“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’….thus said Jesus Christ (Matt. 7:21-23)
‘Knew‘ from Greek word pronounced ginosko in English, being a prolonged form of a primary verb; to “know” (absolutely) in a great variety of applications and with many implications (as follow, with others not thus clearly expressed):–allow, be aware (of), feel, (have) know(-ledge), perceived, be resolved, can speak, be sure, understand.
Christ seeks fellowship, and relationship, a walk with Him, not just a passing knowledge of Him. This is a fundamental truth that will cost as it means being as one with Him, and following Him…not our own agendas. It is not about being in the same room as Him, it is about being in community with Him, obeying and honouring, relating to and communing with Him….love.
This truth was well understood by the saints of old as to be the key life goal, as part of preparing for Christ’s return.
Philippians 3:7-11
‘But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.’
The original word here for ‘know’ is the same used by Jesus in the passage from Matthew above. The real blessings of the kingdom, where abundant life is truly found that is eternal, is found in this intimate relationship with Christ. The is the Bride He comes back for…are we ready?
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