“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” – Matthew 7:21-23

Some time ago, I decided to study and meditate on the above scripture. There are a number of jarring words spoken by Jesus, but for many Christians, including myself, these verses can be particularly scary.
It was interesting that as I was putting my thoughts together, I had some doubts about my understanding of the scripture, so I put it on the shelf. Within a few days, I opened up Francis Chan’s book BELOVED and was stunned to see that the opening scripture in the very first chapter is Matthew 7:21-23. I took this as a sign to press on.

Why is This Scripture So Troubling?
Imagine walking through life as a Christian, believing you have eternal security. Then you die and find yourself standing before the judgment seat. Your heart races and your body trembles. You are standing before holy perfections, and there is no doubt that your life has fallen way short of what God requires. It is clearly evident what you deserve for all the evil you have done. But then you look over and see your perfect advocate, Jesus. Whew! I said the sinner’s prayer back on May 17, 1979. I’m good.
God, the Heavenly Father, is about to pronounce righteous judgment of eternal separation when He looks over to Jesus. Jesus looks back at me with a quizzical stare and responds, “Nope. Sorry. I never really knew this one.”
“Aghhh! But, Jesus, I accepted you as Savior!”
Jesus responds, “I certainly remember you, but we never really had any kind of relationship. When I called to you, you ignored me and kept doing your own thing. Sorry, but you never really got to know me, and I never got to know you. Yes, you did stuff in my name, but it was mostly for your gratification.” He waves his hand, saying, “Away from me, you evildoer1” and I shuffle off into oblivion, feeling like I’ve been duped and double-crossed.

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For many of us, this scripture leaves us in a permanent state of uncertainty about whether we are saved. Is that the purpose of this scripture to leave us always on the edge of certainty to check our motivation and question how sincere our relationship with Jesus is?

Let me just say from the get-go that if this is a concern and it makes you sober about how much you still have to grow in your relationship with Christ, this scripture is not really addressing you.

He “Never” Knew Us?
The primary Greek word for “know” is γινώσκω (ginóskó). The form of this word used in this verse is ἔγνων (egnōn) and is translated here in every major translation as “never knew.” Apparently, it is used in a great variety of applications and with many implications. However, there are 5 other verses in the New Testament where this form of the word is used and is translated in a positive way as: knew, aware, perceived, know, resolved, or known. Only in Matthew 7:23 is it translated negatively as “never knew.”
I am no Greek scholar, but I can’t see what within the sentence structure dictates including “never” in the translation. Perhaps it comes from the negative consequence of Jesus commanding the evildoer to depart from Him, which implies the “never.” I simply don’t know. (If any Greek scholars out there can enlighten me, I’d welcome the correction/education)

But for now, let’s consider eliminating the word “never.” Verse 7:23 would say, “And then I will declare to them, ‘I knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Somehow, for me, that takes an unnecessary edge off the scripture. It now only states that God knows you and knows what’s on your heart. It is perfectly aligned with other Biblical wisdom, such as these scriptures:
• Jeremiah 17:10, “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”
• Romans 8:27, “Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

God knows us – the good, the bad and the ugly. He knows our hearts and judges accordingly. Jesus is saying He knows exactly what the lawless have been up to. Their efforts were not for glorifying God, or for knowing Him more intimately, or to share God’s loving truth and power with others, but for personal glorification.

Do I sometimes try to take the credit? Absolutely. But in a relationship with God, He always finds a way to correct me so that I come to know Him more clearly. Our walk with Jesus is about growing in our knowledge and love for Him and growing in our certainty of His reality. But many of us still doubt.

Are these scriptures referring to Believers in general? Is it possible that some people have repeated some “magic” words but never really acted on the commitment to enter into a relationship? Certainly. They thought they had a ticket to heaven, but may find out otherwise. But I’m not sure that this is who these scriptures are addressing.

One thing that is particularly unnerving is Jesus’ statement that “many” will come in that day to declare Him Lord, and He will cast them away. Ouch! Am I one of the many? Not so fast. In the scriptures, just prior to this in Matthew 7:15-20, Jesus addresses “false prophets.” I believe that the “many” Jesus is referring to is not Believers in general, but to many of the false prophets He will say, “depart from me.”

In BELOVED, Chan writes this about our doubt:

“Whatever the reason may be, there is great news for those wrestling with doubt.
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (1 John 4:16–18)
Celebrate as you read those three verses. I’m bursting with gratitude when I think of this being God’s heart for me. Don’t just read and analyze it. Try to picture it. Picture yourself perfectly abiding in God, in perfect love, with perfect confidence. Judgment is coming, but fear is the last thing on your mind. You abide in God’s perfect love.”

