What is the meaning of Matthew 7:23? Then I will tell them plainly • The setting is the final judgment, immediately after many professing believers have cried, “Lord, Lord,” recounting their impressive works (Matthew 7:21-22). • “Plainly” underscores that Christ’s verdict will be crystal-clear, leaving no room for debate or misunderstanding, just as He will later separate the sheep from the goats with unmistakable clarity (Matthew 25:31-33). • His straightforward declaration fulfills John 5:22-27, where the Father has entrusted all judgment to the Son, and Romans 2:16, where God will judge the secrets of men through Jesus Christ. I never knew you • “Knew” speaks of a personal, covenant relationship. Jesus is not saying He lacked information about them; He is stating they never belonged to Him (John 10:14, 27-28). • Their prophecy, exorcisms, and miracles (v. 22) impressed crowds, but never established genuine fellowship with the Lord (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). • 2 Timothy 2:19 affirms, “The Lord knows those who are His,” drawing a sharp line between authentic disciples and mere performers. • The sobering truth: religious activity can mask an unregenerate heart. Saving faith always produces obedience that flows from relationship, not mere resume (James 2:14-17; John 15:4-6). depart from Me • This is a legal dismissal from Christ’s presence, echoing Psalm 6:8, “Depart from me, all you evildoers,” and foreshadowing the eternal separation described in Matthew 25:41, 46. • Being sent away from Jesus is the very essence of hell—exclusion from the source of life, joy, and light (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). • The words reveal that judgment is not merely about missing heaven’s blessings; it is about being banished from the King Himself (Revelation 22:14-15). you workers of lawlessness! • “Lawlessness” is willful rebellion against God’s revealed will (1 John 3:4). Despite their public ministry, their lives contradicted the righteousness God requires (Matthew 23:27-28). • Jesus uses the same phrase in Matthew 13:41, where angels gather “all lawbreakers” for fiery judgment, linking false professors to ultimate condemnation. • Titus 1:16 describes them perfectly: “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him.” • True disciples are characterized by doing the Father’s will (Matthew 7:21) and practicing righteousness (1 John 2:29), not by spectacular deeds divorced from obedience. summary Matthew 7:23 is Christ’s uncompromising verdict on religious hypocrisy. In plain speech He exposes empty professions, declares the absence of genuine relationship, orders eternal separation, and labels the self-deceived as practitioners of rebellion. Authentic faith is proven not by sensational works but by a life submitted to the Lord’s will and transformed by His grace. |
    |