Matthew 7:21 - Only those who do the will of the Father will enter the Kingdom

Today I'm exploring what Jesus meant in Matthew 7:21 - 27:

"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. 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.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who break God's laws.' "Anyone who listens to My teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears My teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash." (Mat 7:21-27 NLT)

So, who are these that call out to Him "Lord! Lord!"?
How do we know that we're not one of them?

Jesus says that "only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter." So how were those who "prophesied in Your name and cast out demons in Your name and performed many miracles in Your name" not doing the will of the Father? Jesus says they were breaking God's laws.

It comes down to obedience. If we do things in the name of Christ, but are not acting in obedience to Him, then we are dis-obeying Him, we are breaking God's laws. He compares the person who hears and obeys His teachings to a house built on bedrock. That bedrock is His word. We must believe His word and build our life upon it, through obedience to it. This means there is more to salvation than simply believing that Christ is Lord and died on the cross for our sins. James 2:19 says:

"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. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?" (Jas 2:19-20 NLT)

But, these good deeds must be done out of obedience and not our own selfish ambition. If we are simply doing the good deeds as a way to impress the world with our righteoness, or to try to prove in some way to God that we're worthy, then we are not acting in obedience.

Obedience is a true expression of love. We obey because we love and respect Christ. It is our love for Him that drives us to obey Him. And through our obedience to Him, we can know that we will enter the Kingdom. This does not, in any way, mean that we are saved by works, but is an outward sign of our relationship with Christ. For if we truly believe that He is Lord of our lives, then we will obey, and that obedience will be apparent to others. So, salvation comes through our belief in Christ as Lord, and then through acting out our belief by following His commands. Just as James said:

"So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, "Some people have faith; others have good deeds." But I say, "How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds." 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. " (Jas 2:17-19 NLT)

This is a very important point: Even the demons believe in Christ. But they do not obey or love Him. Faith and Obedience are inseparable. You cannot enter the Kingdom without both.

To sum it up, those who Jesus said will call Him "Lord, Lord", and He says He never knew, believed in Him, but never obeyed Him. That is why they will not enter the Kingdom.