you need to do Gods will

From the broad and narrow ways and from the bearing of good or bad fruit Jesus moves on to the consummation. Just as there are only two ways, so in the end there are only two destinations. This means also that he moves from the way his people can recognize false prophets to his condemnation of such people. When the kingdom of heaven (see on 3:2) comes in all its fulness, it will not be people’s profession that counts, but their profession as shown in the way they live. Not every one does not mean that none who use the expression will enter the kingdom: Jesus is not saying that it is a bad thing to say to him “Lord, Lord,” but that it is insufficient. He has just made emphatically the point that a person’s deeds show what the person is, and he is now saying that words are not the significant thing. It is easy for anyone to profess loyalty, but to practice it is quite another thing. Says stands in contrast to does; words are not enough. The word Lord was used in a variety of ways. Originally it meant the owner of anything (cf. 20:8), but it could be used of important people generally. It thus became a conventional form of address in polite society, very much like our “Sir” (cf. 21:30). The Romans used it of their emperor (Acts 25:26), and the term was in common use of the gods people worshipped (1 Cor. 8:5). When the Old Testament was translated into Greek, Lord was employed consistently as the translation for the divine name Yahweh. It was the word the Christians found used of God in their Bible, and accordingly it was very significant when they came to call Jesus by this title. It is a title of majesty. In this Gospel it is used to refer to Jesus only once (21:3), apart from its use as a form of address (which shows that Matthew is not indiscriminately reading back into Jesus’ lifetime the title that was so common in the church of his day).

Here, of course, Lord could be simply the polite form of address, but since it refers to what will happen on Judgment Day it more likely has overtones of divinity. On Judgment Day Jesus will be seen for what he really is, and the greeting here implies that the people in question will be claiming to belong to him. But their claim will be of no avail, Jesus says, unless their lives back it up. It is doing the will of the Father that matters, not the words we profess. This is not salvation by works: the contrast is not between merit and grace, but between profession and way of life. If people really trust Christ for salvation, their lives will no longer be self-centered; that they belong to the good tree will be made manifest by the fruit they bear. The history of the church is replete with examples of ecclesiastics who made free use of expressions like “Lord, Lord,” but whose arrogant and self-centered lives made a mockery of their words. Jesus is not saying that those saved will have earned their salvation, but that

the reality of their faith will be made clear by their fruitful lives. We should notice his use of my Father, the first use of this expression in this Gospel; Jesus often refers to the Father in such a way as to imply a close personal relationship (10:32–33; 12:50; 16:17; 18:10, 19). His relationship to the Father is not the same as that of others.

22. For the many who will rise up cf. 24:11. That day is not described further, but clearly what is meant is Judgment Day, the day at the end of this world’s life when all will give account of themselves to God. That the people will make their plea to Jesus shows that he will be their Judge at the critical time (cf. 2 Cor. 5:10). The doubled Lord is apparently a way of emphasizing lordship; the speakers insist that they regard Jesus as their Lord. They go on to speak of things done in the name of Jesus that they regard as significant. The question “did we not prophesy?” looks for an affirmative answer: there is not a doubt that they did this. The name (see on 6:9) stands for the whole person, and actions done in the name (which here clearly means something like “with the authority of the name”) are listed accordingly as evidence of submission to the lordship of Jesus. Since there is no preposition, the meaning may be “with” the name rather than “in” the name, in which case the claim is that they had the name as the weapon they could wield. These people had been active in the service of God; Morgan says, “they had done everything but the Lord’s will,” and this is the critical thing. To be active in religious affairs is no substitute for obeying God.

They claimed to have done a number of things. First they asked, “did we not prophesy?” The word signifies speaking in the name of God, which may be meant in the sense that they revealed what is hidden or that they foretold the future (their claim would be that they could not do this in the name of Jesus unless Jesus approved). Second, they said that they had cast out demons. In secular Greek the word for “demon” could mean a deity. Or it might refer to an aspect of human personality, for example when Plato speaks of the “genius” of Socrates (Euthyphro 7.b). But in the New Testament demons were beings who occupied a position somewhere between people and God and were especially linked with Satan. In the Gospels their deeds are evil, and they sometimes bring striking physical limitations to people in whom they make their dwelling. Jesus expelled demons from sufferers on a number of occasions, and exorcisms are here regarded as meritorious works, done in the name and the spirit of Jesus. Mighty works are miracles (the term is often used of Jesus’ healing miracles), though there is no indication of precisely what form the miracles of the false teachers took. But to do any kind of miracle in Jesus’ name is surely something that might be pleaded on Judgment Day? Certainly these teachers thought so. That there were many shows that such miracles were done in abundance. The group of three outstanding achievements is pleaded as clear evidence that those who performed them were in good standing with Jesus (name is in an emphatic position in each clause). But those who so plead have overlooked the fact that there can be “lying wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9).

