When I first came into the kingdom of God, it was my understanding that the only thing a person had to do to get saved was to call on the name of Jesus. (Romans 10; 9-13) Salvation is a free gift - right? So why does Jesus say "depart from Me"," I never knew you" to the people who confessed with their mouth, "Lord, Lord"?
Matthew 7; 21 - 23They prophesied, cast out demons, and did wonders in His name. Jesus said "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". Isn't it God's will for us to prophesy, cast out demons, and do wonders in His name?
"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. "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?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness!'
This confused me a lot, so I set out to get the answer. I asked several people that attended my church to help me understand why Jesus will send those people away. Not one person gave me an answer that relieved my confusion.
Thanks be to the Holy Spirit Who leads us into all truth! (John 14; 17 & 26) One night, in my bed, about to fall asleep, the Holy Spirit decided that He was going to preach a sermon and answer my question. I wasn't even thinking about it at that time. I had a vision. I could see different scriptures, one at a time. It was like the Holy Spirit had a spiritual overhead projector. The scriptures He revealed to me were:
The next day, I found all of the scriptures (listed above) in my Bible that the Holy Spirit had given to me the night before. I then noticed, for the first time, in Matthew 7; 23 that Jesus had said they practiced lawlessness. There was my answer! Lawlessness is a lack of love, because the whole law is fulfilled in love. And "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love." Love and salvation go hand in hand. 1 Corinthians 13; 13 says love is greater than faith and hope.1 Corinthians 13; 1 - 8 & 13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angles, but have not love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, It profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.... And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.1 John 4; 7 - 12
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, If God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.Matthew 22; 37 - 40
Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
All throughout the New Testament are scriptures, after
scriptures, magnifying God's will and command for us to love. Romans 13; 8 - 10
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has
fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit
adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not
steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not
covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this
saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does
no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Galatians
5; 13 - 14
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use
liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your
neighbor as yourself."
1 John 4; 20 - 21
If someone says, "I love
God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his
brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this
commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.
If we love God, how can we hate even one person that He suffered for? He was
willing to give that person His all, and did! Our Lord died for every single
person, because none of us were worthy enough for salvation.
If we dislike
someone, we are saying, in a sense, that Jesus was wrong for dying for that
person. They aren't worth it. Neither are we! Thank God for His love and mercy.
Shouldn't we have love and mercy for everyone also? Hate the sin, love the
person.
In the preceding scripture Jesus is talking about abiding in love. Then He says that He has appointed us to bear fruit. Then He says that whatever we ask the Father in His name He may give to us. Then He commands us to love one another. I believe that He wants us to pray for the love that He desires for us to have. And have faith in what He said, that we would get what we asked for.John 15; 9 - 17
"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another."
Are you skeptical that love plays a major part in salvation? Check out these scriptures:
1 John 3; 14Love is a fruit of the Spirit.
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.1 John 4; 17
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgement; because as He is, so are we in this world.
Love is a fruit of the Spirit. It is not from us. It is from God. To walk in love ought not be a burdensome thing. Whatever God requires from us, He gives the ability to achieve or attain. That way it is not from us, but from His grace. All we need to do is pursue God's will and pray for the grace (ability from God) to achieve God's will. If we try to attain it all by ourselves, that would be works.Galatians 5; 22 - 23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Love is attained by abiding in Christ Jesus. When we abide in Christ and bear fruit, we have a promise in John 15; 7 & 16 that our prayers will be answered. Let us pray to love like Jesus loves. Stand in faith that vs. 7 & 16 are true, and God will manifest Jesus' love through us.
John 15; 1 - 8Our salvation's very foundation and its whole existence is saturated in love.
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, your are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples."
I believe that love is the greatest weapon against every enemy!John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Love never fails!
It was love that conquered all Hell, sin, & death! It was love that sent Jesus into this world to die. It was love that kept Jesus on the cross when He could have got down.
No wonder the word says:
Proverbs 25; 21-22The Lord is asking us to be better than those who don't know God. This kind of love towards our enemies takes the wind out of the sails of Satan himself. It is like dowsing water all over the fire that the Devil is trying to ignite.
If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he is thirsty give him water to drink; for so you will heap coals of fire on his (Satan's) head, and the Lord will reward you .Luke 6; 27-36
But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
We are not to concern ourselves with vengeance, or in other words, trying to get justice for ourselves. God promises us that He will take care of that for us. That totally gives us the liberty to love freely, not just those who are good to us, but also those who treat us badly.Romans 12; 17-21
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. "Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; and if he thirsts, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his (Satan's) head. Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.
Matthew 5; 44-46
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you, and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect.
Love is the perfect will of God.
Romans 12; 2As we see in Matthew 7; 21-23 and 1 Corinthians 13; 1-8 & 13, spiritual gifts are not God's priority. 1 Corinthians 12; 11 says that the Spirit is in control of the gifts and He "distributes to each one individually as He wills". 1 Corinthians 14; 1 says to "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts". If we keep love the priority, when the Spirit wills to enable us with spiritual gifts, those gifts will be administered through vessels of love.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God.
My prayer is that God will enlighten the body of Christ to the power of love and the requirement of love. And with that enlightenment, give us a hunger to abide in the Lord daily, and the grace to produce the fruit of God's love manifested though us daily. That's how the body will reap the end-time harvest. Who can resist God's love when it is visible?
So let us pursue love. We don't want to be one of the casualties mentioned in Matthew 7: 21-23.
Subscribe to the Nutrition 2 Win! Newsletter
If you accessed this page directly from a search engine and the page isn't displayed within a frame containing navigation links, please click here - Go To Site