Two Kinds of Professing Christian

Introduction

The mouth is a dangerous instrument given to us. James tells us it boasts of great things but is able to set a forest ablaze. Wise parents would do well to teach their children to use their mouth wisely, and often to keep it quiet until the right time. This is because keeping watch over our mouths remains important throughout our lives. With out mouth, a profession of Christian faith may be easily made, and this has the power to enter oneself into church membership, baptism, and opening of the Table to you. With the mouth, people who have no experience in an industry have been able to get a job in a field they are not suited for, and likewise many use their mouth to profess a faith that does not actually exist in their hearts.

Last time we were in this text, we saw the difference between two kinds of preachers. One bears bad fruit and would lead their listeners to a bad end, the other bears good fruit and would lead their listeners to life. The discernment of the fruit is vitally important. Now, Jesus turns his attention to the listeners of the Word themselves, making it clear that it is not enough to find a good preacher to listen to. Nor is it good enough to use the powerful tool of the tongue to make a profession of having listened to the truth. Today, we will focus on two scenes Jesus uses to picture two different kinds of listeners. One has much to say, as we see in verse 21, the other does not say anything, but rather listens to and does the will of God revealed through the Words of Christ. We will examine the foolish professors of faith, the wise professors of faith, and finally we will look at how we can discern which of these we are.

Foolish Professors Characterized by fruitless works and not listening to and doing God’s will

It should be understood here that the Kingdom of Heaven is mentioned in its final state at the end of this world and the beginning of the next. It is true that many do seem to enter the Kingdom in this age through church membership, baptism, and taking of the Table, but the true citizens of this Kingdom are revealed only here at the judgement seat of God. This is what Jesus means when he says on that day in verse 22.

Not everyone who says...

There is a peculiar contrast between verse 21 and verse 24. We will explore this difference between the Not all and the all or everyone as it is translated in the ESV. There is here a need for self examination of our professions of faith, but there is also a sure hope for those who truly found themselves on a sure hope. First we will examine those without a credible profession, the many who are turned away from Christ as having never known him.

The confession

First, what is the confession of these people? Their confession comes in two forms:

First, they are those who cry Lord Lord. It is clear where they claim their allegiance. There is no reason to believe that this is a new profession, as if they were non-believers who are only then, at the Judgement, professing Jesus as Lord. Rather, they are those who professed faith in Christ, honoured him as Lord and claimed him as their Saviour and very much expected their meeting with Jesus on the last day to be a joyful and rewarding one, not a fearful judgement. However, it is equally clear that their profession was external only and did not represent the true nature of their hearts, though they were thoroughly self-decieved. It is they that are spoken of by Isaiah 29:13

Isaiah 29:13 ESV

And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men,

They follow God not with their hearts, but as a commandment taught by men. This shows us the danger of forcing a confession of faith and obedience to God’s law onto a person whose heart has not been converted. How many have grown up in churches, been taught God’s law but only follow it because it is enforced by those who hold power or influence over them. How many parents, in coaxing a profession of faith from their children, are setting them up for such a meeting with Christ.

Second, they profess their ministry and the mighty works of that ministry. There is no reason to believe they are lying when they say they prophesied in Christ’s name, cast out demons, and did many miraculous and mighty works in the name of Christ. This is rather shocking to the reader, since we know that these works are what mark Christ’s own ministry as being legitimate. However, the legitimacy of Christ’s ministry was not ultimately in miraculous works or prophetic sayings, but in his resurrection. Indeed, it is the same with the believer. I care little for what you have done as a Christian, who you have led to Christ, what ministry you’ve performed, or how much God has blessed you as you work in his name. What I care about is this, have you been raised with Christ? Has your heart been changed? Have you died to sin and become alive in Christ by faith apart from anything you have done?

Look at how Jesus describes these in verse 22. Many. Many will be in this position of thinking they are in Christ and are not. Many churchgoers, many who have gone through a Christian baptism, many who take of the Table, many who preach from the pulpits, many missionaries, many church planters. I fear greatly, oh that it is not so, but perhaps many of you. Check yourselves, examine your hearts, see if there is ample evidence of one who has been raised with Christ, for they are the exception and not the rule.