When we first chose to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we put our lives in His hands. From then on, our eternal security is not based on our own strength but on His. Please see my blog post, THE STRENGTH IS IN HIS GRIP published on 07/11/2023, for my study on the subject of eternal security.

The one we put our faith and trust in, Jesus, is our strong advocate. 1 John 2:1, “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” This describes Him as a heavenly defense attorney who intervenes for believers already having paid the penalty for our sin by His righteous sacrifice.

Why Should We Be So Insecure?
We shouldn’t. Matthew 7 speaks to those whom He knows are corrupt but who have not entered into a relationship with Him. But, how then did they do miracles in His name? The truth is that God can use anyone to achieve His purpose, even the lawless. Even as His power is being displayed, He is demonstrating who He is and calling them to repentance. They are being used by God even though they refuse to enter into a relationship with Him.

For those who have put their faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, Paul wrote in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” You are saved, and your salvation is secure because it’s God’s gift that cannot be taken away.

Chan addresses our insecurity in BELOVED writing, “I believe that one of the greatest schemes of the enemy is to keep us insecure. Think about it—if someone is totally secure in the perfect love of an almighty God, they become fearless. The opinions of others don’t sway them. The coming judgment day doesn’t scare them. But when the enemy gets even the slightest foothold of doubt regarding those truths, he uses it to cripple us, often to devastating effect. This isn’t just what Satan does; it’s who he is.”

So our sense of security grows as our knowledge and trust in God’s voice overwhelm the enemy’s schemes. The Apostle Peter sums it up by imploring us in 2 Peter 3:18, “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.” Continuing to grow in our relationship with God does not secure our salvation. That’s done. It is what empowers us and gives us confidence in the reality of God’s goodness and grace, so we know 100% that we are saved.

So, when the end comes, and I face final Judgement with my name already written in the book of life, I can confidently step forward. Jesus points at me with a grin and shouts, “Father. I know this one, and He knows me.” He waves me forward. “Come and enter into my joy!”

SWEET!

“Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” – Luke 2:34-35

The Gentile scholar and investigator, Luke, records the story of Simeon in his Gospel’s Christmas account. The old man had received a word from God that he would not die before seeing the Lord’s Savior in the flesh. When seeing the baby Jesus in the temple, he glorified God and then said these ominous words to Jesus’ mother Mary, “A sword will pierce through your own soul.”

These prophetic words spoke to the pain Mary would one day experience – seeing her perfect baby boy, destroyed at the hands of the heartless and cruel people He came to save. Surely, it pierced her heart and soul as deadly as the rhomphaia sword – the sabre used in battle to kill and destroy. In John 10:10a, Jesus says, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

But it is not just Mary the enemy’s sword attacks. It is the same sword that is used to stab at the hearts of the parents and hack at our own children. And then the enemy leads the wounded astray to find healing that the world offers, but can never satisfy. The Deceiver offers drugs, alcohol, sexual immorality, money, fame, or power, all sprinkled with a heavy dose of confusion. None of these heals, but only deepens the wounds.

Simeon goes on to say that the Christ child came so “that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Our Savior arrived with another sword. In Matthew 10:34, Jesus says, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.”

What is Jesus’ sword? It is not the rhomphaia to kill and maim. It is the machairan: a knife used in the crude surgery of the day. Jesus did not come to sprinkle flower petals like some 1960s peacenik. He came to do surgery on our hearts – to expose our corruption and to get to the real heart of the matter. His healing of deep spiritual and emotional wounds may involve the healing pain of surgery, but it is our only real hope for true healing and true peace.

The tragic murder of Rob and Michelle Reiner at the hands of their severely wounded son, Nick, is a terrible but real example of loving parents doing everything the world could offer to try to save their son, but to no avail. Would an introduction to Jesus have made a difference? I know it has for many. I am certain it could have brought the peace that Nick so desperately needed.

In an interview, Rob Reiner acknowledged that many kids are desperately wounded and trying many devices to bring healing. Other than listening more, he did not have an answer as to what that thing might be. In the same interview, Nick admitted that he battled with hearing voices, trying to draw him back into the things that destroy.

Jesus completed his teaching in verse John 10:10b by declaring, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” And in verse 11, He continues, “I am the good shepherd,” saying that those who follow Him “know His voice.” Replacing the voice of the evil one with the voice of the one who gave up His life to save us is the only real hope that anyone has who is so severely damaged by this world.

Do all people who turn to Jesus experience complete healing and peace from mental and emotional damage? I don’t know that to be the case. But so many have walked into Jesus’ loving embrace and been cut to the heart, realizing the supernatural peace and comfort He promises. One cannot say they have tried everything until they’ve turned to Him.

