Many will say in that day

I come again to Jesus telling the people, "Many will say in that day, 'Lord, Lord, we did many miracles in your name...'" To which Jesus will reply, "Depart from me, you evil people. I never knew you" (that is my paraphrase if you didn't notice). 

This is a horrifying scenario if you have never stopped to think about it. These people seem to have some valid arguments as to why Jesus should let into God's Kingdom. Jesus shares the tragic scene in Matthew 7:22. “Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?'

 

Have you ever done any of these things? Prophesy, do miracles? How about that second one? Wasn't Jesus accused of driving out demons as the prince of demons? And what did he say? How can the devil drive out demons? Later, in Mark 9, when his disciples reprimanded someone for casting out demons, look what Jesus said, 39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.

So in the Matthew text, when those people come before Jesus and beg for their entrance into the kingdom, humanly speaking, it seems like they have a valid argument. 

What did Jesus mean by his "I never knew you" comment? Isn't he omniscient? Doesn't he know everyone? What's going on here? 

As is often the case, if we just look at the context a little further, we'll discover the answer to these questions. In a concise explanation in Matthew 7:23, Jesus replies with these words, "Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

 

Whoa! Evildoers? How is it that someone who does all of these good things can be called an evildoer? It must be that, unlike the other guy who was casting out demons, these in Matthew were imposters. They were trusting in what they boasted as miracles to get them into the Kingdom of God. 

Many these days are doing the same things. It is blatant here in Brazil. Faith healing and miracles are prevalent, and people flock to that type of church. They are total fakers and will stand at the judgment saying, "But wait! We did miracles in your name!" 

Don't be fooled by these charlatans. Their end is the lake of fire.