230-Can Those Who Call on the Lord Enter#
230-Can Those Who Call on the Lord Enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
(JP Text Group - Organized by the Little Prince of Heaven)
Matthew 7:15-23
15 “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
21 “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. 22 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?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness!’”
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father! Thank you and praise You for Your grace. As we begin a new week, we come to You first to receive provision and assurance that we belong to Jesus Christ. No matter what the environment or those around us say, we will not waver; we are Your sheep, belonging to Jesus Christ. No one can take me away from You. I build my faith on Your word; I am the one loved by You. Bless every brother and sister who seeks You. Let us stand strong in Your word. In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!
The topic of sharing is: Can Those Who Call on the Lord Enter the Kingdom of Heaven?
Some who call on the Lord are not saved. We want to consider another question: Since not everyone who calls on the Lord is necessarily saved, those who are saved will certainly call on the Lord. You must be sure that you are saved! Some people have believed in the Lord for many years and are still uncertain about their salvation. To what extent are they confused? Others say they are saved, and they believe they can enter heaven. When others say, "Look at your bad behavior; you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven," they say, "Then I am not saved." Many people do not understand this issue. We want to use these words to help everyone understand the truth of justification by faith.
This year marks the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation. Five hundred years ago, Martin Luther revealed many parts of the Catholic Church that contradicted the Bible, one of which is that as long as you believe, you will be saved. This is the most important part of Martin Luther's Reformation. Even after 500 years, many people still feel that believing does not necessarily mean being saved. They look at their own behavior, and once they see their behavior, it seems displeasing to the Lord. They may sin, and no matter how long they have believed, they might even say that the longer they believe, the more sins they commit. From the day you believed in the Lord until now, have you sinned? When you sin, many people doubt whether they can be saved.
Especially in Matthew 7:21, many pastors use this verse to scare believers, saying: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Is there really that many people who can enter the kingdom of heaven? Jesus said that those who enter the kingdom of heaven are few. Brothers and sisters, when did Jesus say that there are very few people in heaven? He didn't say that, did He? There was only one disciple who asked, “Lord, are those who are saved few?” He had such a doubt, thinking that there were very few saved people. Although Jesus spoke of the narrow way and the narrow gate, it does not mean that few will enter. At that time, Jesus was speaking to the Jews, and the focus of Matthew is on the Jews. The Jews call on the Lord, but do they know who the Lord is? It has become a cliché for them. Even today, many people have turned another phrase into a cliché: "Thank the Lord."
A few days ago, I saw someone in a group say, "I couldn't sleep all night yesterday; thank the Lord!" What is there to be thankful for? A few days ago, I had a serious illness; thank the Lord! What is there to be thankful for? He does not mean to say thank the Lord; it has become a habitual phrase. The Jews often call on the Lord, but they do not know that Jesus is the Lord. Let me give you a classic example from the Bible. Before Paul knew Jesus, his name was Saul. He zealously persecuted Christians, working for the Lord. Did he know the Lord? He knew the Lord very well. But when he was on the road to Damascus, now called Damascus, a great light from the Lord Jesus shone on him, and he said one thing: “Lord, who are you?” Don’t you find this very contradictory? Jesus said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” This was the characteristic of the Jews at that time, which is why Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Jews all call on the Lord, but they are not all entering the kingdom of heaven. Now can you understand? It is not directed at you.
For Gentiles, calling on the Lord Jesus proves that this person already has Jesus in their heart; otherwise, they cannot call on the Lord Jesus. Why do we not often say "the Lord" or say "I believe in the Lord"? We say "I believe in the Lord Jesus." For us who believe in Jesus, this is more accurate in China. But when it comes to the Jews, they say, "I believe in the Lord." Which Lord? Perhaps it is Mary, or perhaps it is the great prophets and apostles of the past, who are also called Lord. In the past, prophets were called Lord, called men of God, and even in a family, a wife calls her husband Lord. How did Sarah call Abraham? She called him my lord. How many lords are there? Does calling on the Lord mean that everyone enters the kingdom of heaven? Your Lord must be Jesus. Amen!
