In the Bible, there are three alarming verses that should prompt every believer to heed Paul’s advice in 2 Corinthians 13:5-7, urging us to examine our faith.
Today we are going to look at the first two. The first verse is from the book of Matthew:
Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 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?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Notice Jesus’ initial statement here: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” These are people who acknowledge who He is, they know he is the Lord. Then He adds, “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?’”
These individuals not only acknowledge Him but also actively serve in His name. Jesus speaks of “that day” – the day of His return. Thus, it’s reasonable to assume these are churchgoers, likely underground church members in the end times.
What makes this even more unsettling is the sheer number of people who will be denied – a staggering half. How do we arrive at this figure? In Matthew 24, when Jesus discusses the end times, He presents the example of the Ten Virgins: five wise and five foolish. The foolish ones arrive late at the banquet, discovering the door closed. They plead, “Lord, Lord (once again recognizing who He is), open the door for us.” However, Jesus’ response is chilling:
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’”
The initial example provides a hint that in the end, many will be denied. Later in Matthew 25, Jesus solidifies this with the parable of the ten virgins. The connection between these two accounts is evident as they are both one of the same, since they both address His return by calling Him Lord, and they are both given the same answer. So, when the term “many” is used, it implies half. This means that half of those who claim to be in good standing with God, are not. This revelation should prompt all of us to heed Paul’s advice and thoroughly examine our faith.
The second example most of you are familiar with:
This touches upon the concept of forgiveness, it is a verse that many of you are acquainted with, perhaps even reciting this verse without fully grasping its meaning. I’m referring to the Lord’s Prayer, a pivotal teaching by Jesus on prayer.
In Matthew 6:9–13 (NIV), Jesus teaches us how to pray, and within this prayer, he teaches us the importance on forgiving one another.
Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
As we also have forgiven our debtors.
Within this powerful prayer, we are actually saying to God to forgive us of our debts as we forgive others. That is an eye-opening statement. It is a reminder that our relationship with God is intricately connected to our relationships with others. To truly experience God’s forgiveness and walk in his righteousness, we must be willing to extend forgiveness to those who have hurt us, no matter how bad.
Forgiveness is not merely a casual act; it is a transformative process that frees us from the bondage of bitterness and allows us to experience healing and restoration. As we forgive, we align ourselves with God’s heart and reflect his love and mercy to the world. It is a vital lesson that we must learn and apply in our lives, for through forgiveness, we embrace the path of true reconciliation and peace.
Now some of you may have reservations or questions regarding the Lord’s Prayer and the concept of forgiveness. You may be thinking, That’s not exactly what we’re saying in that prayer. God forgives us even if we don’t forgive others in the same way. It is important to explore this further and examine what Jesus says immediately after teaching us the prayer.
In Matthew 6:14–15 (NIV), Jesus clarifies the significance of forgiveness:
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
These words spoken by Jesus carry tremendous weight and invite us to reflect on the gravity of forgiveness. It is a call to take forgiveness seriously and to learn how to forgive in the same manner as God forgives us. I dive deeper about forgiveness in my book, “Time is Running Out!