Matthew 7:The true disciple
21. `It is not anyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.
22. When the day comes many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?'
23. Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers!
24. `Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.
25. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.
26. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand.
27. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!" So who is Jesus talking about here? Peace and kindness,
Fred
Is He talking about those who talk the talk without walking the walk? or to the people who think good deeds alone will get you into Heaven... Good deeds are good but in order to get into Heaven you must know Him.
franneh,
Good questions.
But I believe what the bible says about that.
Jesus tells his followers that we will no them by their works, that is by the fruit they bear.
Matthew 7: 15. `Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves.
16. You will be able to tell them by their fruits. Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?
17. In the same way, a sound tree produces good fruit but a rotten tree bad fruit.
18. A sound tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a rotten tree bear good fruit.
19. Any tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire.
20. I repeat, you will be able to tell them by their fruits.
Good followers of Jesus bear good fruit. That is they do good works to prove their faith for a faith without works is dead, dead, dead.
Peace and kindness,
Fred (arcura)
22. When the day comes many will say to me, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?'
mean?
I mean, how do you tell the difference between "works" and "fruit?" Or does God only know that?
those who call Jesus Lord but do not obey him and his word will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
those who belong to Christ Jesus abide in him and they obey him.
inthebox,
They go together.There is no difference between works and fruit other than works produce the fruit.
Example.
Jesus is the grape vine.
We are the branches of the grape vine which work to produce the fruit.
Peace and kindness,
Fred
Good followers of Jesus bear good fruit. That is they do good works to prove their faith for a faith without works is dead, dead, dead.
Fred,
I think that you are partly there. The works come as a result of their salvation, but I would question if those who are saved "...do good works to prove their faith". I would suggest that the good works of those who are saved come as a natural consequence of the Holy Spirit indwelling the person, and therefore is not an attempt to prove their faith, but rather is evidence of their faith.
Keep in mind that in the original Greek of the NT, the word use for faith is the same as faithfulness, so if one has faith, then the natural consequence is that one will act on that faith. For example, if you have a child and you love that child, you will provide for that child and do what you can to make the child healthy and happy - but it is not to prove to others that you love the child, but it is a natural consequence of the love that you have for the child. It is the evidence of that love. The same is true with faith and faithfulness.
Well, i don't see this as being all that controversial. Notice what the Lord says to them when they say haven't we done this and that in your name? The Lord is clear..he says to depart from him for he NEVER knew them. There are so many people who say they are Christian. They celebrate Christmas, go to church do good deeds. But they have got NO relationship the the Lord Jesus. They don't know him and he NEVER knew them. It is easy to say you are a Christian, there is a big difference in head knowledge and heart knowledge.
Besides what others have said
especially classyT's church goers doing good deeds
I think a large part of it is they are doing 'good works' but not WHAT God might be wanting of them. Like they might be doing lunches for church socials and singing in the choir while God would rather they were working at the soup kitchen.
I think that is a part of the story in Cain and Abel.
God blessed the ones work while he cursed the others.
The one was a blood offering, while the other was a work of the earth. One was in faith, one was not. God's Story: From Creation to Eternity, page 7 - ChristianAnswers.Net
We are either spiritual and giving offerings pleasing to God or we are professing and relying on our earthly fruits in our own efforts.
So we have to go by what God wants from us personally. IF he tells us to give our body to be burned, if he tells us to yield fruit, if he tells us to prophesy,......that is what we should be doing.
So who is Jesus talking about here?
Peace and kindness,
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