The Most Frightening Verses in Scripture

Matthew 7:21–23 (NLT)

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’

23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

INTRODUCTION:

I- DOCTRINAL CONFESSION IS NOT ENOUGH (Matthew 7:21)

Matthew 7:21 NLT

21 “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

Cambridge Greek Testament: Greek Text Chapter 7

Οὐ πᾶς ὁ λέγων μοι, Κύριε, κύριε, εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν

A- Belief in God is not enough.

(James 2:19)

James 2:19 (NLT)

19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.

(John 5:39)

John 5:39 (NLT)

39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!

B- Commitment to correct doctrine is not enough.

( Philippians 3:3 – 10)

Philippians 3:3–10 (NLT)

3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort,

4 though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

5 I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law.

6 I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ

9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,

Saul of Tarsus was committed to the doctrine of the Pharisees, but was unsaved (see Acts 9)

C- It is possible to attend church and the unsaved (Jude 11 – 13).

Jude 11–13 (NLT)

11 What sorrow awaits them! For they follow in the footsteps of Cain, who killed his brother. Like Balaam, they deceive people for money. And like Korah, they perish in their rebellion.

12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.

13 They are like wild waves of the sea, churning up the foam of their shameful deeds. They are like wandering stars, doomed forever to blackest darkness.

II- DOING GOOD WORKS IS NOT ENOUGH. (Matthew 7:22).

Matthew 7:22 (NLT)

22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’

πολλοὶ ἐροῦσίν μοι ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ· Κύριε κύριε, οὐ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι ἐπροφητεύσαμεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δαιμόνια ἐξεβάλομεν, καὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνόματι δυνάμεις πολλὰς ἐποιήσαμεν;

A- Many people try the route of good works. (Matthew 7:22 a)

Matthew 7:22a (NLT)

22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’

Pharisees in Jesus’ day.

Cornelius (Acts 10:1 – 48)

Acts 10:30-33

Acts 10:30–33 (NLT)

30 Cornelius replied, “Four days ago I was praying in my house about this same time, three o’clock in the afternoon. Suddenly, a man in dazzling clothes was standing in front of me.

31 He told me, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your gifts to the poor have been noticed by God!

32 Now send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He is staying in the home of Simon, a tanner who lives near the seashore.’

33 So I sent for you at once, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here, waiting before God to hear the message the Lord has given you.”

B- Good works will not save. (Matthew 7:22 b)

Matthew 7:22b (NLT)

22 On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’

(Romans 3:20, 28)

Romans 3:20 (NLT)

20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.

Romans 3:28 (NLT)

28 So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law.

(Ephesians 2:8 – 9)

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NLT)

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.

9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

III- THE KEY TO SALVATION IS KNOWING JESUS CHRIST. (Matthew 7:23)

Matthew 7:23 (NLT)

23 But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

καὶ τότε ὁμολογήσω αὐτοῖς ὅτι Οὐδέποτε ἔγνων ὑμᾶς· ἀποχωρεῖτε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν.

(John 17:3)

John 17:3 (NLT)

3 And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.

(John 6:40)

John 6:40 (NLT)

40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

A- What does it mean to know Christ?

1- Knowing Christ means having a relationship with him.

*Illustration: Enoch (Genesis 5:23-24)

Genesis 5:23–24 (NLT)

23 Enoch lived 365 years,

24 walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him.

*ill: Hymn)

“He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.”

B- How can I know him?

1- Become a part of his family through the new birth. (John 3:1 – 8)

John 3:1–8 (NLT)

1 There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee.

2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”

3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”

4 “What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”

5 Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit.

6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life.

7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’

8 The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”

2- This takes place through repentance and faith. (Luke 13:3) (John 1:12 – 13)

Luke 13:3 (NLT)

3 Not at all! And you will perish, too, unless you repent of your sins and turn to God.

John 1:12–13 (NLT)

12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

CONCLUSION:

*Illustration: George Threeton and Edgar Graham at Central Baptist Church.

On the same night that I trusted Christ as my Savior, two other individuals that I knew very well came face-to-face with the facts that we have been discussing today. Both of these individuals were members of a Bible believing church, confessed to believe solid biblical doctrines, believed in God, and headlines that were filled with good religious works.

The 1st man was my Sunday school teacher, George Threeton. Brother George was a good man, had a nice family, lived a respectable life, and was a member of Central Baptist Church. He was also the younger youth boys Sunday school teacher. He participated in the church visitation program. He sang in the choir. He seldom missed a church service.

The 2nd man was Edgar Graham. He served on the church staff in a full-time capacity. He was minister of music. He graduated Bible college. He taught a Sunday school class. He had a nice family and was well respected.

Both of these men came to understand that it was not a commitment to the right beliefs, nor a list of good works that they had performed that brought them into a right standing with God. They both came to understand that they needed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that would produce the life transforming experience of the new birth. That night as they surrendered their lives to Christ, they found the new life that only Christ can give.

What about you? Have you ever had the life transforming experience of the new birth? Or, have you been trusting in Church attendance, Church membership, and good works to save you?

I urge you to take a careful look at your own heart and life in light of the verses of Scripture that we have looked at today. I urge you to ask Jesus to save you and surrender your life to him.