In China, many people have already regarded Jesus as Lord, but our problem is even more serious than theirs. Having called Jesus Lord, some people no longer teach the truth of justification by faith but say that faith is not enough; it must be accompanied by works. What has happened 500 years later? The spiritual dark period has reached its lowest point. Five hundred years ago, God raised up a group of people to preach the truth of justification by faith again. Do not think that what we preach is something strange or a new doctrine; it is not. Five hundred years later, to be precise, on September 30, 500 years ago, Martin Luther raised the banner of reform.
Brothers and sisters, knowing that this event happened in this special period, just last night in Germany, they celebrated the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation with a gala. Whether under the law or under grace, everyone will accept this matter. The center we emphasize is: justification by faith. There is no mention of works in the matter of salvation; it has nothing to do with your works. However, people do not understand this verse and begin to interpret the Bible randomly, saying: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven.” Please listen carefully; to whom is this spoken? First, it is to the Jews. The Jews all call on the Lord, but among them, some call on Jesus as Lord, while others do not know what their Lord is. Such people cannot all enter the kingdom of heaven.
Then it says, “but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” What does this mean? In China, do you know how to explain this sentence? The will of the Father is to do good deeds and have good behavior. This article does not mean that. If we believe and do not have good behavior, do you think you can enter? If your pastor says this, you should stand up and say: “Pastor, can you enter the kingdom of heaven? Is your behavior good?” Just question him. If he says, “I am trying to enter,” you have not entered, so what are you talking about?
A great man once said: To know the taste of a pear, you must have tasted it first to tell others what it tastes like. Do not speak of the taste without having eaten it yourself. Did Jesus go to heaven? Did He come down to speak about heavenly matters? He went to heaven, so He speaks. We believe, and we are the same; we experience God and believe that what Jesus said is true. Did Jesus say that believing means being saved? That’s right; there is no mention of works in it. Many people do not understand this at all and even think that what others say is also correct. So they may not be able to enter; they feel that they are just a little short.
Many people under the law are still trying hard to enter the kingdom of heaven. Some say: “I am just a little short.” Many are very entangled in doctrine. They say: “Even if you have called Jesus Lord, it does not necessarily mean you are saved, because not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven. The number of people entering the kingdom of heaven is very small; it is not that easy. You must improve your behavior to be saved.”
To what extent must behavior improve to be considered good? There is no standard; this is wrong and definitely does not conform to the Bible. Others say: “Believing means being saved; as for behavior, it is not important at all, because salvation has nothing to do with behavior. Even if our behavior is terrible, it does not matter, because God is a God of grace.” Please remember: both of these are extreme doctrines. The first is unacceptable; faith is not enough; it must be accompanied by works, which is a serious error. The second is that good behavior is unnecessary, which is a mistake some people have today. So both of these are extreme. This passage tells us that believing means being saved, but after being saved, behavior is also very important. If this important behavior is used to obtain salvation, that is wrong. If you rely on behavior to be saved, what kind of person are you in Jesus' eyes?
In verse 23, I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness!”
Some people advocate being saved by works; these people are evil, they are workers of lawlessness. Is this serious? These are the words of Jesus. No one's behavior is perfect, and it is impossible to be saved by behavior. Through today's sermon, you should be assured of your salvation and also expect to live out good behavior, which is to live a life of grace through the words of the Lord Jesus. Please remember: The Bible is given to us by God, but not every word is directed at us. Now can you understand? Matthew 7:15-23 is primarily directed at the Jews. Some of them refuse to accept Jesus. In Jesus' eyes, these people are also preaching, but Jesus defines them as false prophets.
Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
This is the characteristic of false prophets; they appear as sheep on the outside but are wolves on the inside. What is the difference between sheep and wolves? A sheep is a sheep, and a wolf is a wolf. A sheep cannot become a wolf, but a wolf can fall in love with sheep; it always loves sheep. Listening to the word must be careful; otherwise, you will be led astray. It is not always a simple yes or no. The wolf puts on sheep's clothing to eat the sheep because it is inherently a violent life. Jesus uses the wolf to metaphorically describe false prophets. The wolf does the surface work well and then says, “Sheep, I have fresh grass and fresh water; come and eat.” A little lamb really believes it, but what happens afterward? The grass is still there, but the sheep is gone. So it says, “You will recognize them by their fruits,” which helps us recognize false prophets.
