Friday, June 13, 2025

The One Who Does God’s Will

 


In January 2022, I posted an excerpt from my manuscript, Waiting for The Day and Hour, in the article called, Did We Not.[1] Since then, I have edited that excerpt. And what you see below is the newly edited version of my commentary on Matthew 7:21-23. This commentary is one of many from chapter sixteen, Rapture Passages in Matthew.  


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’” (NIV)!

(Parallel passage: Luke 13:22-30)

Some may be puzzled by this passage. Some think anyone who calls Jesus Lord should enter the kingdom of heaven. They may think 1 Corinthians 12:3 proves their theory: “No one can say, “Jesus is [my] Lord,” except by [the power and influence of] the Holy Spirit” (AMP). However, the verse in the letter to the Corinthians is a declaration spoken by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit—an affirmation of something true. And Matthew 7:21a is a way of addressing someone important who has great authority. In this case, the person is Jesus. He is Lord of lords and King of kings. He is God. He should be addressed by the title, Lord. Addressing Jesus as Lord is an act of acknowledging that he is Lord. However, declaring “Jesus is [my] Lord” affirms one’s dedication or loyalty to him. Therefore, not everyone who addresses Jesus as Lord will enter Eternity.

Matthew, when compiling his gospel, recorded what is written in 7:13-20 right before Jesus’ warning about doing his Father’s will (7:21-23), to indicate how a person may enter heaven (7:21-23). Whether or not Jesus taught chronologically what Matthew recorded in these verses, we do not know. Because we do not see the same chronological record in the other gospels. Luke has what is written in Matthew 7:13-23, but he has them recorded in another order, differently. In Luke’s record, it looks like Jesus said these things at different times (6:43-46; 13:22-30). Remember what I wrote in chapter four, The Live Encounter with a Fig Tree, under the heading, Two People, Two Different Personalities, Matthew’s gospel is recorded differently than Mark and Luke’s gospels. Mark and Luke usually recorded what Jesus said chronologically. They recorded what Jesus taught with some resemblance to a timeline. Matthew recorded Jesus’ teachings systematically. He compiled Jesus’ various teachings and arranged them like an accountant arranges the names of each account. Matthew wrote that Jesus taught to enter heaven through the narrow gate (7:13-14). Then he writes that Jesus warned of false prophets, who can be recognized by their καρπός (karpós) fruit (7:15-20). I believe Matthew recorded these teachings of Jesus in an orderly way to give his readers a better grasp of what Jesus meant in 7:21-23. 

Jesus said only those who do God the Father’s will are permitted into τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν (tín vasileían tón ouranón) “the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 7:21a, mGNT). His Father's will is achieved by putting faith in the Son of God, and then doing what he commands. Whoever the Son of God has been revealed to, and then believes in him (truly follows him), will have eternal life (Jn. 6:40). The Fathers perfect will is that those who believe in Jesus should not follow the world or their agenda, but change the way they think so they can know what the will of God is (Rms. 12:2). The one who is permitted into heaven is the one who offers their body as a living sacrifice to God (Rms. 12:1). The one who calls Jesus, Lord, must understand what the will of God is, and then do it (Eph. 5:17-21). It is the Father's will that his children be sanctified: avoid sexual immorality, control one’s body (be holy and pure), and not lust like the pagans do (1 Thess. 4:3-7). Those who call Jesus Lord must not spend their time chasing what their flesh desires but live to do the will of God (1 Pet. 4:2). Those who do the will of God will be permitted into tín vasileían tón ouranón (the kingdom of heaven).  

Some may not see it, but this passage (7:21-23) is allusive to the rapture of the Church. Jesus prophesied the day of the rapture of the Church in this statement with an indisputable warning. He said: πολλοὶ ἐροῦσίν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ (polloí eroúsín moi en ekeíni tí imér) “Many will ask me on that day” (7:22a, mGNT). “On that day” is allusive to the day he comes for his church (Mal. 3:17-18; Matt. 24:36; 1 Thess. 5:4; 2 Thess. 1:10; 2 Tim. 4:8). This statement is a prophetic picture of what some people will say or ask Jesus on that day. I just wrote ‘what some people will say or ask Jesus,’ but Jesus said, what many will ask him. The unarguable warning is that only those who do the will of Jesus’ Father will enter the eternal realm on the day the rapture happens. 

Some readers may think: Would these people denied entrance into heaven not be raptured for Jesus to speak to them since he is in the eternal realm? So, how can this be an allusion to the day of the rapture? Well, the primary passage in the Scriptures that describes the rapture of the body of Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-17) says that Jesus will meet them “in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17b). I have written before that εἰς ἀέρα (eis aéra) “in the air” means the place of transition. It is where the physical realm meets the heavenly realm—the door or gateway of heaven. Therefore, those denied access into the eternal realm are stopped at the place of transition, eis aéra (in the air)—at the door or gateway of heaven. At this place, they will be saying (likely anxiously shouting): “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?” Being troubled, they will remind the Lord of their works. No doubt they will be filled with fear knowing they are denied access to the kingdom in heaven. They will be denied access to the eternal realm because Jesus has determined that they did not do the will of his Father. Every Christian should take note: Just because a believer uses the gifts of the Spirit does not guarantee that they will not be turned away at the gateway of heaven. Those who call Jesus Lord must do the will of Christ’s Father.

