Friday, July 27, 2012

Friday, July 27th

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Isaiah 44-48.
Today's scripture focus is Matthew 7:21-23

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 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 perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

This passage is very clear that just professing Christ is not enough.  In fact, prophesying, driving out demons and performing miracles (whether in Jesus power, Satan's power, or trickery) is not enough either, not even when it's done in Jesus' name.

So, what is enough?

In his sermon Empty Words, MacArthur says this....

You know what it means to profess Christ? Absolutely nothing, if your life doesn't back it up. That's why Peter said what he said, if you can't add to your faith, virtue, then you're not going to know you're really redeemed. That's what James meant when he said, faith minus works equals zero. It's dead. Profession is valueless, in fact I believe that to profess Christ and to claim Christ invalidly is taking the Lord's name in vain in the ultimate sense. I don't think taking the Lord's name in vain is saying, Jesus Christ or God out on the streets, that's one way but the epitome of violating God's name is to claim Christ when He isn't yours.
G. Campbell Morgan has well said it, "The blasphemy of the sanctuary is far more awful than the blasphemy of the slum." It is a Judas kiss to say, Lord, Lord, and then disobey, that is a Judas kiss. We must be consumed with doing the will of God, that's why the prayer says, "Thy will be (what?) done (not only in heaven but where?) in earth." And that means through me, through me.
You say, well John, what about if I don't do it, if I fail? The prayer goes on to say, "Forgive us our trespasses, (our debts,) as we forgive those who trespass against us." Yes, we know that we're going to fail but that's where we come for forgiveness, and that's part of the righteous act. The righteous standard Jesus speaks of assumes we'll fail but when we fail we'll be there confessing. That's why First John 1:9 says, if we are the ones continually confessing our sins, we give evidence of the ones that are being forgiven. In other words the ones being forgiven are the ones confessing. You see, He's not saying, here's the perfect standard, if you ever fail you're out, He's saying here's the perfect standard, and part of the perfect standard is that when you fail you deal with it. That's God's standard. And I would dare say that if The Sermon on The Mount is not the direction of your life, not the perfection of it, but if it's not the direction of your life I don't care what confession you've made, I don't care if you've been baptized or whatever, you're not a Christian. You remember in John 6 they said to Him, well what do we do to work the works of God? And He said, this is the work of God, that you believe on Him that sent Him. Where do you start with the will of God? Believe on Christ. The only thing acceptable to God is a righteousness that is the product of repentant faith in Jesus Christ, and that produces good works. And if that's not there no matter what you say it doesn't matter, it absolutely doesn't matter. And so the Lord says in verse 23 if I can paraphrase, not for one single moment have I acknowledged you as My own or known you intimately, you are forever expelled from My presence because you continue to work lawlessness.
Titus 1:16 says They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.

To make a mere verbal profession of faith is not enough, it's simply mere words.  A true, genuine, sincere verbal profession will be followed by transformation which will be visible in our actions, words and deeds.  And God can see our true motives, our true heart's desire.  He will not accept anything less, He cannot be fooled, He will not be mocked.

Tomorrow's scripture focus: Matthew 7:24-29
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: 2 Kings 18:9-19:37, Psalms 46, 80, 135

1 comment:

Miriam said...

Oh, man, this post makes me quake a little. I know I've been guilty of saying one thing and living something else. Definitely something to prayerfully keep working on.