Tim Maas Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

In my opinion, the people to whom Jesus is referring in this passage will have professed to be His followers and disciples during their earthly lives, and may have even preached, prophesied, and performed the types of works described in His name, but were counting on those works (rather than total faith in Jesus' atoning sacrifice and subsequent resurrection) for their salvation. Their hearts never truly belonged to Christ. Their boasting of their actions indicates that they are not the ones whom Paul was describing in Ephesians 2:8-9 who know that they have been saved solely and totally by God's grace (undeserved mercy) through faith.

(Yes, redeemed Christians should perform good works as visible evidence of their faith (James 2:17), but those works are the result or effect of their salvation -- not the cause of it.) 

Even seemingly miraculous actions that the people to whom Jesus is referring may have performed will not be enough to save them. For example, Judas Iscariot, as one of the twelve apostles, undoubtedly performed the same preaching, healings, exorcisms, and similar actions that the other apostles did at Jesus' command (Matthew 10:1-8) during His earthly ministry. And yet, at the conclusion of that ministry, just prior to Judas' betrayal of Him, Jesus nevertheless described Judas as "the son of perdition" who had been eternally lost (John 17:12).

July 22 2019 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

D W Supporter

During His earthly ministry, Jesus witnessed to Jews about Himself as the promised Messiah, and about the promised Kingdom of God on earth. In each case He was witnessing to Jews, in fulfillment of the Prophecy in the Hebrew Bible that He would arrive, and in fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 53, His crucifixion. The mission of Jesus was to get National Israel to return to Him ---- they had ignored Him for centuries (see the Abrahamic Covenant, Genesis 12 through 15). Those Jews who accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah were guaranteed residence in the Kingdom of God on earth, with Jesus ruling over the 12 Tribes of Israel. Those who rejected Jesus were scheduled for the Great White Throne Judgment (Look it up! Research it!)

At the Great White Throne Judgment, those who rejected  Him will hear Him say, 22 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?' 23 And then I will say to them, 'Depart from Me, you who work iniquity -- I never knew you.' 

The Kingdom of Heaven in this context is an earthly Kingdom promised to the Jews. Read it as the Kingdom FROM Heaven.

September 27 2013 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht ABC/DTS graduate, guitar music ministry Baptist church

Good question! The double use of the vocative, "Lord, Lord," is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little. -- bible.org

These people are those who don't have the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, living in them (Romans 8:9 "... Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him."). It is not just saying that you are a Christian and are serving Christ that get you into heaven. Faith without works is dead. Belief and behavior go together. All our good works after we get saved are just a "Thank you" to God for saving us. But they don't help us earn heaven (Isaiah 64:6 because, to God, as this verse says, "all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.").

February 17 2024 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report