Depart From Me

Today's gospel text comes from the book of Matthew. All of today's readings can be found here.

"Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then will I declare to them, I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes." Matthew 7:21-29 (ESV)

Sola fide, the doctrine that teaches sinners are justified in the presence of a Holy God on the basis of faith alone (through Grace alone in Christ alone), has long been taught within the reformed community and backed up very powerfully from scripture - this passage being no exception.

In today's text we see Jesus radically challenging the religious status quo with the shocking statement that not everyone who professes Christ or is a part of the covenant community will enter the kingdom of heaven. No, he says that there will be those who come to him and plead their case by pointing to their acts of the law, thinking that in them they find life. Isn't it interesting, though, that when they do so Jesus rebukes them and calls them 'workers of lawlessness'?


This is a radical new perspective, both in the ancient context and in our modern world - that the duties you perform which may be seen as 'good works' today or in that time 'works of the Law' are not good at all if they are not accompanied by faith! Good works are not worth anything if the reason you are doing them is not Christ!

It has long been said that salvation is by faith alone but saving faith is never alone. Here however we see the flipside of that argument - people who look like Christians, professing with their tongue that Jesus is Lord and performing duties that seem to coincide with their profession, but do not have the saving faith that brings about justification and true regeneration, will not be saved from eternal separation from God on the last day.

Ask yourself today if the 'works' you do are the outpouring of Christ's love for you, or simply a self-righteous striving for auto-justification. If you don't know Jesus, give Him your heart of stone and trust that He will give you a new heart of flesh that desires nothing more than to worship Him and bring Him glory, but if you are a Christian take a few minutes today looking at your motives in life.

Are my actions governed by my pride or Christ's blood?

Heavenly Father I praise you for you are good! I confess that there is no good apart from you and that I do not live in the light of this fact as I am called to. Holy Spirit help me to examine my motives in life. Shed light on my sinful nature that I may be daily conformed more and more to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.

-MD Letteney