Re: Mt 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
I’ve never really understood this passage, It says these people prophesied and performed many miracles. Wouldn’t they have to be saved to be able to do this? Yet Jesus gives them the boot. I guessing they were never really saved but I was hoping you could shed some light of the subject. thanks!
In 2 Thes. 2:9-10 Paul wrote that the anti-Christ will perform miracles to deceive unbelievers. In Rev. 13:13 we see the false prophet doing the same thing. Pharaoh’s priests could duplicate some of the miracles Moses performed.(Exodus 7:10-12) There is also evidence that witch doctors and medicine men have done so. The performance of miracles is not always a sign from God nor does one have to be saved to perform them. All one needs is access to supernatural powers and the devil can provide that as well as God.
In Matt. 7:15-23 the subject is false prophets who will be denied entrance to Heaven. They may have demonstrated supernatural abilities, but they haven’t done the Father’s will for us, and that’s to look to the Son and believe in Him (John 6:40). In other words they aren’t saved, and that’s why Jesus said He didn’t know them and called them evil doers.