In Matthew 7:23, the Bible describes a most surprising and unexpected happening:
On Judgment Day, Jesus will tell certain church people, “I never knew you.”
Now, why didn’t Jesus know these church people?
Jesus did not know these church people because they had never HONESTLY sought to know Him.
Revelations 3:20 tells us:
Behold, I [Jesus] stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
Come Judgment Day, the people Jesus will not know…whether church-goer or not…are those who never opened the door of their heart and life to Him.
The people Jesus will not know are those…who across the DECADES of their life…were too busy with their own interests, agendas, and activities…such that they didn’t have the time…nor the interest…in opening the door of their heart and life to Him.
But, going back to the point of this article, SOME of the people Jesus will not know on Judgment Day were involved in church and in all kinds of church activities and ministries…they were around the things of God…and they knew all ABOUT Jesus…but they were not interested in actually KNOWING Jesus in a personal way…and they were for sure not interested in drawing closer to Him…or in surrendering their heart and life to Him…and that is why in the end, Jesus will NOT know them.
Being involved in religion will NOT get you into Heaven.
Belonging to a church will NOT get you into Heaven.
Knowing ABOUT Jesus will NOT get you into Heaven.
Being a leader, official, or executive in a church will NOT get you into Heaven.
Being active in Christian ministries will NOT get you into Heaven.
The ONLY thing that will get you into Heaven is KNOWING Jesus…so much so that your name is written in His Book of Life.
Revelations 20:12,15
12: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
15: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
If you and I want Jesus to know us on Judgment Day, then we each better see to it that we each seek to know Him TODAY.