23. Then (see on 2:7; this is the unclassical use “to introduce that which follows in time,” BAGD, 2) leads us into Jesus’ rejoinder. He will say … plainly, which leads into his verdict of total rejection. “I never knew you” (cf. 25:12) does not, of course, mean that he was ignorant of their existence, but rather that he never acknowledged them; he never recognized them as what they claimed to be (Knox, “You were never friends of mine”). You is in contrast to the threefold “your” of the previous verse. The rest of his rebuke is given in the words of Psalm 6:8. “Go away from me” (cf. 25:41) means total rejection (“away from me,” JB; “out of my sight, you and your wicked ways,” REB, is more paraphrase than translation, but it brings out the force of the original). You who work renders a participle that conveys the meaning of habitual practice; they are not condemned for an occasional error but for consistent wrongdoing. Lawlessness is basically the rejection of the law of God. The word is often translated in terms of wrongdoing (“evildoers”), which is, of course, involved. But the term points to a refusal to submit to the law of God; all the wrongdoing follows inevitably from this refusal. The words of these people may be good words, but their lives are lawless. On this passage Diétrich comments, “Verses 21–23 are a dreadful warning: the most orthodox avowals of faith have no value in the eyes of God if they are not translated into concrete obedience to his will. One may with his lips loudly profess his faith in God, and even invoke Jesus as Lord, yet deny him by thoughts, words, and acts.”¹

Obviously these verses do not refer to believers today. Every believer, living or dead, will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. None will hear the Lord say, “depart from me.” This passage has particular reference to the Great Tribulation period and the Millennium. This is the place to suggest that the Sermon on the Mount will have a particular meaning for the remnant during the Great Tribulation.

Also, there is a needed warning here for professing church members—in fact, for all believers. Folk talk enthusiastically about certain so–called miracle workers today, and they say to me, “You can tell God is with them.” In light of these verses, can we be sure of that? The name of Christ is on the lips of many people who are leaders of cults and “isms.” Just to use the name of Christ and the Bible is not proof that a system is genuine. It is not the outward profession but the inward relationship to a crucified but living Savior that is all–important.²

From picturing two ways and two trees, our Lord closed His message by picturing two builders and their houses. The two ways illustrate the start of the life of faith; the two trees illustrate the growth and results of the life of faith here and now; and the two houses illustrate the end of this life of faith, when God shall call everything to judgment. There are false prophets at the gate that leads to the broad way, making it easy for people to enter. But at the end of the way, there is destruction. The final test is not what we think of ourselves, or what others may think. The final test is: What will God say?

How can we prepare for this judgment? By doing God’s will. Obedience to His will is the test of true faith in Christ. The test is not words, not saying “Lord, Lord,” and not obeying His commands. How easy it is to learn a religious vocabulary, and even memorize Bible verses and religious songs, and yet not obey God’s will. When a person is truly born again, he has the Spirit of God living within (Rom. 8:9); and the Spirit enables him to know and do the Father’s will. God’s love in his heart (Rom. 5:5) motivates him to obey God and serve others.

Words are not a substitute for obedience, and neither are religious works. Preaching, casting out demons, and performing miracles can be divinely inspired, but they give no assurance of salvation. It is likely that even Judas participated in some or all of these activities, and yet he was not a true believer. In the last days, Satan will use “lying wonders” to deceive people (2 Thes. 2:7–12).

We are to hear God’s words and do them (see James 1:22–25). We must not stop with only hearing (or studying) His words. Our hearing must result in doing. This is what it means to build on the rock foundation. We should not confuse this symbol with the “rock” in 1 Corinthians 3:9ff. Paul founded the local church in Corinth on Jesus Christ when he preached the Gospel and won people to Christ. This is the only foundation for a local church.

The foundation in this parable is obedience to God’s Word—obedience that is an evidence of true faith (James 2:14ff). The two men in this story had much in common. Both had desires to build a house. Both built houses that looked good and sturdy. But when the judgment came (the storm), one of the houses collapsed. What was the difference? Not the mere external looks, to be sure. The difference was in the foundation: The successful builder “dug deep” (Luke 6:48) and set his house on a solid foundation.

A false profession will last until judgment comes. Sometimes this judgment is in the form of the trials of life. Like the person who received the seed of God’s Word into a shallow heart (Matt. 13:4–9), the commitment fails when the testing comes. Many people have professed faith in Christ, only to deny their faith when life becomes spiritually costly and difficult.

But the judgment illustrated here probably refers to the final judgment before God. We must not read into this parable all the doctrine that we are taught in the Epistles; for the Lord was illustrating one main point: profession will ultimately be tested before God. Those who have trusted Christ, and have proved their faith by their obedience will have nothing to fear. Their house is founded on the Rock, and it will stand. But those who have professed to trust Christ, yet who have not obeyed God’s will, will be condemned.

How shall we test our profession of faith? By popularity? No, for there are many on the broad road to destruction. And there are many who are depending on words, saying “Lord, Lord”—but this is no assurance of salvation. Even religious activities in a church organization are no assurance. How then shall we judge ourselves and others who profess Christ as Saviour?³

21–23. Not everyone professing Christ is genuinely saved. Even the outward verbal acknowledgment of His lordship is in itself not enough to save the unbeliever apart from true repentance and faith. A genuinely saved person is one that doeth the will of my Father, the Greek present tense meaning that he is continually living in obedience to the will of God as the normal course of his life. He may fail at times, but his general course of consistency is to obey the will of the Father. It is tragic to note that many will proclaim in that day, Lord, Lord and yet will be lost. On what do they base their profession? Their many wonderful works cause them to think that they have attained salvation and yet the response of Christ, pictured here as the Judge, will be I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Those who are continually living in sin, as the normal course of their lives, have no assurance of salvation whatever. This does not mean that one must experience basic and initial changes in one’s life to validate his claim to conversion. The phase “work iniquity” is also progressive in Greek (i.e., they continue to work iniquity).⁴

1 Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (pp. 178–181). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.

2 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Matthew 1-13) (electronic ed., Vol. 34, pp. 104–105). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 31–32). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

4 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1903). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.