In this sermon excerpt, the speaker warns that many believers are frightened by Matthew 7:21‑23, where people claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles yet are rejected by Christ. He argues this fear stems from a common misinterpretation that equates confident works with genuine faith. The speaker clarifies that those verses describe individuals whose trust is placed in their own deeds rather than in the finished work of the cross, and who are judged according to the law because they have never received Christ’s gift of salvation. By emphasizing that believers are justified by Christ’s perfection, not by personal merit, he cautions listeners not to let this misreading erode their confidence in their salvation.
Chapters
Now this is perhaps one of the most frightening portions of scripture, and the reason for that is a misinterpretation. Maybe you've seen this portion of scripture and you yourself have become frightened by it. Matthew chapter 7: On Judgment Day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and perform many miracles in your name. But I will reply, I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws. So we see these individuals coming before the Lord, and they're practically strutting. They're confident, and because of that confidence They're shocked when they learn that they're not going to be allowed into the kingdom of heaven. Now, many Christians will read this and they'll say, oh my goodness, that could be me one day. What if, what if I stand before the Lord and this is what happens to me? But I want you to pay very close attention now. Look at what they put their faith in. First of all, they're trusting in their own works. They're not trusting in the finished work of the cross. And next, I want you to see that they're judged according to the law. You who break God's laws. Well, wait a minute. If I am in Christ, then vicariously, I've already fulfilled the law through Christ's perfection. And in Christ, I live in that perfection by faith. So then, if they're being judged according to the law, it means they've never received that gift of salvation. It means their faith was not in Christ. So verses like this, because of the misinterpretation of these verses, Christians begin to lose confidence in their salvation.
