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Matthew 7:22–23 (ESV):
> 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?”
> And then will I declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.”
This is one of the most searching and unsettling statements Jesus ever made. It confronts us with a vital issue: it is possible to be active in ministry, to use the name of Jesus, to move in apparent power—and still not be known by Him.
The central theme is this: knowing the Father, and being known by the Son, is more important than any outward manifestation of power or ministry. The decisive mark of a true disciple is not giftedness, not influence, not spiritual activity, but doing the will of the Father in heaven.
As Jesus continues:
> “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.” (Matthew 7:21)
We are dealing here with eternal issues: entrance into the kingdom of heaven, the final judgment “on that day,” and the dividing line between true and false disciples.
Let us see what the Word of God actually says, and submit our experience, our theology, and our ministries to this unchanging standard.
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These words come at the end of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Jesus is not speaking to hostile Pharisees here. He is speaking to His disciples and to the crowds who had gathered to hear Him. He is not addressing atheists or pagans. He is warning those who call Him “Lord.”
### a. The Setting: The Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount reveals the righteousness of the kingdom. It exposes superficial religion and brings us to the heart-level demands of God: purity, humility, mercy, love for enemies, secret obedience, sincerity before God.
Throughout the sermon, Jesus contrasts two kinds of religion:
As He comes to the close of the sermon (Matthew 7:13–27), He gives a series of sharp contrasts:
Our passage fits into this final segment as a solemn warning. It states that confession without obedience is worthless, and power without relationship is dangerous.
### b. Who Is Speaking?
Jesus is speaking as the Judge of the last day. Notice the language:
> “On that day many will say to me …” (v. 22)
> “And then I will declare to them …” (v. 23)
He stands in the place of Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel, and claims the right to determine eternal destiny. This is one of the clearest implicit claims to divinity in the Gospels. Only God can say, “I never knew you” in a judicial, final, eternal sense.
### c. The People Addressed
The people in this passage are:
Yet Jesus rejects them. Why? Because their relationship with Him is false. They are “workers of lawlessness.” Their life and practice contradict the will of the Father.
We must place ourselves in their shoes. These are not nominal churchgoers. They are people who have apparently experienced spiritual power. They are confident of their standing. They are shocked at their rejection.
This passage calls us to examine not just what we do, but who we are before God.
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Two key words are central here: “knew” and “lawlessness.”
### a. “I never knew you” – ἔγνων (ginōskō)
The verb “knew” comes from the Greek γινώσκω (*ginōskō*). This word means more than intellectual awareness. It implies personal, experiential, relational knowledge.
In biblical usage, “to know” someone often means covenant relationship and intimate fellowship. For example:
When Jesus says, “I never knew you,” He is not saying, “I did not know about you.” God knows all people. He is saying: “I never entered into covenant relationship with you. You were never truly Mine.”
The frightening implication is this: It is possible to use the name of Jesus, to operate in power, to be recognized by people—and yet never have entered into real, covenant relationship with Him.
This cuts directly to the theme of “Knowing the Father.” True knowledge of the Father is not merely doctrinal, but relational and obedient. It is a shared life.
### b. “Workers of lawlessness” – ἀνομία (anomia)
The word “lawlessness” is ἀνομία (*anomia*), from:
Literally: “without law,” or “against law.” In the New Testament, *anomia* is more than civil disobedience. It is rebellion against the moral law and will of God.
1 John 3:4 defines it clearly:
> “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness (*hamartia estin hē anomia*).”
These people are not ignorant unbelievers. They are practitioners of lawlessness—people whose way of life is contrary to God’s righteous standards, even while they invoke the name of Jesus.
This explains the sharp contrast: they use His name in public ministry but deny His rule in private character. They acknowledge Him as Lord with their mouth but reject Him as Lord in their lives.
So the phrase “workers of lawlessness” means: those whose pattern of living is in active contradiction to the will of God.