As sheep, we should have the most basic discernment. If someone tells you that believing does not necessarily mean being saved, you must discern that he is a false teacher. If someone tells you that after believing, behavior is not important, he is also a false teacher. No matter how much he appears to be like a sheep on the outside, his inner life has not changed; his inner life is still a violent life.
Jesus used a metaphor to illustrate this: “Can grapes be gathered from thornbushes?” What is the difference between thorns and grapes? They are two completely different plants. Grapes cannot be gathered from thornbushes; only grapevines can bear grapes. How can you expect to gather grapes from thorns? Thorns can only produce thorns. A person full of thorns proves that he has a thorny life. If he can bear grapes, it proves that his life is a supplying, abundant life, like that of a grapevine.
Then it says, “Can figs be gathered from thistles?” What are thistles? They are also thorny; they always harm others. Their life is always a violent life; they cannot bear good fruit. The life inside them is the life of a wolf, a violent life. Amen! This section is directed at false prophets. A prophet should convey God's words, but false prophets convey false information, which does not come from God but from their own intentions. Their purpose is different from that of true prophets. Amen! A true prophet has a characteristic: he will lift up the weak and bind up the injured to heal them. But the false one will take the good and throw out the sick and weak. This is fundamentally a different life, and the fruits produced are also different.
No matter where you are or what kind of self-proclaimed prophet you encounter, see what he brings you: does it bring you closer to God, or does it bring you closer to him? It is easy to distinguish. If he exalts himself and makes you obey him and get close to him, be careful; he may be a false prophet. If he brings you to Jesus, makes you listen to God's words, and encourages you to entrust everything to Jesus, this is the characteristic of a true prophet. Amen!
17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
It seems that Jesus starts to go around in circles here, saying this and that. No matter how many metaphors He uses, it is to help you learn to discern false prophets. Even if this prophet looks like a true prophet, you must see what kind of fruit he bears. Here it says that the purpose of false prophets is to come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. The wolf enters the sheepfold not to give life to the sheep but to take life for itself, to eat this flock of sheep. It is easy to discern; you will recognize them by their fruits.
Someone might say, “That’s so simple; what if we who are saved do not bear good fruit?” This is completely different. Even if we do not bear good fruit, you often praise the Lord Jesus, but a bad tree does not mention Jesus at all; it is all about itself, saying, “Look at me…” It is all about exalting itself. Those who have already believed in Jesus may not bear good fruit, but they at least desire to honor the Lord, and they are willing to bear good fruit. The two are different. It is like the pig mentioned in the Bible, which is washed clean but returns to the mud. Why does it want to go back? Because it likes that place; it is a filthy life that likes to return.
Someone might ask, “How do I know if I am saved or not?” I have a small test for everyone to consider. For example, in the past, I particularly liked to curse and steal. Every time I stole something, I felt quite happy. After cursing someone, I felt a sense of satisfaction because the other party had no chance to retort, and I felt a sense of pride. But after this person believes in Jesus, sometimes they still curse and cannot resist stealing, but after doing these things, they always feel, “Why did I do that again?” Such a person is saved. Now do you understand?
If someone has already believed in Jesus but feels happy after stealing or feels proud after cursing, this is a life that is not saved. One feels uncomfortable after committing a sin because their life has changed; they now have the life of a sheep. Even if they fall into the mud, after being washed clean, they will not go back, and they do not like it because their life is different. You can test this yourself. Here’s a small piece of advice: Do not judge whether others are saved, and do not ask others if they are saved; you can only determine whether you are saved.
When you feel you cannot be saved, your standard of judgment must be behavior, which becomes the teaching of false prophets. They say: “Look at so-and-so; their behavior is so terrible; can they be saved? They are definitely not saved.” Such people are teaching the doctrine of false prophets. Do you understand? Whether a person can be saved is not based on your external behavior but on the life inside you. What kind of tree bears what kind of fruit? Wolves have wolf behavior, and thorns bear thorns; they cannot bear grapes or figs. A fig tree can bear figs because the trees are different, so their essence and nature are completely different.
Judges 9:8-13
8 Once the trees went out to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ 9 But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I cease giving my oil, with which they honor God and man, and go to sway over the trees?’ 10 And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 11 But the fig tree said to them, ‘Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over the trees?’
12 Then the trees said to the vine, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 13 But the vine said to them, ‘Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and man, and go to sway over the trees?’ 14 Finally, all the trees said to the bramble, ‘You come and reign over us.’ 15 And the bramble said to the trees, ‘If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.’
This tells us the difference between thorns and other trees. Just now, Jesus said that every healthy tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Look here, once the trees went out to anoint a king over them, they first found the olive tree. The olive tree provides oil for God and man; this tree is a true tree, a good tree.
We see the characteristics of a good tree. When other trees say, “You come and reign over us,” the good tree, the olive tree, says, “Should I cease giving my oil, with which they honor God and man?” Its heart is with God and man; it supplies God and supplies man. In fact, those who truly want to serve do not want to be the king over everyone. So a true believer will never say, “Come, listen to me…”
Secondly, the trees said to the fig tree, “You come and reign over us.” How did the fig tree respond? Is it also a good tree? The fig tree answered, “Should I cease my sweetness and my good fruit, and go to sway over the trees?” It is still humbly serving, listening to God's words, and does not want to lift itself up. Look at the third one, the trees said to the vine, “You come and reign over us.” The vine answered, “Should I cease my new wine, which cheers both God and man, and go to sway over the trees?” Do these good trees have the opportunity and qualification to be kings? Yes, but they choose to serve and give up that position.
Now look at the last one. All the trees said to the bramble, “You come and reign over us.” The bramble answered, “If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”
The previous ones are about serving God, honoring man, and supplying others, but how does the bramble speak? “If you want me to be king, you must listen to me; you must submit to my authority.” This is the characteristic of a false prophet. So when Jesus says that a good tree bears good fruit, it refers to this. If you say that all of this refers to good behavior, that would be troublesome. When the fig tree does not bear fruit, is it no longer a good tree? Perhaps it will bear fruit next year. Now do you understand?
But the bramble cannot bear good fruit even after ten years; its essence is completely different, and it cannot produce. It cannot bear fruit but wants to control others. A false prophet has no ability but still wants to manage others, while those who clearly have strength do not want to sway over others. Look at the next part: What if you do not listen to it?
“Let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.” Have you seen the characteristics of false prophets? If you listen to them, it is better; otherwise, you will be endlessly submissive to them. Once you do not listen to them, a curse will come upon you. The latter says, “Let fire come out of the bramble.” What can the bramble bring you? It has fire inside; a little fire can burn a person and even kill you. The bramble cannot stand on its own, so false prophets must bind people, tightly wrapping around you, and they will die, wanting you to die with them.
We see, “Let fire come out of the bramble and consume the cedars of Lebanon.” Why can it be king? In fact, it is entangled with the cedar tree. False prophets must have something supplying them, which is an evil spirit; otherwise, they would not have such great power. So once we worship the wrong master, it is very dangerous. True good trees focus on their duties and serve humbly. Instead, the bramble, that bad tree, wants to be king. If you do not listen to it, it will control you, curse you, and destroy you. How many false teachers are still doing such things? In their church, you must listen to them in everything; if you do well, everyone is well. Once you dare to leave, they will immediately curse your whole family.
A while ago, a friend chatted with me, saying he left his original church. Their pastor said, I do not know if he is really a pastor, but he posted a message in the group: “Anyone who leaves this team will die without a burial place.” When they left, the pastor cursed them like this. If you dare to leave this church, you are doomed. This is a false and erroneous teaching.
