Key: SCHAFF: “When the Lord open his mouth, we should open our ears and hearts.
LOUD AND OUTWARD PROFESSION WITHOUT A CORRESPONDING CONVERSION….2 Matt. 7: 21-23
- Matt. 7:22-23 “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? and in your name have we cast out devils? And in your name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, you that work iniquity.”
- ‘In that day’ as we stated in the last lecture, denotes the Day of Judgment. The one in reference here is the judgment of the wicked. We should take note of that.
- The judgment of the believer’s sin is at the cross. Jn. 5:24, 2Cor. 5:21, Gal. 3:13
- Believer’s works will be judged at the judgment seat of Christ. 2Cor. 5:10, Matt. 12:36, Rom. 14:10, 1Cor. 4:5, 2Tim. 1:12, 18; 4:8. This has nothing to do with sin. The result of the judgment is “reward” or “loss’, “but he himself shall be saved” 1Cor. 3:11-15.
- The judgment of the wicked. Rev. 20:12-15.
- There are other judgments: the judgment of the nations at the return of Christ Matt. 25:32, the judgment of Israel at the return of Christ. Ez. 20: 33-34, 37, Mal. 3:2-5; 4:1-2, judgment of angels after the one thousand years Jude. 6, 2Pet. 2:4, 1Cor. 6:3.
- “Have we not prophesied in your name?” “The Greek word prophetes which we borrow, is now explained as meaning not one who foretells, but (Liddel and Scott) one who for-tells, who speak for God…” Broadus John A. In the New Testament it means to speak by divine inspiration. Prophecy is usually an unpremeditated spontaneous speaking forth by the Holy Spirit. If any prediction is involved, is usually because there is either the gifts of the word of knowledge or wisdom working along with it.
- Christ is not saying here, that this gift or ministry is obsolete or always from the devil as some people teach. He is talking of the man (who is the man) using the gift or the ministry. It is still very much relevant in the Church today
- The purpose of prophetic utterance. 1 Cor. 14:1-5, 12, 15-16, 24-25 is to edify-build up and strengthen the believer, exhort- to stir up, urge, warn, confront and challenge the believer, and comfort-speak encouraging words, bringing solace and consolation to the weary, the buffeted and the afflicted.
It continues.