What actions might lead to being called "evildoers" in Matthew 7:23? Setting the Scene “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you evildoers!’ ” (Matthew 7:23). These are sobering words that close Jesus’ warning about false disciples. Moments earlier He affirmed, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (v. 21). The issue is not what the lips claim but what the life reveals. What Does “Evildoers” Mean? • Greek: anomia — “lawlessness,” rebellion against God’s revealed will • It is continuous practice, not a single stumble (cf. 1 John 3:4, 9). • It shows a heart untouched by saving grace, however spectacular the religious resume. Actions That Can Earn the Verdict “Evildoer” • Empty profession without obedience – “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). – Saying the right words while disregarding Christ’s commands betrays a lawless heart. • Performing ministry while cherishing sin – The very people in Matthew 7:22 prophesy, exorcise demons, and work miracles, yet Jesus rejects them. – Outward power never substitutes for inward purity. • Hypocrisy and religious showmanship – “They preach, but do not practice” (Matthew 23:3). – Public piety coupled with private corruption invites the charge of lawlessness. • Persisting in moral rebellion – “Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well, for sin is lawlessness” (1 John 3:4). – Habitual, unrepentant sin—whether sexual immorality, greed, deceit, or hatred—marks an evildoer. • Rejecting God’s moral law while claiming grace – Titus 1:16: “They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him.” – A gospel that excuses rather than transforms is a counterfeit. • Harboring unforgiveness – “If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive yours” (Matthew 6:15). – Clinging to bitterness contradicts the very mercy we receive. • Neglecting the needy while boasting of faith – “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (James 2:17). – Indifference to the hungry, lonely, or oppressed exposes a heart untouched by Christ’s love. • Trusting personal righteousness instead of Christ’s – “All our righteous acts are like filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). – Relying on self-made virtue rather than the cross is ultimate lawlessness. Why External Works Are Not Enough • Works divorced from a regenerated heart cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). • God looks for fruit that springs from abiding in Christ (John 15:4–6). • Obedience flows from love, not mere duty (John 14:15). Guarding Our Hearts Against Lawlessness • Daily submission to the authority of Scripture (Psalm 119:105). • Ongoing repentance and confession (1 John 1:9). • Cultivating genuine love for God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37–40). • Depending on the Holy Spirit for power to obey (Galatians 5:16). • Testing motives: is Christ or self at the center? (2 Corinthians 13:5). What ultimately separates the true disciple from the “evildoer” is a life transformed by the grace it professes—one that not only calls Jesus “Lord” but gladly does the will of His Father. |
    |