Quester responded: I take Jesus at His word. If He ever knew you, ... He would not say ... I never knew you.
I think this is a case of exaggerated hyperbole, which Jesus uses in this section of Matthew. If your eye causes you to sin, Quester, are you going to cast it out?
I think if you look at the context, you will find that Jesus is speaking to "hypocrites":
"Judge not, that ye be not judged". Mat 7:1
"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Mat 7:3-6
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." Mat 7:15-16
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: Mat 7:19-24
In context, Jesus is speaking to the self-righteous, those who feel it is there place to judge others, to teach falsely about things, while not bringing good fruits. Jesus then speaks about DOING the Will of the Father, not just speaking it.
IF Jesus meant that "I never knew you" in the literal sense, how is it possible that an "unbeliever" did miracles in Jesus' name? How is it possible that these "unbelievers" cast out demons in Jesus' name? No way. A person cannot cast out demons unless it is by the finger of God. How could God work a miracle through a man that He "never knew"? This most certainly is a hyperbole or an exaggerated view to show a point.
When thinking about this, Quester, God gave me the following verse to help explain it to me. Perhaps it might be helpful to you, as well:
Wwhen the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die. Ez 18:24
God does not keep score of our good works of the past. He is concerned with our relationship with Him today. If we turn into religious hypocrites and judging other people without looking at ourselves, are we doing the Will of the Father? Aren't we merely HEARING the Word and not DOING the Word? All those good deeds of the past, even mighty miracles, are worthless in God's eyes, because our current relationship of being self-righteous has placed ourselves over other people and we have forgotten that God has given us EVERYTHING, so we cannot boast.
You don't have to respond, I don't want to argue over this, as there really isn't much else to say. But I do not see how it is possible to take your view of this Scripture. While we first come to Scriptures looking at it as literal, sometimes, the context does not allow that view. There is no way that a person can do miracles in Jesus name and be an unbeliever, while Jesus "never knew him".
Regards
God does not keep score of our good works of the past. He is concerned with our relationship with Him today.
I agree with you here. God does not base our salvation upon our works, whether past, present, or future.
He basis our salvation upon our hearts ... and whether we remain with Him.
If our hearts are with Him ... we will, very naturally, produce the works that would flow from such a heart.
I think if you look at the context, you will find that Jesus is speaking to "hypocrites"
I believe that we also agree that Jesus is speaking of hypocrites here.
The unresolved issue between us ... is whether these have ever been believers (i.e. lovers of God) ... or not.
And my reading of the passage says 'not' ... because Jesus says that He never knew them.
Not that He used to know them ... but that He never knew them.
If we turn into religious hypocrites and judging other people without looking at ourselves, are we doing the Will of the Father? Aren't we merely HEARING the Word and not DOING the Word? All those good deeds of the past, even mighty miracles, are worthless in God's eyes, because our current relationship of being self-righteous has placed ourselves over other people and we have forgotten that God has given us EVERYTHING, so we cannot boast.
Even if we become judgemental of others, does that mean that our hearts have turned from God ... or does it mean that we are having a moment of weakness ... which God can correct ?
Have you ever thought more highly of yourself than you ought, Jo kus ?
Do you consider that you have left God when you do ?
Do you believe that God requires perfection of His children at every point ?
If He does, ... then what is the point of grace ?
You don't have to respond, I don't want to argue over this, as there really isn't much else to say. But I do not see how it is possible to take your view of this Scripture. While we first come to Scriptures looking at it as literal, sometimes, the context does not allow that view. There is no way that a person can do miracles in Jesus name and be an unbeliever, while Jesus "never knew him".
Once again, ... these speakers are only claiming to have done miracles in Jesus' name ... they present no evidence that they have.
Jesus rightly discerns that they are not ... with Him ... and that they have never been ... with Him.
They have never turned their lives over to Him ... because they've never felt that they needed Him. There has been no relationship ... and there is no relationship now.
These folk in the passage are like those that rushed to board the ark ... after the rain had begun to fall.
Sure ... they believe now, but ... now it is too late.
It is evident that we have somewhat different interpretations of this passage ... and that is okay.
Our interpretations are not the way ... Jesus is the way ... and as long as we have Him, we have all we need.1 John 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.