Jesus does not promise that we will be untouched by this corrupt world or by the deception of our own hearts. But in John 16:33, He declares, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Somehow, by His resurrection power, in some supernatural way, He has already defeated the enemy. He stands ready, dressed for surgery, His machairan scalpel in hand, poised to give us a new heart. “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26

A new heart. What a Christmas Gift!

“For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” – 2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT

The revision is in blue below

Back on 06/18/2024, I published the post, The God Who Desires/ Wishes/ Intends/ Designs/ Wills All Men to be Saved. In the post, I was challenged as to the focus of sharing the Gospel message. Is it for the purpose of escaping eternal damnation or for reconnecting with the living God for the here and now? Obviously, it is for all of that. But sometimes I believe we lean too heavily on the good news being about getting into heaven and avoiding hell while overlooking what God desires for us in this realm.
Even as I wrote the piece, I wondered, “Am I the only one who believes this? Is this some form of heresy? Am I missing some clearly established Biblical principle? Is it really only about saving souls from hell?”

But I recently came across this message from Dan Mohler, a pastor whom I deeply respect. In his message, he said this,

“God made man with intention. God made man with a purpose. This isn’t about dying and going to heaven. I know we sell that all over the world, dying and going to heaven. No, it is about getting back to the Father and getting the Father back to you. It’s about becoming something, not going somewhere.”

Since publishing the original post, I am further convinced by the noted theologian NT Wright writing in a recent RELEVANT magazine article, entitled What If The Point Of Christianity Isn’t Getting Into Heaven? He says, “Most Western Christians think the point of faith is for their soul to get to heaven. But Jesus’ whole point was for the Kingdom of God to come on earth as it is in heaven.” The article is taken from his book, The Vision of Ephesians: The Task of the Church and the Glory of God. (See below)

Whew! If it is heresy, at least I’m not alone!

So, after hearing this, I was drawn to take another look at 2 Corinthians 6:2, which declares that today is the day of salvation. I had always thought of it as addressing the urgency of punching our ticket to heaven. But, if we step back a few verses before to 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (GW), Paul clarifies, “God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others. Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God. God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him.”

Paul is begging the reader to be changed by what Jesus did into the intended relationship with God. Is that just for the future? No, it is for the here and now – and then throughout eternity.

When Jesus became a man, He did not give up His relationship with the Father. Jesus was our example of entering into a right relationship with God as a human. In addition to Jesus’ teaching of how to pray to the Father, there are so many instances in the Gospels of Jesus displaying an intimate relationship with His Abba. This is what He lived and taught, and the Apostle John continued that teaching in 1 John 1:3, “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” The Greek word here, translated as “Fellowship,” is koinōnian. It means to participate with, to share, to commune together and engage in relational intercourse. So the focus of the Good News is entering into a rich and intimate relationship with the living God.

Below, I am reposting the section on the primary emphasis for our salvation from my post, “The God Who Desires/Wishes/Intends/Designs/Wills All Men to be Saved.”

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What Is The “Charge” From the Great Commission?

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

So, I wonder: Isn’t the work of eternal salvation God’s work, and isn’t our charge to bring others to the knowledge and commitment to follow Jesus? We are yoked together with Jesus in this work, but ultimately, Jesus saves.

What is our “Charge” from the Great Commission? It is to make “Disciples of all Nations”. To make pupils/students/followers of Jesus Christ. I certainly wouldn’t want to diminish the tremendous value of escaping eternal torment. But, perhaps our greater motivation is to offer to a weary, confused and hopeless world what we know to be true – the fullness of the abundant life in Christ in this world. Even as this world spins out of control, we bring hope, peace, joy, purpose, and power to overcome.

I, for one, have felt the terrible burden to rescue the world from Hell’s fire. Are we relying on God’s power to act on His very own desire (will/ wish/ intention/design) that all will have a fair opportunity to gain eternal life?

Paul wrote the perfect description of our role in preaching the Gospel in Romans 10:15, “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

The glad tidings and good things are described by Jesus in John 10:10 as the “Abundant Life” – being saved from the attack of the enemy in this life. Obviously, complete salvation extends to eternal life and with that, we have escaped the eternal torment as described by Jesus and the New Testament writers.

The Wonderful Gospel
If you haven’t ever heard God’s Good News before, here it is: we can not only be certain of eternity now, but also experience God starting now. Though we were separated from a perfect God by our sin, God sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life, die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, rise from the dead to prove it all true and then ascend back to heaven to take his rightful place on the throne. All that is required is that we turn away from our selfish desires and believe in and embrace Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Him. It’s God’s perfect plan of salvation.

