Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but HE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS! (nomia: the utter disregard for God’s law)‘” (Matthew 7:21-23) Anyone who has an utter disregard for God’s law and does not do the will of the Father, even though they say “Lord, Lord”, WILL NOT GO when the Lord calls.
How can we be sure? Jesus said to the church at Ephesus, “I have this against you, that you have LEFT YOUR FIRST LOVE. Remember therefore from where YOU HAVE FALLEN (They were in a state of spiritual decline. They fell from a deep love for the Lord Jesus. They fell from fellowship with Him); REPENT (metanoeō: change your way of thinking) AND DO THE FIRST WORKS (Jesus wants them to get back to their “first love” for Him, the love they had when they first became Christians), or else I will come to you quickly and REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND from its place—unless you repent.” (Revelation 2:4-5) “How dreadful are the punishments of Christ!” said a certain Victorian minister. “He may take away your minister and the light of his word.” Does that sound like the loving compassionate Lord to you? This is why I am writing this – to show that everything Jesus says and does is BEAUTIFUL AND LOVELY and that He DEEPLY CARES FOR US. “How did God show His love for us? HE SENT HIS ONE AND ONLY SON into the world. He sent Him so we could RECEIVE LIFE through Him. What is love? It is not that we loved God. It is that HE LOVED US AND SENT HIS SON to give His life TO PAY FOR OUR SINS.” (1 John 4:9-10)
Jesus does not say He will PUNISH OR EXTINGUISH them. He doesn’t even say He will REMOVE them, with all the negative connotations that implies. A literal reading of His words indicates He will MOVE THEM OUT OF THEIR PLACE OF COMPLACENCY. Since they are in a bad place of loveless exhaustion, when they repent He will lead them to restoration. Just as He does with us.
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham