Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven..Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord..."And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!" (Matthew 7:21-23).NKJV.
We are still riding on the wave of the born-again movement, which began in the early 1970's. Thousands of of people have called Christ "Lord" and claimed to be born again. They have come from all walks of life--entertainment, sports, poliltics, and business. But these "converstions" have raised a skeptical eyebrow with a lot of Christians. Many of the people who have professed to call Christ "Lord" never left their old, sinful lifestyles. Others give their testimonies but speak of Christ only in vague, fuzzy terms. They talk about His love, but they know little or nothing about the meaning of the cross. What about this? Is a person a Christian just because he calls Christ "Lord"?
All who call Christ "Lord" are saved:
1. Peter said that "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Acts 2:21).
2. Paul told the Romans, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in yourheart that God raised from the dead, you willbe saved" (Rom. 10:9).
3. Paul said no one can call Christ "Lord" except by the Spirit, implying salvation (1 Cor. 12:3).
Not All Who Call Christ "Lord" Are Saved:
1. Jesus said that not everyone who calls Him "Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21).
2. Some who calls Christ "Lord" may even propesy and proform miracles, but may not be saved. (Matthew 7:22-23).
3. The person who calls Christ "Lord" but doesn't do the things He says will be ruined, like a man who builds his house on a foundation of sand (Luke 6: 45-49).
Explanation:
Peter's quotation from Joel that "whoever calls on the name of the Lord sahll be saved" (Act 2:21) and Paul's declaration that confessing the Lord Jesus brings salvation (Rom. 10:9) are assurances that anyone who believes what the Bible says about Christ and who calls upon Him will be saved. This conviction and confession is through the working of the Holy Spirit (1Cor. 12:3).
However, it is possible to mouth the right words about Christ witout any conviction or understanding. therefore, Jesus warned that merely going through the motions doesn't bring salvation. People may say "Lord, Lord" only because they are looking for a favor. They may even become caught up in performing miracles and casting out evil spirits, and yet be mere pretenders (Matthew 7:21-23).
True faith produces obedience. The person who truly believes will obey. The person who never goes further than an intellectual belief or emotional commitment is building on sand. Time will reveal that he is merely experimenting with religion.
The person whos faith is real builds a life of obedience on the foundation of his solid trust in Christ. His life will change. Yes, he still sins. But he sdmits his worng and returns to the Lord. In his heart he believes in Christ as his savior. He accepts what the Bible says about Christ's deity and Him mission and wants to be with Him forever. Imperfect as this person may still be, he is a Christian! He has confessed Jesus Christ as Lord.
Resolution:
All those who are led by the Holy Spirit to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who believe what the Bible says about Him, and who recieve Him as Savior are saved because they said "Lord, Lord" for the right reasons. People who mouth the words "Lord, Lord" for selfish ends or without understanding what the Bible says about christ remain in their sins.
Application:
1. To truly "call on the name of the Lord" (Acts 2:21, we must know Jesus Christ is, what He did, and why His death on the cross was necessary for our salvation.
2. Believing that Jesus Christ rose from the grave is an essential element in the belief that brings salvation (Rom. 10:9,10).
3. WE must base our assurance of salvation on the fact of Christ's death and resurrection, not on miracles or other amazing occurrences (Matthew 7:21-23).
4. A complete failure of obey the Lord Jesus will inevitably bring ruin (Luke 6:45-49).
Granny's Teachings...
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