Matt 7:21 ¶ 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 claim to the lord to be Christians, just like we know many claim the same in our churches today. We all know that not all of these are true saved Christians. You have missing verses that help to explain: 23 Then I will say to them, " I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers.....again these are not Christians. I see no works here!
The thrust of my quote from Matthew is to focus on who will be going into heaven. Jesus says, "they that do the will of God." You can bet anything you want that those who were refused entry were 'believers', after all, they prophesied, worked miracles, did all manner of religious stuff. Obviously though they were relying on that 'stuff' to impress God and thus gain entry to heaven. God wasn't impressed. However, the fact remains that only those who do the will of the Father gain entry. The question we must ask is "what is the will of the Father?"
Well, that's answered easy. "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him." (Matt. 17:5) Okay, that's clear. The will of the Father is for us to listen to His Son. So, next question, "What did the Son say?" Well, the answer to that is easy to. "If ye love Me keep My commandments". You following this train of thought? To precis the above: those who will gain entry to heaven are those who keep God's commandments. Why? Because they are doing the will of the Father.And amazingly you will find that this agrees with the rest of scripture. For example:
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
Matt.36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.This from chapter 12. This is words of acknowledging God before other men; have you spread the gospel.
Again, this is a description between a true believer and a non-believer. This is also proof of salvation first then works of the spirit in you afterward, which indicate that your faith is not dead....faith, salvation, then works and in that order.
I do not have a problem with that order; I have never suggested anything different. That does not however change the fact that those who receive Christ into their lives and have a relationship with Him are still judged and they are judged by their works. Not by their profession of faith. Only, I repeat only those who have the works are finally saved. And yes, I know, the works are the result of being born again, but they are still essential to gain entry into eternity.
Matt. 18:34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.Are you telling me if a brother ask you forgiveness you would'nt do it? This is the mark of a Christian and the fruits of the spirit within you! This has nothing to do with the works that you seek!
You really do need to read the entire parable. The one who refused to forgive his servants debt was already saved! He was forgiven, freed completely of all indebtedness. Totally exonerated. Utterly loosed from all responsibilty. He was a Christian, yet refused to carry out the example set by His Saviour.
Matt. 22:11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not a wedding garment.
12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
14 For many are called, but few are chosen.This is a typical illustration of seperating the sheep from the goats or the wheat from the tares, meaning the saved from the un-saved which happens during judgement. This has nothing to do with the works that you seek!
Allow me to quote Matthew Henry who says it much better than I, and note how he explains that sanctification is just as essential to our ultimate salvation as is justification.
The provision made for perishing souls in the gospel, is represented by a royal feast made by a king, with eastern liberality, on the marriage of his son. Our merciful God has not only provided food, but a royal feast, for the perishing souls of his rebellious creatures. There is enough and to spare, of every thing that can add to our present comfort and everlasting happiness, in the salvation of his Son Jesus Christ. — The guests first invited were the Jews. When the prophets of the Old Testament did not prevail, nor John the Baptist, nor Christ himself, who told them the kingdom of God was at hand, the apostles and ministers of the gospel were sent, after Christ’s resurrection, to tell them it was come, and to persuade them to accept the offer. The reason why sinners do not come to Christ and salvation by him, is, not because they cannot, but because they will not. Making light of Christ, and of the great salvation accomplished by him, is the damning sin of the world. They were careless. Multitudes perish for ever through mere carelessness, who show no direct aversion, but are careless concerning their souls. Also the business and profit of worldly employments hinder many in closing with the Saviour. Both farmers and merchants must be diligent; but whatever we have of the world in our hands, our care must be to keep it out of our hearts, lest it come between us and Christ. — The utter ruin coming upon the Jewish church and nation, is here represented. Persecution of Christ’s faithful ministers fills up the measure of guilt of any people. The offer of Christ and salvation to the Gentiles was not expected; it was such a surprise as it would be to wayfaring men, to be invited to a royal wedding feast. The design of the gospel is to gather souls to Christ; all the children of God scattered abroad. {#Joh 10:16 11:52} The case of hypocrites is represented by the guest that did not have a wedding garment on. It concerns all to prepare for the scrutiny; and those, and those only, who put on the Lord Jesus, who have a Christian temper of mind, who live by faith in Christ, and to whom he is all in all, have the wedding garment. The imputed righteousness of Christ, and the sanctification of the Spirit, are both alike necessary. No man has the wedding garment by nature, or can form it for himself. The day is coming, when hypocrites will be called to account for all their presumptuous intruding into gospel ordinances, and usurpation of gospel privileges. Take him away. Those who walk unworthy of Christianity, forfeit all the happiness they presumptuously claimed. — Our Saviour here passes out of the parable into what it teaches. Hypocrites go by the light of the gospel itself down to utter darkness. Many are called to the wedding feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Then let us examine ourselves whether we are in the faith, and seek to be approved by the King.
Rev. 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Yes, works of the spirit in you that prove you are a Christian and saved. Remember Jesus said: " If you are in me and I in you, you will produce much fruit but without me you can do nothing". So, the works come after faith and salvation and not the other way around. Remember Ephesians says that: " You are save through faith in grace, it is a gift and not of your works."
Exactly my point, and I thank you for agreeing with me. Finally you see that we are judged by our works and if we do not have them we are cast out and burnt just as Jesus described.
Seems to me that in every example above that salvation was conditional, not on anyones' acceptance of Christ, but on their works subsequent to their acceptance of Christ.You are so wrong and do not support the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ!
Excuse me? Just above you agreed with me that we are judged by our works that come after faith and justification. Now you when I repeat that we are judged by works subsequent to our acceptance of Christ I am wrong? It seems to me you have only a superficial understanding of the gospel.
In the OT the sanctuary services were the gospel for Israel. They typified what Christ did in person. The very first act in the service was to sacrifice the lamb. This typified Christ's sacrifice on calvary, right? I am sure you understand that. However, that was only the first stage of salvation!!! The blood needed to be taken into the sanctuary and presented before the presence of God. In between the altar were other items of furniture all essential to the final salvation of the penitent sinner, furniture that represented different aspects of Christ's ministry and all essential that we partake in each one. The sacrifice alone was not sufficient to see the sinner into the kingdom.
The sanctuary has justification, (the altar of sacrifice), sanctification (the laver , table of showbread, and the candles, and altar of incense) and glorification ( the Most Holy Place and ark of the Covenant which was entered into only once a year). All essential aspects to our ultimate entrance into glory and all representing different aspects of the Christian walk, including works of righteousness and obedience without which we will not make it.
