He talking to those who miss "church" on Sundays and Wednesdays? Is He talking to those who wake up in a bad mood and yell at their friends and family? Is He referring to those who drink alcohol? The answer is a loud and emphatic NO!! Jesus is very clearly speaking to those who imagine themselves to be model "church" members. Those whom have "prophesied" in His name! Those whom have "cast out devils" in His name! In other words, He is speaking to those who imagine themselves as having done "good works" and borne "good fruit".
It's way past time that today's Christians have a spiritual revival and rededicate ourselves to the task that Jesus laid before us. It's time that EVERY soul who proclaims to be a child of God take up the cause of Christ and loudly preach it to every soul who wants to hear it, NO MATTER where they may be found. The gospel goes nowhere when it is preached over and over to the same pairs of ears.~
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