Self Deception (Matthew 7:21-23)

The Door That Closes Too Late

Bible Passage: Matthew 7:21–23

PRAY.

Over the last 14 weeks we’ve been in a series called “Portraits of Grace”. This was in effort to see the various people in the Scripture that God displays His grace to. We’ve seen people like The Woman at the Well, a teacher, Peter who denied Jesus 3 times, A woman lower than the dogs, a lost sheep, the prodigal, a prostitute, the Apostle Paul, and the sick. In every one of these situations God has glorious displayed His grace in saving a human being.

There is a sobering reality that we must all come to grips with, and that is what Jesus tells us in Matthew 7:21-23.

In this passage, Jesus finishes laying out what can be called “The Kingdom Ethic.” We see in verse 21, that people will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Why is that?

The standard to see God is absolute perfection:

Matthew 5:20 ““For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 5:48 ““Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Hebrews 12:14 “Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification (holiness) without which no one will see the Lord,”

The point of the entire sermon on the mount is to show that we cannot fulfill God’s demands on our own. We are utter incapable.

Empty Works (Matthew 7:21-23) “Churchianity”

1. Professions versus Practice

Matthew 7:21

In both of these points today, we are going to see what I would like to call “Church-ianity”.

Many people have grown up going to church all their lives, and have been able to pick up on the Christian lingo.

They may be able to say the right words at the right time.

They may be able to raise their hands at the right time in the worship songs.

They even might be able to intellectually tell all the tenants of the gospel, but that does not mean they are saved.

Being able to say the right things does not lead to salvation.

James 2:14–17 “What use is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead by itself.”

There is another error that Jesus addresses, and that is Works Based Salvation.

2. Activity or Agitation

Matthew 7:22

“Church-ianity”.

Many people have grown up going to church all their lives, and have done Christian things,

like take communion or be baptized,

or sing on the worship band or choir,

or even go on missions trips.

Just because you do all those things DOES NOT mean you are a believer.

Just because you can play the part, does not mean you are actually a believer.

I can play a mean batman, but it does actually mean I’m batman.

This is putting confidence in our own works, in our own good deeds.

Isaiah 64:6 “For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, carry us away.”

Some times we can be caught in a “fair exchange” type of attitude. I may sin, but at least I do that (insert Christian action). Or, I may sin, but at least I’m not that bad.

Luke 18:9-14.

Conclusion

Jesus calls Churchianity “lawlessness”.

Matthew 7:23 ““And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

Sin is defined as lawlessness.

1 John 3:4 “Everyone who does sin also does lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.”

Lawlessness, means transgressing God’s Law, His standard of living. (Remember righteousness & holiness from before?)

Apart from Christ, Lawlessness is our very nature: Ephesians 2:1-3.

There is only one way that we can change and be made new:

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

STOP acting like a Christian, and become a Christian today. Repent of your dead works, and come to Christ and be made alive!