In verse 20, it says, “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”
The fruits mentioned here are to see whether he brings you closer to Jesus or to himself. But you cannot say, “I do not have good fruits yet; am I also a bramble?” Do not apply this to yourself. What is said here is about the life inside you; do you want to listen to Jesus or to man? Or when you serve, do you want people to listen to you or to Jesus? The distinction is here.
Verse 21, “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.”
This is a conclusion. Jesus has said so much before, all of which are metaphors. Do false prophets also say “Lord, Lord”? If false prophets do not call on the Lord, how can they deceive you? This includes cults as well; the characteristic of a cult is to cater to your preferences. Whatever you like to hear, they will say, and their ultimate goal is to trap you in their net. False prophets and false teachers also call on “Lord, Lord,” but not everyone will enter the kingdom of heaven; only those who do the will of my Father will enter. What is the will of the Father? When interpreting the Bible, you must look at the context.
Now Jesus is talking about true and false prophets. A true prophet is one who does the will of the Father. Who is Jesus referring to here? Can you guess? In fact, it is Himself. Do you understand? Jesus cannot say, “I am the true prophet; you must listen to me,” because that would be no different from a false prophet. But you will find that when Jesus speaks here, everything is centered on the Father, while other false prophets are centered on themselves. When we teach, we must center on Jesus and the Father. Such teaching is in accordance with God’s will, so this refers to that.
Let’s see what kind of person can be saved and enter the kingdom of heaven according to the will of the Father. John 6:37-40,
37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”
Just now, I spent a considerable amount of time sharing the characteristics of true and false prophets. Jesus is the true prophet. Where is the characteristic of the true prophet? All that the Father gives me will come to me. He does not set the Father aside, saying, “You all come to me; those who preach falsehood are all fake; come to me.” Do not preach the gospel like that; if you do, others will think you are just like them. Many people want to tell others about grace: “Those are all fake; you come to me.” What will others say? “Aren’t you just changing names? You are just like them.” Only when you center on Jesus Christ can others hear your words.
Look at Jesus: “All that the Father gives me will come to me.” He is centered on the Father; “Whoever comes to me, I will never cast out.” Jesus is giving us a testimony. He came down from heaven not to do His own will. Now do you understand? When we preach the gospel to others, we are not doing it according to our own will, telling others what to do; we are doing it according to the will of the Father, the will of Jesus. Amen! When Jesus preached, He did not do it according to His own will but according to the will of the one who sent Him. This is the will of the Father: the will of the one who sent me is that He should lose nothing of all that He has given me.
Brothers and sisters, we must be certain of one thing: once you come to Jesus, it is given by the Father, and you can come before Jesus; you will never be lost again. It does not say, “Come to me; if your behavior is not good, I will kick you out.” It does not mention behavior at all; it says, “All that the Father gives me, I will not lose a single one, but I will raise him up on the last day. For the will of my Father (the one who sent me) is that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.” Here it does not say that just believing is not enough; it must be accompanied by good behavior. Therefore, you must take the will of the Father and the teachings of Jesus as the standard. Hallelujah!
John 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Have you noticed that when Jesus speaks, He again centers on the Father? “Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me.” Brothers and sisters, when you preach the gospel to others, especially now that the National Day holiday is approaching, when you preach the gospel to others, do not always say you, you, you… and leave Jesus out. That will not work. You must be with Jesus; in the end, the one who is to be worshiped and honored must be Jesus, our Heavenly Father. Amen! Believing in the one who sent me, the focus is on faith, which has nothing to do with behavior. Therefore, salvation has nothing to do with behavior. You will not be condemned; you have already passed from death to life. Is there life? Yes, there is life. Once you have life, you will not lose it.
Romans 1:16-17
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
How do you obtain the righteousness of God? Many people are not clear about what the righteousness of God is. They say we are righteous, we have the righteousness of God. What is the righteousness of God? It is God’s nature, God’s attributes. In the past, without believing in Jesus, we did not have God’s attributes; we only thought of ourselves, wanting others to become ours. This is the characteristic of worldly people: to get a little more, do a little better, rise a little higher; these are just thoughts. But when we have the nature of God, we are no longer centered on ourselves but on Jesus. This is the life of righteousness. Amen!
Where does this righteousness begin? It is from faith for faith. What does this mean? This is also a very important doctrine of justification by faith. From faith for faith means: it starts with faith and ends with faith. The moment you believe in Jesus, you have the righteousness of God; you have the nature of God, all the way to the end of faith. Who is the beginning and the end of faith? The book of Hebrews tells us clearly that He is the author and perfecter of faith, still centered on Jesus. When you center on Jesus, believe in Jesus, the righteousness of God is upon you. Therefore, we call it righteousness. Hallelujah! Only when you know you are righteous can you possess the attributes of God and do the works of God. If you do not know you possess the attributes of God, how can you do the works of God? This point is very important.
As it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” When you believe in Jesus, God gives you an identity called righteous; you possess the nature of God, the life of God, which means you are a person of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, the will of the Father here does not refer to good behavior but to believing in Jesus for salvation. Do you understand? False prophets make you rely on behavior for salvation, making you strive to do good works to maintain your identity as a righteous person. But we want to tell you that the moment you believe in Jesus, you have already possessed the identity of a righteous person; you only need to live out your life as a righteous person. Hallelujah!
Ephesians 2:8-10
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
This passage is very important. We are saved by the grace of God. How can you be saved? By faith. Can you receive it without believing? Many people say, “We need God’s grace,” but if you do not believe, how can you receive it? God’s grace has always been there; how can you possess it? Through faith. This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
What does this mean? Many people pray for something and do not see results, or after praying, nothing happens, and they say, “So, do I believe or not?” They even start to doubt their own lives. How can you receive the blessing of the righteous? Please remember: Anytime you make Jesus your Lord, you are already a righteous person. I just gave everyone a small test. Even if God does not accomplish this matter for you, you are still a righteous person. Do not doubt whether you believe or not, and do not ask others if they are saved. Just believe and say: “Lord, the Bible says so; I believe I am saved, and I believe so.” Hallelujah!
Do not ask others, “Am I saved?” You will definitely be deceived by others. If you meet a good pastor who says, “Believe, and you will be saved,” that is better. If you meet someone who tells you, “It depends on your performance,” that is troublesome. You will have endless suffering waiting for you. It says here that our salvation is not based on works; it has nothing to do with your behavior. Amen! So that no one may boast.
The latter part of verse 10 is also very important: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
After we believe in the Lord, we are all in Christ Jesus, and the ultimate purpose is to do good works, which proves that good behavior is also very important. Since you are a grapevine, you should bear grapes; bearing fruit is the expression of our life. Christians will ultimately bear the fruit of good works. I have been emphasizing that when we did not believe in Jesus, we wanted to grab everything for ourselves, which is actually the life of Jacob.
The name Jacob means “to grab.” I can summarize the characteristics of worldly people in one sentence: “What is mine is mine; what is yours is also mine.” But when you believe in Jesus, everything is turned around: “What is mine is not mine; what is mine is God’s; what is yours is also God’s.” Do you see the difference? Since it is all God’s, what do we have to boast about? Is there any qualification to boast if you have more? Is there any need to feel inferior if you have less? There is none; it is just a matter of how much you receive.
Let me give you an example. A few days ago, I went to a buffet with a friend. The entrance ticket is the same for everyone; everyone pays the same amount. Some eat more, and some eat less, depending on your capacity. Will those who eat more laugh at those who eat less? “You only ate that little; you are not worthy to be here.” If someone tells you this, how would you feel? “I can’t eat that much; I don’t want to overeat.” If two people are self-centered, what was originally a harmonious place will become a place of conflict because it becomes about boasting about oneself. Have you ever seen someone at a buffet look at another person who has eaten twenty plates of beef and think, “How can he eat so much?” You would think, “Wow, he can eat a lot; I envy his stomach.” Some people eat just a little and feel full. After that, we no longer eat for ourselves. The kingdom of heaven will be like this; whatever you need, God will provide. On this earth, what God has prepared for us is like the food in the buffet. You now have a ticket to enter. If you go in and kneel on the ground, saying, “Please give me something to eat; I am so pitiful…” and come out hungry, can you blame anyone? How many Christians live like this? “Lord, why have you abandoned me? Why don’t you care about me? You don’t listen to my prayers…” This is equivalent to someone who has already paid for the buffet but goes in and starts crying in a corner, saying, “Lord! I am hungry…” If you encounter this person, what would you say? “Go eat!” He says, “I don’t have the qualifications.” You say, “You already have a ticket.” He says, “I don’t believe it.” What will you do? This is how some poor Christians live, pitiful Christians, still trying to show their piety: “Look how pious I am; as soon as I go in, I kneel down and pray to God.” God says: “I saved you; it is all my grace. You are my work. All the blessings in Christ Jesus are yours.” What you need to do now is not to say, “Lord, bless me; have pity on me…” It is all yours. Since you are hungry, just go and take it. Is there anyone who dares to say to a friend in a restaurant, “Order whatever you want?” Very few people dare to say that. But at a buffet, you can say, “Order whatever you want; I will get it for you.” Because everything has already been prepared. Hallelujah! This is our blessing in the kingdom of heaven. Why do I emphasize that salvation is so important? Those who are saved have already received a ticket; once inside, everything is free and has already been prepared. Whether you eat more or less, it does not matter. Hallelujah! If you are hungry, just eat more; if you have eaten too much, take a break. Do not say, “No, no, no.” The Israelites were pitiful in this regard. God had already told them: “I will let you eat quail for a whole month, and even the quail that comes out of your noses will taste like quail.” God’s intention is: “You want to eat quail? I will let you eat for a whole month.” It has already been promised, but when the quail flew over, the Israelites did not sleep, catching quail for three days and two nights, which is actually disbelief. Brothers and sisters, you must know that you are saved; God’s grace is upon you. Do not live pitifully like a beggar, saying, “Lord, have pity on me…” It is not like that. You must know that ultimately, God wants you to do good works because God is good. We express the life of the righteous, the life of the saved, and ultimately we will do good works. Hallelujah! False prophets rely on works for salvation, and they will teach people like this. In verse 22, “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?’” Are these actions or faith? “Did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?” Their meaning is: “I have done so much; how dare you say you do not know me? How dare you say I am not saved?” Is this boasting in works? This is the teaching of false prophets; this is what they believe. They will teach like this: “Do more good deeds; otherwise, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. Just believing is not enough; you must add your good works.” But this is false. On that day, the Lord will say: “I do not know you.” How unfortunate is that? It is too unfortunate. These people are still unconvinced: “Lord! It is not like that; I have prophesied in your name; I have cast out many demons; I have done many miracles in your name.” The Lord says: “So what?” It is very unfortunate. Therefore, we are not saved by what we do. Amen! I want to give you a saying: You are not saved because of your good works; likewise, you will not lose your salvation because of your bad works. The only reason you can lose or not obtain salvation is unbelief in Jesus. Amen!
John 10:27: My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
This proves that Jesus knows your name. The moment you believe in Jesus, He deeply remembers your name in His heart. It is faith that brings you salvation.
Matthew 7:23, what does Jesus say to false prophets? “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness!’”
This passage is very easy to explain. Now I am preaching to you, and I also say to you: “I will clearly tell those who rely on works for salvation: ‘I do not know you.’” Now do you understand? Is this speaking to you? Is it speaking to those people? Many Christians insist on interpreting it as “me.” I tell them that actually, those who rely on works for salvation, Jesus does not know them. Some among you say: “Jesus does not know me?” This should not be applied to you. I am talking about them, not you. The Bible is indeed for you, but not every word is directed at you. The Bible also has words spoken to the serpent: “You shall eat dust all the days of your life.” That is spoken to that serpent, referring to the devil. So why do you apply it to yourself? Therefore, do not casually apply a passage of scripture to yourself; you must know to whom it is spoken. Amen!
John 10:27 is for you: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them.”
