Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven. Matthew 7:21 HCSB
You all know there are times when I get these songs stuck in my head. I wrote about one a week or so ago. I also get Bible verses stuck in my head and lately it has been Matthew 7:21. Ya’ll probably already know this because I have been frequently plugging into my blog.
This morning, I was reading Scripture in Revelation and I found myself thinking about Matthew 7:21 and how it relates to that passage in Revelation. I had to ask myself why is this verse constantly coming to mind even when I am studying other verses?
I have come to realize it keeps coming to mind because it bothers me that many will believe themselves to be saved only to find out they aren’t going to make it into heaven. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13 that we must enter through the narrow gate because the gate that leads to destruction is wide, and many go through it. He says in verse 14 that the gate is narrow, and the road is difficult that leads to life, and few find it.
From there He goes on to warn against false prophets and the dangers of believing them and following them. Jesus says we will recognize them by their fruit. When you see a tree with oranges on it, you know it’s an orange tree. These false prophets do their best to look and talk like the real deal, but their words don’t line up with what’s in the Bible. Study your Bible, know your Bible, inspect their fruit.
Matthew 7:21 has my heart burdened. There was a time in my life if you had asked me if I’d go to heaven and I would have said yes, but looking back I don’t think I would have made it. I wasn’t living my life in obedience to God’s word. I had not surrendered to Him. It was all about me not Him.
Going to church and being a good person and doing good things won’t get you into heaven. Only a close, personal relationship with Jesus Christ will get you into heaven. Now, of course, if you have that close personal relationship with Him you will want to go to church. You will hunger and thirst for His Word. You will be a good person and you will do good things. But, most importantly, you will do your best to always be in God’s will. You will want to do the things He has commanded you to do in His Word. You will want to do the work He has called you to do here on earth.
God doesn’t want any of us to perish. He wants all of us to spend eternity with Him, but Jesus clearly says that only a few will make it. He tells us that many will think they are good enough and will be disappointed when they stand before Him on judgment day.
If you truly love the Lord, He will place a burden on your heart to help those around you to find salvation in Him. This is why this verse is stuck in my head. When we die or are raptured it is too late to get it right. We have to do that right now, today, before it’s too late.
None of us know the time we will be called from this life. But we need to know for sure where we are going. We need to be sure that when our time on earth is done, we will enter the kingdom of heaven. Jesus tells us that the only way to do that is to do His Father’s will while we are here on earth.
Whether we go to heaven or to hell, it’s forever.
I want you to ask yourself today if you are truly saved? Do you know beyond a doubt that if you died this minute, you would go to heaven? If you are not sure, draw near to Him and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Speak to a trusted friend or pastor.
Read God’s word and pray to Him. Ask Him to search your heart and test you and lead you in the way everlasting (Psalm 139). Get it right before it’s too late because not everyone who calls him Lord, Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Have a great day!