The Pain of Rejection
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Have you ever had to endure rejection? Probably all of us have had to deal with rejection many times in our life. Rejection isn’t easy. There are many forms and levels of it. We may face rejection at home, in the workplace, at school, and out in public. We may be rejected for something we do or say, the way that we look, or just something that we are. We can also be rejected because we failed to do or say something, we failed to look a certain way, or we failed to be something.
Rejection can last for a short time, or for a lifetime. Rejection can carry minimal consequences, or it can change our entire life. We might be surprised at experiencing rejection, because we didn’t see it coming. Other times, we might anxiously anticipate an upcoming event, because we know that it will present the possibility of being rejected.
Individuals are rejected by a potential employer because the person’s resume isn’t sufficient. An athlete can be rejected as a scholarship recipient because their athletic achievements aren’t enough. A man may be rejected in his proposal of marriage to a woman. An agent’s contract offer may be rejected; friends may reject one another because of their actions toward each other. Voters may reject a political candidate on Election Day.
Almost without fail, rejection is painful. We don’t naturally enjoy being rejected! We may sometimes be relieved when the answer is “no,” but that is rare. Rejection is usually difficult. Most people learn to recover and grow from their being rejected, but that doesn’t make rejection easy.
There is coming a time when many people will be rejected, and this rejection will carry infinite pain. There won’t be any reconsideration, and there won’t be any growth or rebound as a result of the rejection. It will be final. Worse than that, it will be unexpected. Stay with me, and in a moment we will consider, “The Pain of Rejection.”
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Good morning, and welcome to Truth for Today, a weekly radio ministry of Bible Baptist Church in Grand Forks, North Dakota. My name is Ethan Custer, and I serve as the assistant under Pastor Mike Custer, the regular host of this broadcast. We at Bible Baptist Church desire to be a spiritual help to you in any way that we can. Our church building is located at 6367 Gateway Drive, on the west edge of Grand Forks. We meet several times each week to worship God and fellowship together, and our highest desire in life is to obey and please the Lord Jesus Christ in all that we do. Our source of truth and guide for living is the Authorized King James Bible, the Word of God in the English language. In the Scriptures, God offers real solutions for all of life’s problems! If we can help you in any way, please let us know. We crave that opportunity. I’ll be giving our contact information at the end of the broadcast, and I hope you’ll stay with me.
A moment ago, I stated that rejection is painful. If you’ve ever been rejected in your efforts for achievement, you know that this is true. It hurts to be denied our objective! Ultimately, rejection is painful because we wanted the answer to be “yes” instead of “no.” But the pain of rejection is more than simple disappointment over an outcome. We might be disappointed that our favorite sports team lost the game, but that doesn’t mean we feel the pain of rejection. We might be denied our request of, say, boarding the airplane a few minutes early, but that doesn’t necessarily fit the definition of a painful rejection. Rejection is more personal than that; it is deeper than that.
In the Scriptures today, we will read of an example of true rejection, and we’ll see signs of the infinite pain that will go along with it. There is no rejection that will be more painful than this one! We find this rejection in the book of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 21-23. It is the Lord Jesus Christ speaking, and He says this:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
In a similar but different passage in Luke 13, we read this:
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
So what are the conditions of this rejection? First, we see that there are two sides in this situation. The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is on one side, and sinners are on the other side. Second, we see the objective at stake is entry into God’s kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. These sinners are presenting themselves before Jesus Christ, hoping to be accepted into God’s kingdom. Thirdly, we see the terms of this objective. Sinners are attempting to enter into God’s heavenly kingdom, and they believe that they qualify for it. To their horror and pain, Jesus Christ rejects them. This rejection brings terrible pain, as we’ll see.
First, I mentioned that Jesus Christ is on one side, and sinners are on the other. The Bible tells us much about the Lord Jesus Christ. John 3:16 is perhaps the most well-known verse in the Bible, and it describes Jesus quite well.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus Christ is God’s only begotten Son. He came to be the sacrifice for sin. He is able to do this because He is without sin.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
I’m sure most of us know what the definition of “sin” is, but I’ll read what the Bible tells us about that as well.
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, has never transgressed—or broken—God’s law. He has always perfectly kept God’s law in every way. He is sinless; He is holy and separate from sin. He is qualified to be the sacrifice and substitute for sinners, and pay their sin penalty.
Who are the sinners? The Bible tells us that also.
