“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?” (Matt. 7:22)
The intent of the heart, the reason we do what we do is what the Lord looks at, and all those who serve Him desire greatly that He would reveal the truth of our motives to us in this life, while we yet breath the air of this planet. “Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.” (Psalm 19:12)
Once you stop breathing, it is too late, no excuses will be heard, if you deceived yourself here, you will be shown that truth there.
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Jesus was not speaking of the action of obedience, but the willingness to do so because of a love for Him, the purposeful decision of the mind to perform certain deeds driven by the emotion of love, the realization of the love He holds for us is the reason that we do what we do. “We love him, because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19) and we see the action of that love in John 3:16, we see it at the cross, we return that love because of love, not as a means to an end.
Following the rules of the Scriptures is no less than attempting to live under the mosaic law, and I fear that many who profess Christ are only doing so with their lips and actions because of a desire not to go to hell, they do not do so because of love. I believe that the more the Lord draws us to Himself, the less worthy we feel, for He reveals to us just how Holy He is, and 1 Peter 1:16 becomes as impossibility to us, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
There is no amount of good deeds, no accumulation of works, no emotional outbursts that can make us holy, as long as we are in this flesh, we will remain sinful.
Obedience to the will and Word of God does not save a person, we are saved by grace through faith, (Eph. 2:8) we must be chosen by God. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44) Adhering to the rules, precepts and commandments does nothing for a man unless he loves the Lord.
Those people in our opening verse truly thought they were saved, they did what they were supposed to do, the people that honor Him with only their lips believe they are saved, but they are deceiving themselves. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (James 2:17) A stated faith is not proof of faith in Jesus Christ, neither are any amount of works that are not done solely out of a love for Him, if the purpose is not to glorify God, then salvation is in question.
I do not say that someone is allowed to continue in this deceit without some form of knowledge of what they are doing, these lives that will be lost to eternal damnation, I firmly believe that everyone who is only professing Him with their lips are shown quite clearly that their heart is far from Him, but they will not accept it as truth.
The repetition becomes the reason, church attendance becomes the proof, and as those that the Lord replied to in Matthew 3:9, “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” They have deceived themselves into believing that the works are the proof of their salvation.
Their hearts are still made of stone though.
It is said that actions speak louder than words, but God looks on the heart, and if those actions are not done out of love, they are useless, if they are not done in humility, out of a desire that His name would be exalted above the heavens, with no regard to self whatsoever, then casting out demons, prophesying in His name, attending church, feeding the poor and all manner of other works will not find you at the gate that is narrow after you take your last breath here.
I will offer you wisdom and truth here, those who are truly born-again can find no merit in themselves in anything they do, it is inconceivable to them that the Lord would choose them, much less use them. They should not have been saved by His grace, yet we are.
If you are not serving solely because of a love for the Lord, you are not serving at all. “So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.” (Luke 17:10)