Jesus predicts that he will say to those he will not let into the eternal realm, that he has never known them (7:23a). This means he has never known them to be his servants. They do not serve Jesus because they do not do God the Father's will. They may not do his will because they are Scripturally illiterate. Or, it is just not important to them. They follow the world and their agenda instead of doing God’s will. They do what they want, fulfill their desires. They do not work at renewing their mind to know the will of God. They do not offer their body as a living sacrifice to God. They do not work at being holy, but live to please the sinful nature. If these people do God’s will, Jesus will allow them to access God’s heavenly kingdom. Jesus said the disobedient are: οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν (oi ergazómenoi tín anomían) “those who work lawlessness” (7:23b, Textus Receptus). 

Some think this passage refers to the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), and that these people are being judged and rejected. But that is not the purpose of the judgment seat of Christ. Anyone who stands before this seat is rewarded, with little or much (Rms. 14:10). The judgment seat of Christ takes place in heaven. These people are not allowed in heaven “on that day.” The day of the rapture. That is what this passage alludes to. It is not that they are not doing God’s will only on the day of the rapture. Only at the hour preceding the rapture. No! They are not practicing the will of God leading up to the day of the rapture. They have not been doing the will of God for a long time. If they paid attention to the signs concerning the day they are living in, the endtimes, the rapture is near, they may have repented before it is too late. If they were not beguiled by false doctrine, they may be able to do the will of God.

It is not the great white throne judgment either (Rev. 20:11-15). This judgment happens after the Tribulation Period. The people who stand before this judgment do not have their names written in the Book of Life. There is no indication in Matthew 7:21-23 that these people are not written in the Book of Life. If their names are not written in the Book of Life, Jesus would have said it. He would have said: Your names are not written in the Book of Life, so get away from me, you wicked ones (I surmise). Rather, they cannot enter Eternity because they are not doing God’s will. Jesus was specific. I believe Matthew’s passage is about people in the church who do not do God’s will. But, live to fulfil their desires. Therefore, when Jesus comes for his church to take them to his Father’s house, those who live like this are turned away. Instead, they are cast into the Tribulation where the hypocrites, unbelievers, and unfaithful are placed to have one last opportunity to repent (Matt. 24:51; Lk. 12:46). The people that are not permitted into heaven on the day of the rapture are possibly the people who repent during the Tribulation, and are killed for their rejection of the Antichrist and his government (Rev. 6:9-11; 7:9-17). They will then be resurrected at the first resurrection (Rev. 20:4-6).

This passage is similar to the μωρός (morós) foolish virgins in the parable of the ten virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). Morós can also be translated as moron and witless. According to this parable, the morós virgins will be shut out of the wedding feast (Matt. 25:10-12). The Mathew 25:1-13 parable discloses and implies that the foolish virgins – like the ones that did not do the will of the Father of Jesus in 7:21-23 – will not enter into the kingdom of heaven when the Son of God comes for his bride because they will not be prepared to meet his Father (See chapter #13, The Betrothal Period). Matthew 7:21-23 is also similar to the pastors and teachers who refuse to do as the Lord commands them to do in the endtimes (Matt. 24:45-51). They refuse to preach and teach endtimes doctrine, especially the rapture of the body of Christ as they have been commanded (See chapter #14, Pastors and Teachers). This group is not preparing God’s church for the day Jesus mentions in Matthew 7:22. Instead, they are busy advancing their agenda. They make their position in the church a career, instead of something God has called them to. They also live for the pleasures of this world (Matt. 24:49). Jesus calls these servants evil (Matt. 24:48a), just like the ones in Matthew 7:21-23.

How anyone who is casting out demons and doing miracles is not doing God’s will is being left to our imagination. The Scripture does not elaborate. However, the purpose behind this record is to get those not doing God’s will to repent and do his will before the rapture happens. Some say that these evildoers are not saved. But the Scriptures say they call Jesus Lord. Why would they address him with that title, and be driving out demons and doing miracles, if they were not sons of the Light? Jesus did not say they could not enter the kingdom of heaven because they were not. They could not enter heaven “on that day” because they were not doing the will of God the Father. Where do these people get the power to cast out demons and do miracles in the Name of Jesus if they do not have the authority to use his name? Do they get this power from the evil ones? If that is so, how can evil spirits cast out evil spirits? Remember what Jesus said: “If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand” (Matt. 12:26, CSB)? In the days of the apostle Paul, the sons of a Jewish high priest were trying to cast an evil spirit out of a man by invoking the name of Jesus, and they were beaten and bloodied by that man (Acts 19:13-16). This beating happened because the evil spirit in the man knew the seven sons did not belong to Jesus. It is stated in 7:22 that those not allowed to enter the eternal realm “on that day” are casting out evil spirits and doing miracles. Therefore, they must have the authority to use the name of Jesus.

 

Picture: Pixabay (geralt)

Free for use under the Pixabay Content License   

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