1 John 2:3
The scripture for today is 1 John 2:3
1 John 2:3 And by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.
Jesus gave His disciples a sobering announcement, "Not every one that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have cast out demons? and in your name done many wonderful works?" Matthew 7:21-22 Then Jesus says something that is sobering and amazing: "And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity." Matthew 7:23 Iniquity is "lawlessness." He says depart from me; I never knew you; you who did not keep my law.
So we see that there are "many" who will come to Christ in the last day thinking that they know Him. They will assume that they have a saving knowledge of Christ based on what they perceive is His favor on them, namely the "spiritual" things that they are doing in "His name." This is an amazing prophecy from Christ. There are people who think they have a relationship with Christ, who think they are favored, who think that the "spiritual" things they are doing are from Christ because they are doing these things "in His name." Yet in the last day, Jesus tells them, "I never knew you." He does not say that I don't know you now, but "I NEVER knew you." So how could people be doing things in the name of Jesus and seemingly getting results using His name but have no true relationship with Christ? The answer to that question is simple. A relationship with Jesus is not based on what you are doing, it is based on what He is doing. When you truly receive Christ as the Lord of your life, you are no longer in charge of it; He is. You no longer follow what you think is right, you follow Him and His Word. Satan's masterpiece of deception has been to get people who identify as followers of Christ to follow their own inclinations rather than truly surrender to Christ in obedience to His Word. In fact, obedience has become a bad word in most Christian circles. It is tied to "legalism" or some other negative connotation. But here is the truth: A relationship with Jesus Christ is evidenced not by what you think is "spiritual." It is evidenced by a life that is surrendered to Him and lived in obedience to the Word of God.
The Ten Commandments is the very depiction of the character of God lived in the life of man. That is why Satan hates them the most. His masterpiece of deception in these last days has been to get people to violate God's moral law while "thinking" that they are honoring God. Why people do not see that God did not write 8 or 9 commandments is beyond me. He wrote ten of them with His own finger. Think of it, God took the time to write with His own hand Ten Commandments that would present to the world the way to live a victorious life, the God kind of life. Satan comes along and says to the world, just as He said to Eve in the garden, "did God say?" Then He contradicts God by saying essentially that God is a liar; "You won't surely die." Well friends, Satan is the liar. If you happen to be one of those "Christians" who think that you can erase or change a single word in one of God's commandments, you are sadly mistaken and will hear the words of Christ in the Judgment: "I never knew you." You may think you have a right relationship with the Lord, but according to the words of Jesus Himself, anyone who works "iniquity" or lawlessness is estranged from God. This is Satan's masterpiece of deception and many people who think they are strong ministers of the gospel are deceived. They will be among those who come to Christ in the last day expecting a pat on the back but will rather receive the most dreadful words they have ever heard "depart from me."
No one has to be lost; no one has to perish. Complete surrender to Christ will change your life completely and move you from death to life. It will move you from a life of deception and lawlessness to a life of obedience. It will move you from changing God's law to suit yourself to embracing God's law to please the One who wrote it. "By this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments."
God bless you as you continue in His service.
Tim