Friday, December 13, 2024

Good Works - Not an Indication of Salvation or an Heir of the Kingdom

Jesus who had been given all authority, gave the seventy the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, authority over all the power of the enemy, and protection. When they returned rejoicing because they had the authority over these things, He instructed them not to rejoice that the spirits were subject to them, but rather because their names were written in heaven. Their ability to do miraculous acts did not signify their salvation, but the fact that their names were written in heaven did.

He made this point crystal clear in Matthew 7:21-23 where He said that many will say to Him at the judgement, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' But He will reply, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’. Even though the people here considered Him 'Lord' and had done these seemingly good things, they would not enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of the Father will enter it. 

Paul expounded on Jesus's teaching when He wrote to the Church of Corinth, saying that even speaking in tongues, having the gift of prophecy, having faith that can move mountains, giving everything to the poor, or giving your body over to hardship, does not indicate that they were doing the Father’s will or that they were going to enter the kingdom of heaven - they are nothing and gain nothing. It's only doing such things through love that stores up treasure in heaven and gains the eternal reward. 

What this means is that it's pretty important for us to know what the Father's will is and to understand that not everything we do, no matter how good it may seem, is the Father’s will. This then requires knowing God and seeking His will through the Scriptures, prayer, listening, and then obeying Him.
-------------------------
Luke 10:17-20 NKJV
[17] Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” [18] And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. [19] Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. [20] Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

[21] “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. [22] 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?’ [23] And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NIV
[1] If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. [2] If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. [3] If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

No comments: