"THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW"
Who Will Enter The Kingdom Of Heaven? (7:21-23)
INTRODUCTION
- Most people believe they will go to heaven when they die...
- Their hope is fostered by the comforting words of many preachers,
priests, and rabbis
- Their hope is based upon the idea that heaven is for all
believers, or for those whose good works outweigh the bad
- But are such hopes well-founded?
- Will most people go to heaven when they die?
- Is salvation based upon good works? Is it based upon faith only?
- In His sermon on the mount, Jesus gave some ominous warnings...
- Few, not many, would be saved - Mt 7:13-14
- Many religious people, including some believers in Jesus, will
learn that they too will be lost! - Mt 7:21-23
- With Mt 7:21-23 as the spring board for our study, I wish to address
the question: "Who will enter the kingdom of heaven?"
[Before considering this question, perhaps this is good opportunity to
answer another one first...]
- WHAT IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?
- THE TERM "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"...
- Is synonymous with the "kingdom of God" - cf. Mt 4:17 with
Mk 1:14-15
- Refers to God's kingship, or rule, from heaven
-- The kingdom of heaven is focused in the Person of Jesus
Christ, and is especially manifested where He rules in the
hearts of men - Lk 17:20-21
- IN BRIEF, THE "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN"...
- Is spiritual in nature - Jn 18:36; Ro 14:17
- It began when all authority (rule) was given to Jesus - Mt 28:18; Ac 2:36; Ep 1:20-23
- Today, it includes the Lord's church on earth (for those who
submit to the Will of Christ are added to the kingdom) - Col 1:13; Re 1:9
- In the future, it will involve the "new heavens and new
earth," where we will be with God and Jesus for eternity!
- Mt 13:40-43; 2Pe 3:10-13; Re 21:1-22:5
-- The kingdom of heaven was "inaugurated" on the Day of
Pentecost, and will be "culminated" when Jesus returns to
deliver it back to God - cf. 1Co 15:23-28
- THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN OUR TEXT...
- Appears to have the future aspect of the kingdom in view
- Note that Jesus says "in that day..." - Mt 7:22
- An apparent reference to the day of judgment - cf. 2Ti 1:12,18; 4:8
- Thus Jesus is talking about who will enter the kingdom in its
future aspect
- Of which He spoke on other occasions - Mt 25:31-34
- Of which Peter wrote in 2Pe 1:10-11
[What a wonderful blessing, to have an abundant entrance into "the
everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"! But this
leads me back to our text (Mt 7:21-23), and to the main question of our
study...]
- WHO WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN?
- NOT EVERYONE WHO PROFESSES JESUS...
- "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven"
- There are some who teach that as long as one believes in
Jesus, they will be saved
- That salvation is by "faith only"
- Even though the only time "faith only" is found in the
Scriptures, it says: "You see then that a man is justified
by works, and not by faith only." - Jm 2:24
- But there is such a thing as "an unsaved believer"...
- The demons believe, but are not saved - Jm 2:19
- There were some who believed in Jesus, but were not saved
- Jn 12:42,43
- Jesus described a true disciple as one who not only
believes in Him, but does what He says - Jn 8:30-32
-- Let no one think that just because they "believe" in Jesus,
they have a free ticket into heaven!
- NOT EVERYONE WHO DOES MANY GOOD WORKS...
- "Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we
not..." - Mt 7:22
- Here were people who not only believed in Jesus, but believed
they had:
- Prophesied in His name!
- Cast out demons in His Name!
- Done many wonders in His Name!
-- I.e., they thought they had been empowered to do such
wonderful works!
- Such good works certainly did not earn their way to heaven
- Indeed, salvation is by grace, not meritorious works - cf.
Tit 3:3-7
- Good works had not saved Cornelius, he still needed to be
told what to do to be saved - Ac 10:1-5; 11:14
- Indeed, sometimes what we may think is a good work is without
any authority...
- Jesus condemns these as those "who practice lawlessness"
- Mt 7:23
- Literally, those who act without authority
- It was not that they did something condemned by Jesus
- It was that they did things for which they had no
authority!
-- We might be very religious, and do many things in the name of
Jesus, yet He might still say: "I never knew you; depart from
Me..."
[Who then will be saved?]
- ONLY THOSE WHO DO THE FATHER'S WILL...
- As Jesus said, "...he who does the will of My Father in
heaven." - Mt 7:21
- Here is the dividing line: those who DO the Father's will!
- As James would write later, it is the "doer of the work"
who is blessed in what he does - cf. Jm 1:22-25
- Is this legalism?
- No! Legalism is salvation by perfect law-keeping, believing
that one earns salvation by the merit of what they have
done
- Salvation by grace does not preclude the necessity of
obedience
- We simply need to recognize that our obedience does not
earn or merit salvation
- When all is said and done, we are still unworthy! - cf.
Lk 17:10
- The Father's will, while it offers salvation by grace, does
require obedience!
- Only those who obey from the heart will be delivered from
sin - Ro 6:17-18
- Christ is the author of salvation to all who obey Him
- He 5:9
- Christ will come in judgment against those who obey not the
gospel - 2Th 1:7-9
CONCLUSION
- Who will enter the kingdom of heaven?
- Not those who profess to believe, but do not obey
- Not those who think they are doing many religious things, but
without authority
- Only those who do the Father's will!
- This is why we must take an earlier statement in Jesus' sermon so
seriously...
- "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." - Mt 6:33
- We must make the finding of God's will and rule the number one
priority in our life!
- What is the Father's will? It begins with...
- Repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ - Ac 20:21
- Confessing Jesus as Lord - Ro 10:10
- Being baptized into Christ for the remission of sins - Ac 2:38
-- Followed by a life of faithful service to Christ, confessing our
sins along the way - Re 2:10; 1Jn 1:9
Are you doing the Father's will?