21. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23. Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
The followers of Jesus takes their commitment to Christ seriously. They desire to please the Lord. “Few there are that will enter the gate.” When one does, it results in changing one’s life and perspective. If not, then one must question if a person was saved.
We know we are not saved by works yet works are the result in the life of a Christian. To call on the Lord is to recognize the commitment to follow and obey.
Some Christians never miss church on Sunday and give more than their tithe. Some are kind to people, serve the poor, and fight injustice, but not all have given their hearts to Christ. Christianity can be a good self-made religion. True faith centers on the works of Christ. Doing religious deeds is not the same as following Jesus as Lord.
For Jesus, obedience was motivation enough to come from glory to serve mankind. It was motivation enough to be obedient to His Father to suffer the cross and sacrifice His life. Obedience is the expression of relationship to the Lord regardless of what others demand, ask, or do. People can walk forward at alter calls, turn in many pledge cards, be baptized and preach sermons, be missionaries, study in Christian school, be S.S. teachers and church officers without being true followers. The problem with the presentation of the gospel in our culture is a Me-centered selfishness. One is encouraged to accept Christ and you will get joy. Accept the Lord and you will have peace. Instead we need to plead, that instead of judgment, God gives us grace to save us from condemnation. Then repentance occurs.
Keith Green, who was untimely killed in a plane accident, made a strong but startling statement. "Jesus never had a follow up program. He never had an alter call, he never pressured people into making decisions for Him. It was Jesus’ habit of letting people follow him. If they want life, then they will have to give up that which keeps them from obedience and follow. We preach a man-made gospel we get people to come forward to the altar by bringing forced pressures that has nothing to do with God. We lead them in a prayer, when they are not yet convinced of what they need to say, and then to top it off, we give them counseling telling them it is a sin to doubt their salvation."
Application: It is a narrow gate. Fix Your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of Your Faith.
Prayer: Lord, help me to throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Enable me to run the race and stay on that narrow path.
