Commentary - Matthew 7:21-23

Bird's-eye view

As our Lord brings His great Sermon on the Mount to its potent conclusion, He is not content to leave His hearers with a collection of sublime ethical teachings. He is a king, and He demands allegiance. This is not a buffet of spiritual suggestions; it is a declaration of terms from the throne of the universe. These closing words in Matthew 7 are a sharp, two-edged sword, intentionally dividing the hearers into two, and only two, categories: the wise who build on the rock and the fools who build on the sand. The passage before us, verses 21-23, serves as a fearsome warning against the kind of religious profession that is all talk and no walk, all sizzle and no steak. Jesus makes it terrifyingly clear that verbal orthodoxy and even impressive spiritual pyrotechnics are no substitute for a life of genuine obedience rooted in a genuine relationship with Him. This is a bucket of ice water for the church in any age, and particularly for ours, which is so often content with shallow decisions, emotional experiences, and a cheap grace that makes no demands.

The Lord dismantles three popular but damning delusions. First, the delusion of verbal profession: saying 'Lord, Lord' is not the ticket into the kingdom. Second, the delusion of impressive ministry: prophesying, casting out demons, and doing miracles, even in Christ's name, can be done by those He will ultimately reject. Third, the delusion of self-deception: these people are genuinely shocked at their exclusion. They thought they were in. The final verdict from the Judge is not based on their resume, but on His relationship with them. "I never knew you" is one of the most chilling statements in all of Scripture. It reveals that the ultimate basis for salvation is not what we do for God, but whether we are known by God, which will inevitably result in our doing the will of the Father.

Outline

A Warning Against Cheap Grace

In our day, the gospel is often presented as a "get out of Hell free" card, a simple transaction that requires a brief prayer and no subsequent life change. This is a damnable heresy, and this passage is its refutation. Jesus is not teaching salvation by works here; He has already laid the foundation of righteousness that comes from God (Matt 5:6, 20). Rather, He is teaching that the faith which justifies is never a faith that is alone. True, saving faith always, and without exception, produces the fruit of obedience. To sever faith from obedience is to create a theological monstrosity. The people in this passage have a form of faith. They believe Jesus is Lord, and they believe in the power of His name. But it is a dead faith, a useless faith, because it does not result in doing the will of the Father. They are the poster children for what James would later call a faith without works, which cannot save (James 2:14).

This is a frontal assault on what has been called antinomianism, the idea that because we are saved by grace, the law of God has no bearing on our lives. Jesus says the exact opposite. The one who enters the kingdom is the one who does the will of My Father. This is not legalism; it is the logical and necessary outworking of a heart that has been regenerated by the Spirit of God. The Spirit does not move into a man's heart to sit on the couch and do nothing. He moves in to renovate, to clean house, and to produce the fruit of righteousness to the glory of God the Father.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

v. 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

The scene is the final judgment. The address is respectful, even orthodox. They call Him Lord, and they say it twice, indicating a kind of earnestness. This is not the address of an open rebel, but of someone who considers himself a follower. But Jesus erects a massive roadblock. This verbal acknowledgment, this tipping of the hat to His authority, is utterly insufficient. It is not the password. Many say it, but not all who say it will enter.

The contrast is stark and simple. It is not the sayer, but the doer. And what must be done? The will of the Father. This is the constant theme of Jesus' ministry. He came to do the Father's will (John 6:38), and He expects the same of His true disciples. This is not about achieving sinless perfection, but about the settled orientation of a life. Whose will are you serving? Is your life bent toward obedience to God's revealed will in Scripture, or is it bent toward your own will? The one who does the Father's will is the one who has been born from above, whose heart of stone has been replaced with a heart of flesh, upon which God has written His laws (Ezek 36:26-27). Obedience is not the root of salvation, but it is always the fruit of it.

v. 22 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, in Your name did we not prophesy, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name do many miracles?’”

Now the delusion deepens. Not only did they say the right words, they did impressive things. And notice the appeal: they did it all "in Your name." They are appealing to Jesus' own authority as the basis for their works. They are presenting their ministry resume. And what a resume it is. Prophecy, exorcism, and many miracles. These are not small claims. These are the kinds of things that get you a television ministry in our day. These are signs of great spiritual power.

This should be a terrifying thought for us. It is possible to be used by God in spectacular ways and still not belong to God. Think of Balaam, who prophesied truly (Num 24). Think of Judas, who was part of the twelve sent out with authority to cast out demons (Mark 6:7, 13). God can make a donkey speak to rebuke a false prophet; He can certainly use a false prophet to do a real miracle. The presence of spiritual power is not an infallible sign of divine approval. The Corinthians were awash in spiritual gifts, and Paul had to rebuke them for being carnal and sectarian. The ultimate test is not the power you display, but the fruit you bear (Matt 7:20), and the ultimate fruit is a life of humble obedience to the will of the Father.

v. 23 “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”

Here is the final, awful verdict. Jesus' response is not a negotiation. It is a formal, legal declaration. "I will declare to them." And what He declares cuts through all their protests and exposes the rotten core of their religion.

"I never knew you." This is the heart of the matter. The word for "know" here (ginōskō) is not about intellectual awareness. It is the language of intimate, personal relationship. It is the word used for the relationship between a husband and wife. Jesus is not saying "I don't know who you are." He is saying, "We never had a relationship. You were not Mine, and I was not yours." Salvation, at its root, is being known by God in Christ. "The Lord knows those who are His" (2 Tim 2:19). These people were active in ministry, but they were strangers to the Master they claimed to serve.

The command is a consequence of this lack of relationship: "DEPART FROM ME." This is the essence of Hell. It is separation from the source of all life, goodness, and joy. And the reason for this banishment is given in the final clause: "YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS." The Greek word is anomia, literally "no-law." Despite all their religious activity, the fundamental principle of their lives was lawlessness. They lived as though God's law did not apply to them. Their lives were not governed by the will of the Father, but by their own will. Their spectacular ministries were, at the end of the day, expressions of their own ego and ambition, cloaked in the name of Jesus. They were rebels masquerading as servants. And on the last day, the mask will be ripped off, and they will be exposed for what they truly are.

Application

The application of this passage must come to us like a splash of cold water. It forces us to examine the foundation of our own hope. Are you trusting in a prayer you once prayed? Are you trusting in your church attendance, your baptism, your service in the nursery? Are you trusting in your correct theology and your ability to win arguments? These things are all fine in their place, but if they are the basis of your confidence before God, you are building on sand.

The only sure foundation is a genuine, saving relationship with Jesus Christ, a relationship that is proven to be real by a life that is increasingly, albeit imperfectly, submitted to the will of God the Father. This is not a call to frantic, self-righteous works. It is a call to look to Christ, to trust in His finished work alone for your salvation, and then, out of love and gratitude for such a great salvation, to get up and follow Him. Do you know Him? More importantly, does He know you? If He does, then your life will show it. You will love His law, you will strive to obey His commands, and you will bear fruit for His glory. Your confidence will not be in your resume, but in your relationship with the King.