My question is about Matthew 7:22. How can some people use the name of Jesus to do miracles and still not know Jesus as their Savior? What kind of people will say to Jesus, Lord, didn’t I do this for you and that for you at the Judgement and still not be saved?
Matt. 7:21-23 says, “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!’
The broader context of the passage is false prophets, who the Lord describes as wolves in sheep’s clothing in verse 15. Since He often used sheep to characterize believers, He’s saying that these people are trying to look like believers, but really they’re sneaky predators. trying to steal the real sheep away. These false prophets say they’re doing things in Jesus’ name, but they’re not doing His father’s will, which is to believe in the Son (John 6:40). Instead, they’re using counterfeit miracles to lead people astray.
The false prophet of Rev. 13:11 is the ultimate example of this. He’s described symbolically as having two horns like a lamb (Jesus), but he will speak like a dragon (Satan).