Daily Devotion (February 11, 2025)
Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
What are the worst words you could ever hear directed towards you? The words of God saying, “Depart from me; I never knew you.” How many have lived in the pretense of having a real relationship with God to discover the god they served was self or worse, Satan.
Genuine faith and obedience to God’s will is emphasized by doing good works. God’s works.
A person who comes to Christ for salvation comes to Christ the Lord, who has the right to demand obedience because of His lordship. Note that Jesus did not teach here that works save us, but rather that doing good works is a reflection of our obedience to God’s will (7:16–20, 24–27; cp. James 2:14–26).
We cannot earn salvation by works. Works replaces Christ death on the cross. We do not earn salvation. The phrase “for the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” To accept Jesus as Savior is to accept Him as the Lord of our lives.