I am in my seventies and have been a christian since my late teens and have truly been trying to live a christian life since my late twenties. I have raised 2 sons that are saved, but, about a couple of years ago I was ill and the medicine the doctor put me on gave me a panic attack. They put me to sleep and I dreamed that I went to heaven and was told, “Depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you”.
When I awakened I was terrified so they put me to sleep again and since then I feel void of my relationship with the Lord and half dead. Of course I know it is due a lot to the medication, but, my question is: Could the Devil have deluded me all of these years? I love going to Church and have taught several times during the years and sang duets and solos when needed. I feel like David when he prayed, “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation”.
You say you’ve been a Christian for about 50 years and have tried to live a Christian life, and you’ve given examples of the good works you’ve done. But the only work God requires where your salvation is concerned is that you believe you’re a sinner, that Jesus died for all your sins, and that He rose again. (John 6:28-29, Romans 10:9)
If you have met this single requirement the dream you had contradicts the Scriptures, so it had to have come from a different source. Paul wrote that from the moment you first believed your salvation was guaranteed (Ephes. 1:13-14). The quote from Matt. 7:23 refers to people who by their works appear to be believers, but are not doing the Father’s will. His will, clearly described in John 6:39-40, is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and He won’t lose a single one of us.