Not everyone who believes in Jesus is going to make it to heaven. The words of Jesus in the closing portion of the “Sermon on the Mount” should be taken very seriously. Here is what He said.
Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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 will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Some people, who accept that Jesus is the Son of God, will miss out on eternal life. Who are these people? Let us allow Jesus to tell us.
- Those Whose Profession Is Less Than Their Practice
Accepting the Lordship of Jesus is more than lip service. It involves both profession and practice. Some believe that gaining the status of a Christian involves no more than the mere citation of the words “Jesus is Lord.” It is affirmed by many, for example, that Paul was converted on the road to Damascus because he called Jesus Lord on that occasion. While calling Jesus Lord does reveal a certain degree of faith, faith alone does not save. The words of Jesus in Matthew 7:21 prove this beyond all doubt.
Why is your practice not in harmony with your profession? Why is your conversation not in accord with your conduct and your discourse in line with your doing? Christianity is more than just a belief; it is a way of life, and when the proper life is not being lived, all talk about Jesus being Lord is just cheap and vain words. For one to accept Jesus as Lord, the gospel must be obeyed (Acts 2:37-41; 9:7-18; 22:12-16).
There are far too many people who have been deceived by the devil into believing that they are saved because they have proclaimed their faith in Jesus. However, in reality, they are not saved because they are not doing the will of Jesus; thus, they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. For example, those who have not been baptized in the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins, have not done what Jesus desires of them (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). All the Lord, Lords in the world will not help them on the day of judgment, for while they profess Christ, they do not do what He says.
- Those Who Disregard the Will of God
There are a lot of good people who are thoroughly convinced that they are serving God and giving Him honor, but who are not accomplishing His will. It may be that they worship God regularly, but they are still not doing His will because they are worshipping according to the doctrines of men (Matthew 15:8-9). The will of God cannot be discarded just because we do not like what it says.
Doing good is important, but there will be a lot of good people who do not make it to heaven. If you want to enter into the kingdom of heaven, make sure that your practice is in harmony with your profession, in other words, practice what you preach. But also, make sure that you are doing God’s will and that your works are not only scriptural but are done for the right reasons. Do not let the lies of Satan fool you into thinking you are saved when you are not. Be sure about it by examining your life and making sure that all you do religiously is according to God’s will, not your own.
As you wind down for the night, think about these things.