The confidence of these professors is in what they have done, not in Christ. John Gill writes,

“It may be observed, that these men lay the whole stress of their salvation upon what they have done in Christ’s name; and not on Christ himself, in whom there is salvation, and in no other:”

In what do you have confidence as a believer? What answer will you give to Almighty God on the last day? Does your mind immediately go to the things you do that seem to prove to you that you are a believer? Do you take your comfort in the service that you rendered for the Kingdom, or in the King himself? Is it your righteousness that makes you feel justified, or is it the righteousness of Christ that secures you? Is your only plea for salvation and comfort in that salvation Christ, or do you rely on your own works to commend you before God? It is only the blood of Christ that justifies you and it will only be knowing Christ and truly following him and looking to him that will earn you the words “well done, good and faithful servant.” These do not look to Christ, but only look at what they can do for Christ. This gives them a false hope, an unwarrented confidence in their salvation. Be sure this isn’t you.

Their Works

Jesus is clear to point out that the ones whom Christ never knew are full of works, but all the same they do not do the will of the Father. What we see here are not lazy Christians who do nothing, although they certainly are in danger on not doing the will of the Father, but busy Christians who are out prophesying, doing miracles, and casting out demons. It was the will of the Father for Christ and his disciples to perform these actions to prove the power of the Holy Spirit was with them, but we are made aware here that not all who do these things are doing the will of the Father. Jesus tells us that the Pharisees cast out demons (Matt 12:27) and we are told in Matt 24:24

Matthew 24:24 (ESV)

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Knowing this, it is clear that the will of the Father is something beyond these outward ministries. We see this also in verse 24 with Jesus’ words, Everyone who hears these words of mine and does them where Jesus equates his words to the will of the Father. It is a reminder for us that the words of Scripture are not merely suggestions or wise sayings, but commands that cannot merely be done outwardly. If we approach the sermon on the mount with a works-based mentality we will be no better off than those who say Lord Lord and have all these wonderful works of ministry but did not know Jesus. This had the result of them not paying attention to what really mattered. Jesus would chide the Pharisees for their strict adherence to tithing laws while they neglected the weightier matters of the law. Jesus is warning that if his words are not taken seriously and put into practice, we will not be doing the will of the Father. This sermon is all the more important to study and be familiar with, as this specifically is what Jesus calls the will of the Father. And what is that? We will get into it in a moment.

However, we must remember that the teaching here in not another law, but it reveals the heart of the Blessed Ones described in the Beatitudes. But what is the will of God? Let us now turn to the true professor of faith, the wise builder, the Blessed One and the True Believer.

Wise Professors characterized by fruitful works by listening to and doing God’s will

Everyone who hears and does...

In contrast to the not everyone in verse 21, the parable of the builders begins with everyone. The is a limited universality in those who hear and do the will of God. They are all like a wise man and, if we parallel this wise man to be the opposite of those who never knew Jesus. These are those whom Jesus does know and does welcome into his Kingdom. We can take great encouragement from this statement, as it means that those who do put Christ’s words into practice have all the confidence in the world that they will be accepted into the eternal Kingdom.

The Profession and Works

Now the true believer is just as likely to say Lord Lord, or perhaps, as John Gill adds, My Lord as these take Christ as their own, the one who has saved them and keep them. What is the difference between the profession of a true Christian and a false one? Jesus tells us “but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” and “everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man”.

True Belief

What is the will of God? How can we know it so that we can do it? There are two answers to give that will flesh this out.

First, the will of God is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. John 6:40

John 6:40 ESV

For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Those who are rejected from the Kingdom did not have true faith. As we saw already, they trusted in their own ministry and their own works to please God. They call Christ their Lord, so how is it implied that they are not doing the will of God by believing in Christ. If they call Jesus Lord are they not believers? No, because they haven’t believed on Christ. The wording in John 6 is that they everyone who looks on and believes in the Son should have eternal life, or enter the Kingdom of Heaven as these two are the same end. These are not those who simply call Christ Lord but those who have looked to him for salvation in faith. They have no other hope, no other confidence, no other person that secures their trust. They look to Christ as a dying person and cry “save me, lest I die forever”. They view Christ as their only lifeline, they commune with Christ in prayer and meditation on the premise that it is Christ alone that vanquishes our guilt and presents us as righteous to the Father. Christ is precious to them, they worship him, they value him, they seek his presence, all they have is Christ. If you are not in that place, you cannot cry Lord Lord effectively. Until Christ is precious to you because you find in him all the blessings and promises from God, you have not submitted to him as your Lord in a true sense.

