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Preface
December 12 2015 article revised for an entry on academia.edu, October 9, 2023
Matthew 7:21-23: Introduction
Ellison writes that preaching and even miracles are not necessarily indication of seeking and serving the true God. Ellison (1986: 1129). Works performed need to be considered in light of the character of those that perform them. (1129).
France explains that superficial discipleship is ultimately rejected by God and Christ. France (1985: 148). It is not indicated as necessarily insincere discipleship, but it does not meet the divine standards. (148).
Good works do not qualify a disciple that does not meet God and Christ's criteria for entrance into the Kingdom of God. The New Testament teaches that those in Jesus Christ are saved, justified, sanctified through the applied atoning and resurrection work of Jesus Christ, being applied to them through regeneration (John 3, in particular Titus 3, 1 Peter 1).
Regeneration
Cited
'Strong's Concordance
paliggenesia: regeneration, renewal
Original Word: παλιγγενεσία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: paliggenesia
Phonetic Spelling: (pal-ing-ghen-es-ee'-ah)
Definition: regeneration, renewal
Usage: a new birth, regeneration, renewal.'
'Titus 3:5
N-GFS
GRK: διὰ λουτροῦ παλινγενεσίας καὶ ἀνακαινώσεως
NAS: by the washing of regeneration and renewing
KJV: the washing of regeneration, and
INT: through [the] washing of regeneration and renewing'
Matthew 7: 21-23: Lord, Lord
English Standard Version (ESV)
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
New American Standard Version (NASB)
21"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
This passage from Matthew 7 was preached on by the pastor at church in 2015:
He opined that the persons under judgement knew God, but God did not know them. They had accepted Christ, but God and Christ did not have Lordship over them. Those under judgement were relying on works righteousness as opposed to trusting in God and Christ as Lord and Saviour. The pastor then stated that the theology of the persons under judgement was not a key issue as in they had proper theology because they knew of the Biblical God and Jesus Christ.
However, I reason that theology is always in a sense a key issue. Theology always matters.
The judged persons had a knowledge of the Biblical God and Jesus Christ; enough that they could in this supernatural realm of judgement described, recognize Jesus Christ as Lord, which is technically correct. They called him Lord, but Jesus Christ denied he was their Lord.
These false disciples appeal to works righteousness.
The pastor correctly pointed out that in the judging presence of God any kind of works righteousness approach by humanity to God is error. But, I would add that is it also clearly theologically in error.
Romans 1-9, describes the universal sinfulness of humankind, by nature and choice and that only the atoning and resurrection work of Christ for sin, applied to believers as justification (righteousness) will save any one for the Kingdom of God.
Galatians (2) states that man is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ.
In other words, faith in his atoning and resurrection work applied to persons in Christ.
Ephesians 1-2
New American Standard Bible
Ephesians 1 explains that those in Christ are chosen by God; therefore God knows who he has chosen.
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before [d]Him. In love
5 [e]He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the [f]kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 2: 1-10
Ephesians 2 explains that those in Christ are saved by grace through faith unto good works, and not by works or works righteousness.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [ag]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
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21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
New American Standard Version (NASB)
21"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.
22 Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'
This passage from Matthew 7 was preached on by the pastor at church in 2015:
He opined that the persons under judgement knew God, but God did not know them. They had accepted Christ, but God and Christ did not have Lordship over them. Those under judgement were relying on works righteousness as opposed to trusting in God and Christ as Lord and Saviour. The pastor then stated that the theology of the persons under judgement was not a key issue as in they had proper theology because they knew of the Biblical God and Jesus Christ.
However, I reason that theology is always in a sense a key issue. Theology always matters.
The judged persons had a knowledge of the Biblical God and Jesus Christ; enough that they could in this supernatural realm of judgement described, recognize Jesus Christ as Lord, which is technically correct. They called him Lord, but Jesus Christ denied he was their Lord.
These false disciples appeal to works righteousness.
The pastor correctly pointed out that in the judging presence of God any kind of works righteousness approach by humanity to God is error. But, I would add that is it also clearly theologically in error.
Romans 1-9, describes the universal sinfulness of humankind, by nature and choice and that only the atoning and resurrection work of Christ for sin, applied to believers as justification (righteousness) will save any one for the Kingdom of God.
Galatians (2) states that man is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Jesus Christ.
In other words, faith in his atoning and resurrection work applied to persons in Christ.
Ephesians 1-2
New American Standard Bible
Ephesians 1 explains that those in Christ are chosen by God; therefore God knows who he has chosen.
4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before [d]Him. In love
5 [e]He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the [f]kind intention of His will,
6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.
Ephesians 2: 1-10
Ephesians 2 explains that those in Christ are saved by grace through faith unto good works, and not by works or works righteousness.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and [ag]that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
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| December 6, 2015: Prior to attending 007 film with several video outages and the end of the film being without audio (wind storm). Good public relations from Cineplex Odeon providing two free movie tickets. |
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BAUER, WALTER. (1979) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, Translated by Eric H. Wahlstrom, Chicago, The University of Chicago Press.
ELLISON, H.L. (1986) ‘Matthew’, in F.F. Bruce (ed.), The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.
FRANCE, R.T. (1985) Matthew, Grand Rapids, IVP, Eerdmans.
GRENZ, STANLEY J., DAVID GURETZKI AND CHERITH FEE NORDLING (1999) Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms, Downers Grove, Ill., InterVarsity Press.
GUNDRY, ROBERT (1981) A Survey of the New Testament, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.
KLEIN, WILLIAM W., CRAIG, C. BLOMBERG, AND ROBERT L. HUBBARD, JR. (1993) Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, London, Word Publishing.
STRONG, J. (1890)(1986) Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, Burlington, Welch Publishing Company.
THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT (1993) Stuttgart, United Bible Societies.