This brings us directly to Jesus’ condition:
> “…only those who do the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)
Knowing the Father is inseparable from doing His will.
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We will work through the main lines and themes of the lyrics in light of Scripture.
### 4.1 “Many will say to me on that day…”
The phrase “on that day” points to the Day of Judgment – the final, decisive day when we all stand before Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:10:
> “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”
The issue here is not how we appear now, but how we will stand “on that day.” Many are deceived now. Many have a reputation among men. But that day will reveal the truth.
Revelation 20:12 describes the same reality:
> “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened… and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.”
Notice: not according to what they claimed, but according to what they did. Not their outward show, but their actual works, proceeding from their heart and relationship to God.
### 4.2 “Lord, Lord, did we not… in your name?”
Three claims are repeated:
These are genuine spiritual activities. Jesus does not deny they happened. The danger is clear: spiritual gifts and power can be present where true obedience and relationship are absent.
This is consistent with other passages:
> “If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge… but have not love, I am nothing.”
> “For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”
God may permit gifts to operate, yet the person’s life may be out of order with Him. Gifts do not guarantee approval. Power is not proof of purity. Activity is not the same as intimacy.
Notice the repeated phrase: “in your name.” It is possible to use the name of Jesus as a formula, as a badge of spiritual authority, while having no true submission to Him.
Luke 6:46:
> “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
To call Him “Lord” and yet refuse obedience is spiritual contradiction.
### 4.3 “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
The phrase “tell them plainly” (Greek: ὁμολογήσω αὐτοῖς – *homologēsō autois*) could be rendered “I will declare to them openly.” There will be no debate. The verdict is final.
“I never knew you” – no covenant relationship. “Away from me” – eternal separation. Here Jesus echoes Psalm 6:8 (LXX):
> “Depart from me, all you workers of evil…”
This reveals that Jesus stands as the divine Judge who applies the very words of Scripture to those who outwardly honored Him.
The description “workers of lawlessness” shows that the root issue is moral and spiritual rebellion. They used Jesus for ministry, but did not bow to Him as Lord in their conduct.
Hebrews 1:9, speaking of Christ:
> “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness.”
Christ, who loves righteousness and hates lawlessness, will not unite eternally with those who practice lawlessness. Relationship with Him must produce righteousness.
### 4.4 “Not everyone who says ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven…”
Here the contrast is very sharp. There are two groups:
1. Those who say “Lord, Lord” but do not do the Father’s will.
2. Those who do the will of the Father.
Both groups may appear religious. Both have confession. But only one has obedience.
Romans 2:13:
> “For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law…”
James 1:22:
> “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Self-deception is a central danger in this passage. These people are shocked in the judgment. They never expected rejection. Their deception arose from confusing religious activity with obedient relationship.
Jesus makes entrance into the kingdom depend on one thing: doing the will of the Father.
### 4.5 “Only those who do the will of my Father”
Knowing the Father is not merely emotional or mystical. It is intensely practical. Jesus defines His own life by the will of the Father:
> “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
> “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
To know the Father is to share His will, to be aligned with His purposes. True sonship is expressed in obedience.
Romans 8:14:
> “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.”
The Spirit leads us into the will of the Father. A life that is consistently resistant to God’s will, stubborn, independent, and rebellious, is a life that does not know the Father, no matter what gifts or titles it carries.
### 4.6 The Repetition in the Lyrics
The lyrics repeatedly circle back:
This repetition reflects the urgency of Jesus’ warning. He is pressing this truth into our conscience. It is as though He is saying: “Do not take your spiritual state for granted. Test it by this standard: Do you do the will of My Father?”
This is not salvation by works; this is salvation that produces works. True faith always expresses itself in obedience (Galatians 5:6; James 2:17–18).
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If we are to “know the Father” in the way Jesus speaks of, and avoid the tragedy of being unknown by Him on that day, we must respond in specific, practical ways.
