Psalms 37:1-4, “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.”
“Trust in the Lord, and do good: Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
Rephrased, “Don’t worry about those who behave unjustly or have malicious intent and don’t be jealous of those who succeed through dishonesty. Before long, they will be reduced to nothing like blades of grass, Withering away just like herbs in the summertime.”
“Have faith in the Lord and live a virtuous life. Dwell in God’s land and draw strength from His everlasting faithfulness. Rejoice in the Lord and let Him fulfill all your desires. Find joy in His presence and He will take care of everything else.”
We are all aware of God’s will that none should perish but everyone should come to repentance. This is why He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins and give us new life through Him. However, it is not enough just to hear the message and accept it, for us to enter into the kingdom of heaven we must choose to make a commitment by accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Matthew 7:15-20, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”
“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruits you will know them.”
Rephrased, “Be cautious of those who appear to be trustworthy, but internally have an ulterior motive. You can identify them by the results of their actions. Can you reap good results from damaging sources? Every action has a consequence and it’s the same for trees.
“A good tree produces good fruit, while a bad tree bears bad fruit. It’s impossible for a bad tree to bear good fruit, or vice versa. If a tree doesn’t produce good fruit, it should be discarded. That’s why you should judge people by their actions and not their words as this will give you a clearer understanding of who they really are.”
The Bible teaches us that out of all the people in the world, God desires that no one should perish; He wills us to come to repentance and accept His love. However, as individuals we are left with a choice – we must decide who to serve – either Christ or the world.
To be considered a true believer, it is not enough to just say “Lord, Lord”. Rather, we must put our words in action by living according to God’s will. Our actions speak louder than our words and if we are going to enter the kingdom of heaven, it is necessary for us to do His will. We must accept Christ and choose Him as our Lord and Savior first before anything else for us to receive eternal life.
Matthew 7:21-23, “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. 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?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Rephrased, “It is not enough to simply profess your faith; only those who act on the will of God shall be admitted into heaven. Therefore, claiming to be a believer without demonstrating actions of obedience will not suffice. On Judgment Day, many will point to all the good deeds they have done in God’s name – prophesying, exorcism and so on. They may ask “Lord, haven’t we served you faithfully?” Consequently, I will tell them, ‘I have no knowledge of you; go away from Me, all of you who abide by wickedness!’
In His famous “Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus taught us that it is not enough to simply call Him “Lord” in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but rather it is important for us to truly pursue His will for our lives. He taught that those who do the will of God in Heaven shall be granted entrance into eternity with Him – and no one else.
The Bible also tells us that it is God’s desire and will that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. However, He gives each of us a choice who we ultimately want to serve, either God or other masters. We cannot enter a relationship with Christ until we recognize this truth and make an intentional decision to accept Him as our Lord and Savior. It is only then can we move forward in our journey towards eternal life with the Creator of all things.
Matthew 6:24, “It is impossible to be devoted to two different things at the same time. You must choose one and commit yourself to it – either loving one and hating the other or being loyal to one while despising the other. Serving both God and money is not possible.”
Jesus’ teachings are a profound reminder that although it is God’s will and desire that none should perish, ultimately the choice of who to serve lies with every individual person. In Matthew 7:21, we read of Jesus saying, “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.”
This passage speaks loudly to us that while God desires all people to come to Him; He gives humanity free will and allows us to make our own choices when it comes to our relationship with Him. We must all make a conscious choice – do we accept Christ, or do we choose not to follow Him? The answer we give will have an eternal impact on both our present and future life.
Joshua 24:14-15, “As a result of this, it is essential to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully in sincerity and truth. Get rid of any idols that your ancestors served on the other side of the river and in Egypt. Worship only the Lord! When it comes to serving the Lord, it is up to each person to decide whom they will devote themselves to and their household too. There are many different options available like the gods which your ancestors followed or the Amorites’ gods in whose land you live in. However, for me and my family, we will choose to serve the Lord.”
It is God’s will that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. In Matthew 7:21, Jesus says “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.” This is a clear reminder that we must truly accept and follow Christ in order to enter God’s kingdom. We must make a conscious decision to choose Him over any other path or way of life. A saving faith in Jesus is the only way we can access eternal life in eternity with our heavenly Father.
One of the most heartbreaking scenarios for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is having to reject those they love so dearly by saying “I’m Sorry… I never knew you.” Disobedience to God’s commands grieves the heart of our Heavenly Father. We have no idea what tomorrow may bring, so let us seize today as an opportunity to repent and invite Jesus into our lives as Lord and Savior. Make this day the beginning of your spiritual salvation journey.
You may be wondering if God truly exists. Ultimately, deep down you already know the answer to this, and it is time to trust in Him. Letting Jesus into your life, guided by the Holy Spirit, will open opportunities for a life filled with love and abundance that comes from knowing and understanding God’s teachings.
The heart-wrenching words “I’m sorry, I never knew you,” remind us that we can never truly experience the infinite love of God until we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This will enable us to achieve a deeper connection with the Holy Trinity and access its everlasting favor. This phrase symbolizes the plight of humankind – that without a relationship with Jesus and His commands, we can never get to know God and experience His love in full.
Our mortality serves as a reminder that we cannot comprehend God’s unconditional and eternal love without the intervention of a mediator, witness and savior. Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit are instrumental in this journey of understanding. By choosing to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and accepting Him as Lord, you won’t experience the unbearable feeling of hearing the words: “Depart from Me, I never knew you. You worker of iniquity.”
2 Peter 3:8-9, But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Rephrased, “Nevertheless, my dear ones, remember that for the Lord, a single day is as prolonged as a thousand years, and a thousand years are comparable to one day. The Lord is patient in fulfilling His promises, not wanting any person to perish, but instead all should turn away from their sins and have faith in Him. He has an infinite amount of mercy towards us and will give us a chance to repent.”
In order to enter the kingdom of heaven, it is not enough to simply call Jesus Lord. It takes much more than being a casual believer. Anyone who wishes to enter must do the will of God by accepting and following Christ’s teachings. This requires that you make a conscious decision to serve God and give up worldly pleasures and desires.
It is God’s desire that none should perish but that all should come to repentance. Therefore, if you want your soul to join Him in His heavenly kingdom, you need to choose who you will serve – either the world or His kingdom.
2 Corinthians 6:1-2, “We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: “In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Rephrased, “As fellow workers with God, we implore you to not take His kindness for granted and to make use of the divine grace He has bestowed upon you. God has given us a way to salvation and that time is now! He has promised to listen and help us in this day of redemption and everlasting joy. This is the perfect opportunity to embrace His love – the accepted time and day of salvation are here.”
