Matthew 7: 21-23 ESVNot 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. 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?” And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
I find this passage to be one of the most terrifying in the whole Bible. According to Jesus, there are going to be people who expect to be welcomed into Heaven but will be turned away. These people will think that everything is right between them and God, but Jesus will tell them that they never had a relationship with Him.
Relationship really is the key to Christianity. It doesn’t matter how busy we are or how much we accomplish. It doesn’t even matter how many gifts or talents we have or how we use them. The one thing that matters is, do we have a relationship with God.
That is the main purpose humans were created for. We were made to have a relationship with God. That is why He created us in His image(gave us a spirit). Since God is spirit, we need to also have a spirit component to be in communion with Him. Our spirit is the main thing that sets us apart from the animal kingdom.
After all, animals are God’s creation too. He chose to create them (Genesis 1:24-25) and He watches over them (Matthew 10:29) but nowhere in the Bible does it say God has a relationship with them. Humans are the only creature that the Bible specifically says that God wants to have a relationship with (1 John 4:10, John 3:16-17).
A good practice is to reflect on our relationship with God and see if it is healthy. A healthy relationship is one where both parties enjoy spending time together, care about the other’s desires and feelings, and are growing closer. The Bible tells us God wants a relationship with us, that He desires our interaction (Jeremiah 33:3) and that He is striving for a deeper relationship (Revelation 3:20). Now we need to look at our end.
Do you enjoy spending time with God? Do you look forward to your times with Him or are they a chore that you must get through? Do you make decisions and base your actions on what God wants or do you just please yourself? Are you closer to God now than you were a year ago … five years ago … ten years ago? Would you be satisfied if the most important person in your life treated you like you treat God?
Examining our relationship with God now can prevent us from the horror of hearing, “I never knew you; depart from me, you worker of lawlessness.”
Lord God, draw me ever closer to You. I pray to have a humble heart that seeks after You!