Heart Obedience

Second, their love for Christ brings about a heart that is described in the Beatitudes at the beginning of Christ’s sermon. They are poor in spirit, they mourn over sin, they are meek because they recognize their lowness before God and have no reason to boast, they are hungry and thirsty for righteousness both imputed righteousness through Christ and a sanctified life through the Holy Spirit. They are merciful, knowing that they themselves have and will experience so much mercy from God. They are pure in heart, seeking God through Christ without distraction or idolatry. They are peacemakers and they are as a result persecuted by a world in which they do not belong. Jesus expresses that this is the true fulfillment of the law, to have their heart and to walk it out. They refrain from lust, unrighteous anger, dishonest language, retaliation, and hypocritical judgement. They love their enemies because they have the heart of mercy that Christ has towards them. They do their acts so as not to be seen by men. They pray humbly to God as a Father and they are free from cares of this world because they are seeking treasures in heaven through good works that build up the Kingdom of Heaven in their lives. That is a summary of the words that Jesus tells us to do. Anyone who fits that description is the wise man who builds his house on the rock. It must be emphasized that this is not just the things that they do but rather it is who they are. You cannot learn this apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.

James 1:22 ESV

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

The danger of sitting in the pews is that you may think that simply by hearing the word week after week and then going about doing your life that you are truly a Christian. But does this sermon describe you? I know there is sin, I know you may be weak, I know you may struggle, but is your heart cast upon Christ to live like I have just described? It is only these that will enter eternal life.

Discerning the Difference in us

The end of both kinds of professing Christian is obviously different, but the parable of the wise and foolish builders best displays it. The wise man’s house, built on the foundation of listening to and doing God’s will, stands the storm whereas the foolish builder who does not do God’s will has his house collapse around him. My deepest desire for this congregation of saints is that all of you have your house firmly built on God’s will. But what is the storm? In context, it is likely the judgement of God.

Isaiah 28:2 ESV

Behold, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong; like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest, like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters, he casts down to the earth with his hand.

The storm has also been interpreted by Augustine and John Gill as the troubles of life, which eventually show the true colours of a hypocrite. This interpretation has some merit and it is often the case that troubles in this life do show the true colours of a false believer, but God’s mighty presence in judgement seems to fit the context best, since it is the final day of which Christ is speaking in our text.

Who can stand before this storm of God’s holy justice in judgement? Surely such a storm will wipe out everything in its path, but not the wise builder. His foundation is set, his heart is on Christ, his actions reflect a heart changed by the Holy Spirit, he has hung onto Christ as his Lord and Saviour and that alone saves him from the storm and preserves him for eternal life.

There are some who believe that the Egyptian Pyramids were built before the flood of Noah’s day. If that is true, it is a great example of the kind of foundation a Christian has in the face of God’s judgement. There is nothing in the world more dangerous than God on his judgement seat. There is nothing more destructive, nor terrifying, or powerful than the judgement of God. Imagine a tsunami and how powerless we are to stop the surging waters, and yet this pales in comparison to the wave of God’s judgement. How will we stand?

Christ is the answer. Those who hold onto Christ will survive, for the wrath of God will not touch one covered by that innocent blood of the Divine Son of God. The wave will pass by, and they will not only survive but thrive in the sunshine of God’s gracious smile. Kingdom gates are opened, eternal life before and the world behind.

The hypocrite and false believer will keep God’s commands in an outward show, but inwardly are unconverted. They still desire sin and will often if not always have pet sins they indulge in, even if it is something unseen like pride or something socially acceptable like gossip. They secretly indulge their flesh with no conviction or real desire to combat it if it doesn’t hurt their reputation as a believer. Watch out for the sins your indulge in, they will take you down like the weeds take down a otherwise promising stalk of wheat. Unrepentant sin of any kind is a solid red flag that someone may not be truly converted. The zeal may be there, the works may be there, but a heart that makes war on even the most well-hidden sin will not be in the unconverted.

Conclusion

So the question is, are you on that sure foundation? It is not enough for you to hear the words of Christ, they must make their way into your heart and transform your life. The process of sanctification is there, but do not use it as an excuse to continue in a heart that is rebellious towards God. Sanctification is a work of the Spirit, but it is a work that means hard labour on your part. If the Spirit of God dwells in you, be eager to put to death all that is sinful in you. Pride, lust, anger, gossip, people-pleasing, trust in your works, worldliness and worldly ambition, laziness towards the things of God, prayerlessness, envy, an argumentative spirit, all must be put to death with zeal and care lest you at last find yourself rejected by Christ and prove to be a goat and not a true sheep of Christ.

Take the time to grow in the Scriptures and prayer, take of the Lord’s Table with self-reflection and reverence, love your brothers and sisters, eagerly seek that which is above at the cost of worldly gain. Run this race with endurance and above all lean minute by minute on Christ. This is the narrow road you must take to glory. If you build on the strong foundation of putting the Word of God into practice, you have assurance that you are truly his and will be received on the last day.