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
All of you hearing my voice right now are sinners, and so am I. Every human being to ever live, except for Jesus, is a sinner. We have all transgressed and broken God’s law. We are all guilty. We are all lawbreakers against God the eternal Judge. But Christ has never done that. He is sinless. That is why He is on one side of this situation, and all of us, as sinners, are on the other side. None of us are righteous.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
Before you can accept God’s solution for your sin problem, you need to acknowledge that you have a sin problem! I think most people easily accept that they make mistakes. That’s not hard to establish. But it’s not enough to simply agree that we aren’t perfect, we make mistakes, and we make bad choices at times. If we’re going to be in a place where we are ready to accept God’s solution for our sin, we need to believe in our heart that we have personally offended the Holy, righteous, Almighty God with our wicked and vile acts, and we deserve His judgment. Most people that I talk to are willing to acknowledge that they make mistakes. Most people do not believe that they have offended God and deserve His judgment. What about you?
Let’s read Matthew 7:21-23 again.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
We’ve considered that there are two sides: Christ and sinners. Next, let us consider the objective at stake, which is Heaven. I’ve asked many people over the years what they believe happens after we leave this life, and though I’ve heard many different kinds of answers, I usually hear people say that they believe there is a place called Heaven. The Bible teaches that this is true.
In Revelation 21:2, we read of that heavenly place that God is preparing for His saints.
And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
God is preparing wonderful things for His people to enjoy in Heaven for all eternity! Peter talks about a wonderful inheritance that is waiting for God’s people.
To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
The Scriptures are full of references by God to the wonderful eternal future that is in store for the children of God.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name:
The upright shall dwell in thy presence.
The Apostle Paul writes to the believers in the city of Thessalonica, and he says this in the book of 1 Thessalonians.
Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
Friend, let there be no doubt about this: there is a place called Heaven. It is a wonderful place—the dwelling place of God. But there is another eternal place, called Hell. It is a place of torment and pain. The Bible says much about it as well.
The wicked shall be turned into hell,
And all the nations that forget God.
The prophet Isaiah describes the end of wicked men in chapter 5, verses 11-14.
Isaiah 5:11–14 (KJV 1900)
Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; That continue until night, till wine inflame them! And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, And wine, are in their feasts: But they regard not the work of the Lord, Neither consider the operation of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: And their honourable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, And opened her mouth without measure: And their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, And he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
In Luke 16, we read about a man who died and went to Hell.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
Hell is a terrible place! It is not a place of socializing with friends and the devil, as some have carelessly joked. It is a place of darkness and pain and despair.
You and I will go to one of these two places after we die. There is no other destination for human souls. Which place is your destination—God’s perfect Heaven, or Hell, the place of judgment? You are on your way to one or the other. Which one is it? This is what is at stake for all sinners.
When we begin to understand what God says about sin, and about Heaven and Hell, and we believe that His words are true, we begin to be very interested in the third part of our main text this morning in Matthew 7: the terms of Heaven as the objective. How does God decide who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell? This is a critical decision that is in our future, as Hebrews 9:27 tells us.
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Revelation chapter 20 says this.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Friend, you WILL stand before God one day, and He will judge you. Once He has judged you, you WILL go to either Heaven or Hell. Which one will it be? Do you know? We would be wise to consider the outcome of our future judgment very carefully. As you consider it, I hope that you realize the potential for you to be rejected. Remember how I discussed that rejection often brings pain along with it? For a sinner standing before God the Judge, there is no rejection that can bring greater pain than this rejection! Let me read our text for you again.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Picture yourself standing before God the Judge: your future hangs in the balance. After God examines the evidence, He proclaims, “I never knew you. Depart from me, you worker of iniquity!” With those words, you are seized and carried out of the Heavenly courtroom, to be cast into outer darkness and eternal fiery judgment. Revelation 20:15 tells us about this moment for sinners.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Does this cause you to shudder? I hope that it does. Many people are casual about their eternity; they are too busy pursuing sin and pleasure on this earth. They are speeding toward judgment day without a thought about its outcome. The possibility of this rejection doesn’t enter their minds. And many people like this will be rejected by God, to their eternal regret and agony.
Consider the words that these sinners in Matthew 7 spoke to Christ. They said:
“Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?”
This sounds pretty good, right? “To prophesy” means to speak the words of God. A prophet is a messenger from God to men. Isn’t it a good thing to prophesy, and give God’s message to people? There will be many people who stand before God to be judged, who have prophesied in His name.
These people also say to God, “We have cast out devils in thy name!” This is a great thing, isn’t it? Most people cannot cast out devils. Most people will never cast out devils. Isn’t it a wonderful thing to cast out devils in the name of Christ? Isn’t God impressed with this??
These people also say, “We have done many wonderful works in your name!” This is what God wants us to do, isn’t it? Not just wonderful works, but MANY wonderful works! No doubt, these kinds of people received many accolades in their lives, and helped many people! Prophesying, and casting out devils, and doing many wonderful works, all in the name of Christ! I think we can confidently say that this world would be a better place if more people lived like this!
