Four Words You Never Want to Hear

By Dr. David J. Vaughan

There are certain words that we seldom hear in our modern sensitive churches – words which are in fact quite common in the Bible. What, with all the love and goodwill being expressed by Christians toward the lost (Oops, the ‘pre-Christian’), you would think that at least we would be honest enough to tell them about what’s really in the Bible. But technique has triumphed over Truth, and the wisdom of men over the folly of God. And although the Scripture itself says that preaching is foolishness, it doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t preach the Gospel. What Paul was trying to tell us is that to the unbeliever the Gospel is foolishness, but it seems that now even many ‘Christians’ think so.

Thus, in the name of not offending anyone’s sensibilities we have eliminated sound, Scriptural terms from our pulpit discourse – words that are full of biblical and theological meaning. What words do I have in mind? Not only the big theological words like justification or propitiation, but the simple words that everyone, including children, can understand – words like sin, judgment, wrath and hell. These words have become so uncommon in our preaching that even ‘Christians’ find them grating to the ear. Yet, as Paul once said, “Let God be true, and everyman a liar.” Let God’s Word stand and man’s word be damned. For man is but grass that withers, but the Word of the Lord endures forever.

If these words offend you, please recall that not only are they biblical words, but they describe hard realities. We really have sinned and we really deserve the righteous judgment of God. And, apart from Christ, we will one day face the wrath of God and be sentence to an eternal hell. No, this is not a pleasant thought, I agree. But neither is hell a pleasant place. That is why Jesus warned us of it.

So many church-goers today have their heads filled with creampuff Christianity that has little or nothing to do with spiritual and eternal realities. It’s all about pious dreams and nice feelings. It’s about religious pleasantries that have no moral substance. That is why, according to all the surveys, Evangelical moral behavior differs little from the surrounding pagan culture.

We talk like Christians but live like sinners. Yes, I know that this is a harsh indictment. But it is the kind of indictment made by Jesus Himself. At the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds His listeners that He is not merely offering them ‘good advice’ that may be accepted or neglected as they please. He is not a self-help guru spouting pious opinions to bolster our fragile self-esteem. He delivered unto His disciples, and unto us, a revelation of the will of God. And this revelation demands not only a hearing, but a response. It is a divine revelation, which means that it is an authoritative and binding word that demands obedience. Indeed, Jesus makes clear that our response to His teaching will determine our eternal destiny: those who take heed will be called wise and they who do not, fools. Those who obey land in heaven; those who don’t, won’t.

Jesus said that the day was coming when all men would stand before Him to be judged (Oops, there’s judgment). At that day He will speak four words you never want to hear: “I never knew you.” These are words of doom and woe, for those whom Christ does not know will spend eternity in hell.

What is so striking about this passage is not that Christ mentions judgment, that was a common theme in His preaching, but rather, that Jesus issued this warning to those who were professing His name and calling Him Lord. So, it is not just the unbeliever who may one day hear “I never knew you,” but the ‘professing Christian’ who blithely calls Jesus “Lord.” Therefore, the contrast is not between Christian and pagan, but between ‘professors’ and ‘doers.’ The professors are those who say “Lord, lord,” but do not do His will; the doers are those who in fact do obey His will. In other words, the contrast of which Jesus speaks is between true and false ‘Christians.’

Consider Matthew 7:13-23 (NKJV) in its context: (13) “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (14) Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (15) “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (16) You will know them by their fruits. [Also see Matt. 12:33 and Luke 6:43-45] Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? (17) Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. (19) Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (20) Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (21) “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. (22) 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?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' [Also see Luke 6:46; 13:26-27]

Notice a couple things in this passage. First, the use of the word “says” in verse 21 and “say” in verse 22 and, secondly, that the religious “works” of these professors were of a verbal nature – “prophecy” and “exorcism” (verse 22). The point that Jesus is making here is that false professors are preoccupied with a religion of the lips. They profess Jesus as “Lord” but do not obey Him. They profess His name in prophecy and profess His name against demons, but they do not do the will of the Father. They are like the Cretans who “profess to know God but in words they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and reprobate unto every good work” (Ti. 1:16).

