I never knew you
Matt.7:21-23
By: Ysrael De la Cruz
You can be very religious and not know what it means to have a relationship with God. You could be attending church your whole life and still not know God. Not because you go to a church, where they talk about Jesus makes you into a follower of Jesus. Attending church is very important, but just because you attend doesn’t mean you have a relationship with God.
“There are people who truly believe in their hearts that they are followers of Jesus, but their lives look nothing like his.” Francis Chan
Is it possible to be in church, to do all kinds of religious ritual and practices and still not know God? Yes, Jesus said this will be the case of many people at the end.
Jesus talked about people who would be shocked at the end of times when they discovered they would not make it to heaven. Can you imagine that? You grew up in church your whole life and served in various ministries; you were always willing to serve, you went on mission trips, but at the end of your life, you don’t make it to heaven.
Jesus spent a whole day teaching the people when they gathered around him. “The sermon on the mountain” Matthew 5-7. Chapter seven is the conclusion of his sermon.
Matt.7:21-24
Not everyone 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.
Notice what Jesus said: not because you call Jesus Lord will you enter the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus already is telling us that not everyone will go to heaven; only those who do the will of God.
What is God’s will?
-To give eternal life to those who believe in Jesus. John 3:16-18, 36
– To give eternal life to those who believe in the Son John 6:40
-God desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim.2:4
God’s will for those who are saved is to be sanctified (to live holy lives) 1 Thess.4:3
God’s will is the people believe in Jesus to be saved.

Service is not a requirement to enter heaven. (v.22)
You can be serving Jesus wholeheartedly and still not make it to heaven. Jesus talks about those who would appear before him on that day (the day of judgment).
-Lord, lord, did we not prophesy in your name
-Did we not drive out demons in your name
-Performed many miracles in your name
These people did all these things in the name of Jesus and for Jesus and yet; they didn’t make it to heaven. Service is not a requirement to enter heaven.
These people did amazing things for Jesus, in Jesus name. Many people were helped by what they did, but at the end of the day the servants didn’t make it.
-Serving Jesus won’t get you into heaven
-Preaching about Jesus and in Jesus’ name won’t get you into the kingdom of God
-Even praying and performing miracles in Jesus name won’t get you into heaven.
These things are great but doing them does not guarantee you entrance in the kingdom of heaven. There are religions based on works, you must work your way up the latter per se. In Christianity works don’t bring you into heaven.

What is wrong with these people? They did not have a relationship with Jesus.
Jesus said to them “I never knew you” To know someone is to have a relationship with that person. Knowing about someone is not the same as knowing that person. There are lots of church people who only know about Jesus; they themselves don’t know Jesus. How dangerous it is to spend a whole life of service and never work on your relationship with Jesus?
If Jesus said “I never knew you” He is saying, you were never my disciple or my sheep.
To know someone is to have a relationship with that person.
When Peter was questioned about being one of Jesus’ disciples, he denied him saying he didn’t know the man. “I don’t know the man” Matt.26:72,74 He was saying he did not have a relationship with Jesus.

Philip, one of the twelve apostles asked Jesus to show him God the Father. Then Jesus said. “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you for such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. John 14:8-9
John 10:14 I am the good shepherd, I know my own and my own know me.
I know my sheep and my sheep know me.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. John 10:27
I never knew you means: you are not one of mine. These people did not know Jesus even though they did many things for Jesus. I never knew you means you and I never had a relationship.
Do you know Jesus? Do you have a relationship with him?

Service is not the same as knowing Jesus.
Service – knowing Jesus = hell
Service + knowing Jesus = heaven and personal rewards
Knowing Jesus – service = heaven (no personal reward)
Jesus is what makes the difference.

Not knowing Jesus makes you guilty of sin and enemy of God. (Away from me you evildoers). It is knowing Jesus, having a personal relationship with him that will get you to heaven.
It is God’s will that everyone believes in Jesus to be saved. John’s wrote his gospel account so that people would understand who Jesus is. John wanted people to understand and place their trust in Jesus.
John 20:30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Do you know Jesus? Have you believed in him? If you still have not developed a relationship with Jesus don’t wait any longer. Get to know him, make him your Lord and Savior and heaven will be waiting for you.