Misunderstanding and Misusing Matthew 7:21-23

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. 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?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' Matthew 7:21-23

I wish I had a dollar for every time I've heard someone quote this passage as proof that either people can lose their salvation, or that people who are sinning or neglecting good works are not saved. Either way is an example of really bad interpretation of this Scripture.

In regard to those who say this passage shows that people can lose their salvation, please notice that Christ says to them "I never knew you..." He doesn't say, "I knew you for a while, but now I don't." He says "I never knew you." They never had a relationship with Christ. These are people who were never saved. But they did do extraordinary things in the name of Christ (or some say the name of YHWH). Which brings me to the second fallacy.

These are not people claiming to be Christians or followers of God who are living like the devil. The problem with them is not that they are apparently or obviously sinning. These are people who are doing good works. They are prophesying, casting our demons and performing many miracles. In short, these are not people that appear to be good candidates for hell. On the contrary, they appear to be people who are well-connected with God. They appear to be people who are living their faith. To use this passage to put the fear of God in 'backslidden' Christians or to quote this passage as proof that "Christians" in name only are in danger of hell's fire, is applying this scripture in a seriously incorrect way. This passage is a warning to be sure. But the warning is to people who claim to be Christians or say they know God, and they have the fruits to prove it! Their trust is in themselves and their good works, and in reality they have not done "the will of My Father who is in heaven" (v 21). What is the will of God? The apostle John gives us the precise answer in John 6:40, which says, "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him may have eternal life..." Just a note, the word "may" does not convey any doubt in the original text. Those who put their trust in Christ alone, not in themselves or their good works will be saved, no doubt about it.

Matthew 7:21-23 comes near the end of the "Sermon on the Mount". The main point of Christ's sermon is to demonstrate that keeping the Law is not sufficient righteousness for salvation. As He says in Matthew 5:20, "...unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven." In other words, the people doing "good works" and keeping the Law were not getting in. Only those who put their complete trust in the One who fulfilled the entire Law (see 5:17) are the ones who will enter the kingdom of heaven. This passage is a warning to those who are self-righteous and trusting in their good works for salvation. Christ will say to them, "I never knew you".