“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” – Matthew 7:21-23
There are no shortages of individuals, organizations, and charities who identify themselves as Christians that pour their lives, time, and millions upon millions of dollars into doing good deeds in the name of Christ. By all accounts, these are the lights, the salt of the earth, the truly good people of this world. So why does Jesus warn that many of these individuals, professing Christians doing good deeds, may hear Jesus’ words of eternal condemnation on judgment day? Hint: It’s not because they didn’t have faith in Him, they clearly did. Not only do they call Him Lord Lord, but if ever there was a time for Jesus to tell someone that they didn’t properly trust in Him for salvation, the moment before eternal damnation seems apt. Clearly, there must be something missing in these individuals that will make the difference between being a good person and being a godly person, so what is it?
To answer this question and many more, like why there isn’t miraculous healing today, what to do if you don’t feel like you have a ministry, and how to encourage faithfulness in people’s lives, check out any of the three recordings from Sunday’s sermon: Encouraging Faithfulness, The Difference Between the Good and the Godly, or the Pledge of Allegiance / Ministry / Miraculous Healing / and a Parent’s Obligation to their Unsaved Child.