But what does Christ say to these people? How does HE view these people who did all these wonderful things in His name? He accepts them, right? He praises them, doesn’t He? He gives them a place of honor in His wonderful home, called Heaven, doesn’t He?
No, far from it. Instead, Christ says this to these folks that you and I would probably call “good people.”
“Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
What a chilling reply. “I NEVER knew you. Depart from me.” The pain from this rejection is unmatched. First, we see that Christ rejects them personally. “I never knew you.” This isn’t about a careful scrutiny of their works, and a reluctant verdict that the works aren’t quite up to God’s standard. This is a personal rejection: “I never knew you.” Personal rejection is the most painful kind!
Second, we see that Christ rejects their presence. “Depart from me.” You and I may reject close friendship with another person, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be around them and interact with them. But Christ’s rejection of these sinners includes His rejection of their very presence. They aren’t allowed to remain in His presence; they must depart.
Finally, we see Christ rejecting them based on their identity. “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” They aren’t good people in His eyes. He doesn’t recognize their prophesying, or casting out devils, or their wonderful works. He sees that they are workers of iniquity. That is their identity in His eyes.
People have a need to be respected, and we see that in modern times, it is considered a serious thing to refuse to respect another person. You don’t have to like someone, but you must still respect them. But in the judgment, Christ will not respect the good works that these people did. He will reject them personally, He will reject their presence, and He will reject them by identifying them as workers of iniquity.
What if you were to stand before Christ by lunchtime today? Would He reject you? Most people that I talk to are trusting in their good works to gain God’s acceptance. Are you trusting in good works?
If you are, then I would ask you, how do you stack up against these people in Matthew 7? Have you ever prophesied in the name of Jesus Christ? Have you ever cast out devils in God’s name? Have you done many wonderful works in the name of Christ?
I expect that many people would say they have done good works; but have you done many wonderful works in God’s name? Perhaps not. I expect that most people would not claim to have prophesied in Christ’s name. I expect almost no one would claim to have cast out devils in God’s name. If you haven’t done as much as these folks have, how can you possibly expect that God will accept you, and not reject you?
These questions might cause a person to be discouraged. If these impressive works were not enough to get these people into Heaven, how can we expect to get there? Friend, listen carefully to this critical statement: if Christ accepts you in the judgment, it won’t be because of your works. There is NOTHING you can do that will earn God’s acceptance. These people in Matthew 7 did many impressive works, and they were still rejected by Christ, to their eternal pain and agony. And if you trust in your works to earn God’s reward, you will also be rejected. The Bible is clear on this.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
There are some important words in those verses! Did you hear them? “NOT by works of righteousness…but according to his mercy he saved us...”Being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs...”
Friend, I beg you to ask yourself these questions. “What am I trusting to get me into Heaven? Am I trusting my works? Do I KNOW that when I die, I WILL go to Heaven?” I have talked to many people who have told me that they are trusting in their good works for salvation, but they admit that they don’t know if they will get into Heaven or not. But the Bible is clear that we CAN know!
1 John 5:13 (KJV 1900)
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
One day, we will all stand before God to be judged. And God will either accept us or reject us. For those He rejects, they will experience unimaginable pain. I don’t want that to be true of you. But if you believe that you can do enough good works to earn your way into Heaven, then I can confidently say that you aren’t going there. Christ tells us this.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
In Matthew 7, Christ told those sinners, “I never knew you.” You see, knowing Christ is what will get you into Heaven. You must know Him personally as your Lord and Saviour. He died on the cross so that your sins could be paid for. Your works cannot pay for your sins; only His blood can do that. If you insist on earning your way to Heaven, Christ will reject you on Judgment Day. But if you turn from your sins and believe on Christ alone for salvation, then you may know Him. And when He becomes your Saviour and you become God’s child, you receive His gift of eternal life. And you can never experience the pain of Christ’s rejection.
Won’t you give up on trusting your works to save you, and just trust in Christ’s shed blood for salvation? He wants you to come to Him. He wants you to know Him. He doesn’t want to reject you on Judgment Day.
If you have any questions about this broadcast or about other truths from the Bible, we at Bible Baptist Church would be glad to visit with you! You may contact us in a number of ways. First, you may contact me via email by writing to truthfortoday@bbcgf.org. You may also find our website at www.bbcgf.org. Bible Baptist Church is located at 6367 Gateway Drive in Grand Forks, and we have regular Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening services. You are welcome to attend any of them. If you would rather watch the livestream of our services, or if you would like to watch archives of past services, you may find them on our website as well.
Thank you for listening today! Please tune in again next week at this same time for more truth from God’s Word, on Truth for Today.