Seardh for Truth, #6

Matthew 7:21-23
Not all people who sound religious are really godly.  They may refer to me as "Lord," but they still won't enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  The decisive issue is whether they obey my Father in heaven.  On judgment day many will tell me, "lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name."
But I will reply, "I never knew you.  go away; the things you did were unauthorized."  (NLT)

Some sincerely religious people will be unpleasantly surprised on judgment day to find they are not making it to heaven.  The message of this scripture is that obedience is a salvation issue.  Just believing and acknowledging Jesus as Lord is not all that God  requires.

This is Jesus speaking-- the God/man who loved us so much that he died in order to secure our salvation!  He is not taunting us here.  He is clarifying that truth requires obedience.  This is not a savior who would make truth obscure.  He wants his death to count for as many souls as possible.  But having his death avail for our salvation depends on our obedience.  We'd all do well to focus on what he asks of us.

I believe that Elizabeth is Queen of England.  I'm right in that belief.  It is the truth, but it has little effect on my life and that belief does not make me a citizen of the country where she reigns.  I do not obey her laws; I do not pay her taxes; I have not pledged her my allegiance.  I am not a citizen of her country.

I believe that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God.  I am right in that belief.  It is the truth.  But I must obey His laws if I am to be a citizen of his heavenly kingdom.  This makes it imperative that I find the truth of his will and obey.  He's made it accessible.  I must take responsibility for searching it out and committing my life to it.