It is abundantly clear from this passage that salvation is not by verbal profession alone. Contrary to what many churches are telling us, it is not enough to just say the sinner’s prayer, raise your hand or come to the altar. The name of Jesus is not some magical incantation which saves you without a genuine faith that issues in obedience. We can say “Jesus is Lord,” but if He is not really our Lord then our profession means nothing. How, then, do we know if our profession is sincere? “You shall know them by their fruit” said Jesus. The only way to tell if someone’s profession (including our own) is genuine, is to look at the moral life, not the religious life.

In this passage Jesus appears to be saying that we are saved by works or obedience. But the contrast here is not between faith and works, but between faith and words. Anyone can say Jesus is Lord because words are easy, words are cheap. Indeed, Christians say things all the time that they don’t really believe. They sing hymns about Christ’s dominion, yet live as if life were random. They sing Jesus is Lord, yet are as stubborn as Balaam’s ass. But only those who truly believe in Him and His Lordship will obey Him as Lord. And it is only those who possess what they profess: true saving faith.

Salvation is not a result of religious observances. Note that these false professors chose not just verbal works but religious verbal works, i.e., prophecy and exorcism. Many people indeed believe they are saved by observing some religious duty or ceremony, such as baptism, communion, penance, or mass. Yet, we are not saved by anything religious. We are saved by Christ. We are not saved by religion. We are saved by a relationship – a real and vital relationship with Christ as Lord. When Jesus condemned the false professors He did not say, “You weren’t religious enough.” He said “I never knew you” because there never was a real relationship between them.

This being so, neither are we saved by partial or selective obedience. We do not know if these “prophesies” or “exorcisms” were real or not, but we do know that even if they were real, they were no substitute for obedience in other things. We also don’t know if these professors were simply ‘deceived’ or were ‘deceivers.’ But one thing is clear: their plea of obedience in certain things was not sufficient to atone for disobedience in other things. No amount of religious words or works is an excuse for disobeying the will of the Father.

“But aren’t we saved by faith apart from works?” you might ask. Well, the Scripture actually says that we are “saved by grace through faith.” But the real question is this: “Is your faith real?” In fact, that is the question that the apostle James is addressing in the second chapter of his Epistle: (14) What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? (15) If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (18) But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (19) You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! (20) But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:14-20, NKJV)

Anyone can say they have faith, just as anyone can say “Jesus is Lord.” So how do we know if the faith is genuine and the profession real? The uniform answer of Scripture is that real saving faith is always followed by a changed life. It’s really a very simple principle: ‘the root determines the fruit.’ Those who have genuine faith will show their faith by a life that is characterized by good works. The demons believe; the demons even tremble, but the demons do not obey – as least not willingly. It is not that works save us, but the works verify that we are saved. No works means no salvation. No fruit means no root. That is why James can go so far as to say that we are “justified by our works,” for our works are the evidence – in fact, the only evidence – of our justification before God.

So, if this is the biblical standard, where do you stand with God? Are you a professor or a doer? Are you religious or do you have a relationship? Do you really know Christ or will He one day say to you “I never knew you”? These are four words you never want to hear. So now is the time to determine your standing with God. For if you wait till then, it will be too late. Your fate will be sealed. Your doom will be set. Pious words, pious sentiments, pious ceremonies, none of these will save you. Only a true faith issuing in good works – that is, only doing the will of your Father in heaven will save you.

Dr. David J. Vaughan is pastor of Liberty Christian Church in O’Fallon, MO. He can be heard every Sunday morning at 10:30 on The Voice of Liberty (KSIV 91.5 FM). For more information about Liberty call 636-240-4412 or visit www.libertystl.com.