### 1. Examine Ourselves by the Word, Not by Gifts or Experiences
First, we must examine our lives not by our gifts, our experiences, or our reputation, but by the standard of Scripture.
2 Corinthians 13:5:
> “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.”
Ask:
The Word of God is the mirror that reveals our true condition (James 1:23–25). We must allow it to judge our thoughts, motives, and actions (Hebrews 4:12–13).
### 2. Prioritize Relationship with the Father Above Ministry Activity
Second, we must reorder our priorities. Ministry is not the foundation. Relationship is. True ministry flows from knowing God.
Daniel 11:32:
> “…the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”
Note the order: know their God, then act. Not act first, then try to know.
Philippians 3:8–10:
> “…I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord… that I may know him…”
Paul had miracles, visions, revelations. Yet his supreme goal was to know Christ. That must be ours also.
Set aside time not for sermon preparation or ministry strategy, but simply to be with God: to worship, to listen, to receive His Word, to submit your will to His.
### 3. Embrace the Cross: Die to Lawlessness, Live to Righteousness
Third, we must deal radically with lawlessness in our lives. The root of lawlessness is the independent, self-ruled nature of the old man.
Luke 9:23:
> “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
The cross is where our self-will is crucified. There is no true knowledge of the Father that bypasses the cross. The Father’s will and our independent will are in conflict. One must die.
Titus 2:11–12:
> “For the grace of God has appeared… training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age…”
Grace does not excuse lawlessness; it trains us out of it. If we continue to “practice lawlessness,” we deny the very purpose of grace.
We must:
### 4. Practice Obedience as the Evidence of Knowing God
Fourth, we must understand that obedience is the primary evidence that we know God.
1 John 2:3–4:
> “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says ‘I know him’ but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Knowing God is not proven by feelings, visions, or even miracles, but by keeping His commandments. That is the apostolic test.
1 John 3:6:
> “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”
To “keep on sinning” means a settled life-pattern of rebellion and indifference to God’s will. Where that exists, true knowledge of God does not.
So we must make it a settled aim: to discover and do the will of the Father in every area of life.
This is how we walk out the reality of knowing the Father.
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### Proclamation (Confession of Faith)
Speak this aloud, deliberately, as an act of alignment with the Word:
> I confess Jesus Christ as my Lord.
> I renounce all lawlessness and rebellion.
> I declare that spiritual gifts and power cannot save me;
> only obedience to the will of the Father confirms that I am His.
> I choose to seek not merely to minister in His name,
> but to know Him and to be known by Him.
> I submit my will to the will of my Father in heaven.
> I ask the Holy Spirit to lead me into all truth,
> to expose every hidden area of lawlessness in my life,
> and to produce in me the righteousness that pleases God.
> By the grace of God, I will not only say, “Lord, Lord,”
> but I will do the will of my Father who is in heaven.
> On that day, I will not hear, “I never knew you,”
> but I will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
> This I believe, and this I choose,
> in the name of Jesus. Amen.
### Prayer
Father, in the name of Jesus, I come to You under the authority of Your Word.
I acknowledge that my heart can deceive me, and that only Your Word can show me my true condition. I ask You now: search me, test me, and reveal any area of lawlessness, any hidden rebellion, any form of outward religion without inward obedience.
Lord Jesus, I do not want to use Your name without knowing You. I do not want power without purity, gifts without godliness, or ministry without true sonship. I ask You to bring me into a deeper, real, covenant relationship with Yourself and with the Father.
Holy Spirit, write the will of the Father on my heart. Give me a willing spirit to obey. Where I have loved activity more than intimacy, correct me. Where I have loved reputation more than righteousness, convict me. Where I have excused sin under the name of grace, cleanse me.
I yield my will, my plans, my ministry, my future, to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Father, teach me to know You, not just in word, but in a life that does Your will. Preserve me from self-deception, and prepare me for that day, that I may stand before You approved, known, and welcomed.
I ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.
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