Beware False Followers
1 The false prophets and their false followers have a lot of things in common. False prophets preach a different gate - false followers follow a different way. Again we need the Holy Spirit to give us discernment.
Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord" shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my father in heaven. Matthew 7:21
2 Just like the false prophets the false followers will appear in sheep's clothing. They say, "Lord, Lord" but their hearts are far from Him. . Following a different way they do not do the will of our heavenly Father,
3 For the first time in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus identified the Father as His father, "...he who does the will of My Father..." Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah - the Son of the living God.
4 True Son of His Father, Jesus' heart was that all men follow the will of the Father. That would be Jesus' will as well.
5 Those who heard Jesus' Sermon on the Mount could not escape His conclusions. He had just given them His Father's will and He was now making claim upon them to follow. He was the Messiah - the narrow gate. His sayings were the Father's will - the narrow way. Those who chose any other gate or way could never enter the kingdom of heaven. And while there would be some who said they had entered the narrow gate - calling Him "Lord, Lord" - it was evident that they had not entered the narrow gate at all - they were not following the narrow way.
6 These false followers are a large group. Jesus said,
Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" Matthew 7:22
"That day" is judgment day. Jesus himself says there will be one. Even more surprisingly (and much to the dismay and even the stark horror of those false followers), he called Himself the Judge, "Many will say to Me in that day..." In that judgment day many will be disappointed. They were false followers, and the Lord Jesus will expose their deeds as false also.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. II Thessalonians 2:9-10
7 If Jesus had stunned some people by naming God as His Father (thus calling Himself the Messiah). He would shock some even more when He called Himself the "Judge of all the Earth" by saying, "Many will say to Me in that day..." Imagine what an impact this would have on people hearing it for the first time! But they must have agreed at least somewhat - for they did not rise to stone Him as a blasphemer.
8 The "will of My Father" has been revealed. It is to "repent and believe the gospel" - (enter by the narrow gate - Jesus, the Messiah); and to follow Jesus' sayings - the narrow way.
9 False followers are not recognized at all. Jesus does not know them.
And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" Matthew 7:23
or more closely translated,
And then I will confess to them, "Not at any time did I acknowledge you. Be withdrawing from Me, you that work the lawlessness."
Discussion:
Memory Verse: But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and not do the things which I say?
Luke 6:46