(Article for publication week of 8-15- AD 2013)
“Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them,’ I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ “
Last week we began to get to the root of the problem with false profession, praying earnestly that the Lord may awaken some of you from your false profession. Many of you who are reading the Narrow Way have nothing more than a dead, formal profession and on the Day of Judgment you are bound to hear the Lord say unto you, “depart from me”- FOREVER.
The first thing we noted about the pseudo Christians in our text was that they were completely surprised that they were in reality unsaved and lost in their sins. They really were astounded that the Lord was not impressed with them. They were so cocky, they never questioned whether they had the real thing or not. Whereas, a true Christian often feels the plague of his heart and is made to cry, ‘O! wretched man that I am!” False professors are self satisfied, but true saints say “amen” to Job when he said, “I abhor myself in dust and ashes.”
Now, the second thing I will point out to you is that these false professors were not trusting in Christ alone for their salvation. When Christ placed them on his left hand for their final judgment, they began to plead their own works as the reason Christ should let them into His heaven. They began to tell the Lord all the wonderful things they had done in His name. Notice what they did NOT say. They did NOT say, “Lord we trusted in you and your work alone for salvation. Lord, we read in your word where it said, “being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in YOU ALONE.” We believed you when you said, him that cometh to ME I will in wide cast out.” Though, as we shall see in another article, these hypocrites were works mongers, their works could not save them, and the Lord was not impressed with all their good works (so-called).
Now, dear readers, what are you trusting in to save you in that Great Day? I tell you again that your only hope is Christ and His imputed righteousness. You may be a prestigious church member, or you may be a wretched dope head; you may be dead in profession, or you may be dead in scandalous sins. Either way, without Christ you’re a dead duck. Friend, if you come to the Day of Judgment without Christ, you will be lost forever, and spend eternity in hell. But the scriptures promise us that though we are vile and wretched, Christ is mighty to save. Romans 10: 11 promises us that “whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Dear reader, repent of you sins right now. If you have been a lost church member, repent of your sin of hypocrisy and come to Christ as a poor sinner and throw yourself on His mercy. He is able and willing and ready to save, and He may spare you before it is too late. Your only hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ who lived and died, and was buried, and was raised the third day and now sits at the right hand of God interceding for all those for whom He died. Flee to the Saviour of sinners now.
“Not every one that saith unto me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them,’ I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.’ “
Last week we began to get to the root of the problem with false profession, praying earnestly that the Lord may awaken some of you from your false profession. Many of you who are reading the Narrow Way have nothing more than a dead, formal profession and on the Day of Judgment you are bound to hear the Lord say unto you, “depart from me”- FOREVER.
The first thing we noted about the pseudo Christians in our text was that they were completely surprised that they were in reality unsaved and lost in their sins. They really were astounded that the Lord was not impressed with them. They were so cocky, they never questioned whether they had the real thing or not. Whereas, a true Christian often feels the plague of his heart and is made to cry, ‘O! wretched man that I am!” False professors are self satisfied, but true saints say “amen” to Job when he said, “I abhor myself in dust and ashes.”
Now, the second thing I will point out to you is that these false professors were not trusting in Christ alone for their salvation. When Christ placed them on his left hand for their final judgment, they began to plead their own works as the reason Christ should let them into His heaven. They began to tell the Lord all the wonderful things they had done in His name. Notice what they did NOT say. They did NOT say, “Lord we trusted in you and your work alone for salvation. Lord, we read in your word where it said, “being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in YOU ALONE.” We believed you when you said, him that cometh to ME I will in wide cast out.” Though, as we shall see in another article, these hypocrites were works mongers, their works could not save them, and the Lord was not impressed with all their good works (so-called).
Now, dear readers, what are you trusting in to save you in that Great Day? I tell you again that your only hope is Christ and His imputed righteousness. You may be a prestigious church member, or you may be a wretched dope head; you may be dead in profession, or you may be dead in scandalous sins. Either way, without Christ you’re a dead duck. Friend, if you come to the Day of Judgment without Christ, you will be lost forever, and spend eternity in hell. But the scriptures promise us that though we are vile and wretched, Christ is mighty to save. Romans 10: 11 promises us that “whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Dear reader, repent of you sins right now. If you have been a lost church member, repent of your sin of hypocrisy and come to Christ as a poor sinner and throw yourself on His mercy. He is able and willing and ready to save, and He may spare you before it is too late. Your only hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ who lived and died, and was buried, and was raised the third day and now sits at the right hand of God interceding for all those for whom He died. Flee to the Saviour of sinners now.
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