21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV)
This is maybe one of the most concerning verses in scripture and one that deserves study and contemplation. I do not know either the Hebrew or Greek languages, but I recently watched a good video that focused upon the key word in the above set of scriptures. We need to focus on the original language for “knew”. Jesus was speaking about not simple knowledge but an intimate relationship.
The other focus here Is what the “learned” of the time were doing, and still do today. They knew the scripture and God from an academic sense, but not an intimate relationship sense. Thus, all of their works were done as one doing something from learning how to do it. They did not do their works because they wished to please the Lord, or because they had an intimate relationship with either Jesus or the Spirit.
Everything with God is about the intimacy of our relationship with Him. For He cannot know those who are not close like a child to Him.
Reflect on: Your relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit. Does it reflect a closeness and intimacy or simply academic knowledge?