This is for you. Jesus clearly said to those false prophets: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” What does “never” mean? This verse also explains another matter: These people never believed from the beginning, and they still do not believe now, so Jesus says, ‘I do not know you.’ As long as you believe in Jesus, He cannot not know you; He must remember you and remember your name clearly. If you never believed, then Jesus truly does not know them: “I never knew you.”
Did Jesus say: “You were my sheep at first, but later you are no longer my sheep because your behavior is too bad”? The Bible never has such a doctrine. Many people teach: “Do not think that you are saved now; you will be saved later; this is hard to say.” Is there such a doctrine? No. Hallelujah! Unless you never believed from the beginning, that is why Jesus says, “I do not know you; I never knew you, you workers of lawlessness.” Workers of lawlessness, in the standard of the Bible, are unbelievers. In the end, Jesus says: “Depart from me,” because they are unwilling to follow Jesus and unwilling to live centered on Jesus. We must clearly know here: The characteristics of true prophets are centered on Jesus and the Father; they absolutely do not exalt themselves. Jesus is centered on the Father in preaching and doing things. Amen!
Matthew 13:47-50
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
This is a parable. The kingdom of heaven refers to those who enter the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, gathering all kinds of fish. The meaning of this sentence is: there are all sorts of people in the church. Not everyone in the church is necessarily saved; some are not saved. But you should not discern whether they are saved or not. It says here that at the end of the age, when the net is full, the people will draw it ashore.
Are you going to pull it now? Who is going to throw the net down and look inside: “How come there is a stone?” and throw it out? How many people do this? First, the net is thrown, and then all are drawn up, and only then does the sorting begin. It is the one who casts the net who sorts. Now is the time to cast the net; we are all in the net. It is not yet time for Jesus to sort. When will sorting happen? “So it will be at the end of the age.” The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous. Now do you understand? It is not that we are distinguished from the evil; it is that the evil are thrown out, and we are left behind.
Does the Bible say to let the righteous distinguish the evil? Do not distinguish the evil; do not make yourself feel like God: “I do not think you look like a saved person.” It is very funny because I created a nickname, and someone said to me: “From your name, I can tell you are a heretic.” This guy thinks he is better than God, knowing who is a heretic and who is not just from a name. We should not do such things.
In the series of parables about the kingdom of heaven, you can go back and find many contents I have preached before, which are all the same, such as there are tares among the wheat. Some people love to say: “Lord! Let me pull them out.” People particularly like to do such things. Now is the time to cast the net and save; now is the time to grow wheat; it is not the time to pull out the tares or to distinguish. It is the time to grow. Hallelujah!
During the time of growth, since there are evil people, let them stay; perhaps one day they will believe. Now do not pull them out, and do not casually conclude that someone is not saved. This is not what we should do. Ultimately, at the end of the age, the angels will come out, and Jesus will distinguish these matters. Amen! The false and the unbelieving will be thrown into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Do not comment on whether this person is saved or that person is not saved. The focus is that now these fish are mixed together. We only need to receive God’s truth, which is to ensure that what you hear is the truth, the teaching of a true teacher, which is centered on Jesus Christ. The purpose of a true teacher’s preaching is to bring you before Jesus, while the purpose of false prophets in preaching and casting out demons is for themselves. It is easy to distinguish.
Romans 10:9-10
9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Brothers and sisters, how are we saved? If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. I wish for all of you to believe in Jesus this way. As long as you believe this way, you are a saved person. As long as you are a saved person, you possess the blessings of the righteous. Hallelujah!
Let us pray together.
Heavenly Father! We thank and praise You! Thank You for telling us through Your words that not everyone who calls “Lord, Lord” can enter the kingdom of heaven, but those who believe in their hearts and confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord will be saved. Those who are saved should teach those who are not saved yet, letting them live centered on Jesus. Our preaching, performing miracles, and casting out demons are not for ourselves but to manifest the glory of Jesus Christ.
Lord! Please grant me strength, let me have the ability to do good works, and live out Your likeness. Thank and praise You! Bless every brother and sister who seeks You today, let us live out our lives, benefiting ourselves and those around us. I believe I am a saved person. Hallelujah! In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray. Amen!