Just a reminder to my fellow Christ-followers: We, by the power of the Holy Spirit, lead people to Jesus – Jesus Saves! (Romans 6:23)

For those who don’t know Jesus: Today is the day of salvation! Not only is your eternity secure, but you can know God, your Father, as you become the “something” He created you to be. Commit to following Jesus today. You will be eternally grateful. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

“For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” – 2 Corinthians 6:2 NLT

Back on 06/18/2024, I published the post, The God Who Desires/ Wishes/ Intends/ Designs/ Wills All Men to be Saved. In the post, I was challenged as to the focus of sharing the Gospel message. Is it for the purpose of escaping eternal damnation or for reconnecting with the living God for the here and now? Obviously, it is for all of that. But sometimes I believe we lean too heavily on the good news being about getting into heaven and avoiding hell while overlooking what God desires for us in this realm.
Even as I wrote the piece, I wondered, “Am I the only one who believes this? Is this some form of heresy? Am I missing some clearly established Biblical principle? Is it really only about saving souls from hell?”

But I recently came across this message from Dan Mohler, a pastor whom I deeply respect. In his message, he said this,

“God made man with intention. God made man with a purpose. This isn’t about dying and going to heaven. I know we sell that all over the world, dying and going to heaven. No, it is about getting back to the Father and getting the Father back to you. It’s about becoming something, not going somewhere.”

Whew! If it is heresy, at least I’m not alone!

So, after hearing this, I was drawn to take another look at 2 Corinthians 6:2, which declares that today is the day of salvation. I had always thought of it as addressing the urgency of punching our ticket to heaven. But, if we step back a few verses before to 2 Corinthians 5:18-21 (GW), Paul clarifies, “God has done all this. He has restored our relationship with him through Christ, and has given us this ministry of restoring relationships. In other words, God was using Christ to restore his relationship with humanity. He didn’t hold people’s faults against them, and he has given us this message of restored relationships to tell others. Therefore, we are Christ’s representatives, and through us God is calling you. We beg you on behalf of Christ to become reunited with God. God had Christ, who was sinless, take our sin so that we might receive God’s approval through him.”

Paul is begging the reader to be changed by what Jesus did into the intended relationship with God. Is that just for the future? No, it is for the here and now – and then throughout eternity.

When Jesus became a man, He did not give up His relationship with the Father. Jesus was our example of entering into a right relationship with God as a human. In addition to Jesus’ teaching of how to pray to the Father, there are so many instances in the Gospels of Jesus displaying an intimate relationship with His Abba. This is what He lived and taught, and the Apostle John continued that teaching in 1 John 1:3, “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” The Greek word here, translated as “Fellowship,” is koinōnian. It means to participate with, to share, to commune together and engage in relational intercourse. So the focus of the Good News is entering into a rich and intimate relationship with the living God.

Below, I am reposting the section on the primary emphasis for our salvation from my post, “The God Who Desires/Wishes/Intends/Designs/Wills All Men to be Saved.”

---

What Is The “Charge” From the Great Commission?

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

So, I wonder: Isn’t the work of eternal salvation God’s work, and isn’t our charge to bring others to the knowledge and commitment to follow Jesus? We are yoked together with Jesus in this work, but ultimately, Jesus saves.

What is our “Charge” from the Great Commission? It is to make “Disciples of all Nations”. To make pupils/students/followers of Jesus Christ. I certainly wouldn’t want to diminish the tremendous value of escaping eternal torment. But, perhaps our greater motivation is to offer to a weary, confused and hopeless world what we know to be true – the fullness of the abundant life in Christ in this world. Even as this world spins out of control, we bring hope, peace, joy, purpose, and power to overcome.

I, for one, have felt the terrible burden to rescue the world from Hell’s fire. Are we relying on God’s power to act on His very own desire (will/ wish/ intention/design) that all will have a fair opportunity to gain eternal life?

Paul wrote the perfect description of our role in preaching the Gospel in Romans 10:15, “And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

The glad tidings and good things are described by Jesus in John 10:10 as the “Abundant Life” – being saved from the attack of the enemy in this life. Obviously, complete salvation extends to eternal life and with that, we have escaped the eternal torment as described by Jesus and the New Testament writers.

The Wonderful Gospel
If you haven’t ever heard God’s Good News before, here it is: we can not only be certain of eternity now, but also experience God starting now. Though we were separated from a perfect God by our sin, God sent His Son, Jesus, to live a perfect life, die on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin, rise from the dead to prove it all true and then ascend back to heaven to take his rightful place on the throne. All that is required is that we turn away from our selfish desires and believe in and embrace Jesus. He is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Him. It’s God’s perfect plan of salvation.

Just a reminder to my fellow Christ-followers: We, by the power of the Holy Spirit, lead people to Jesus – Jesus Saves! (Romans 6:23)

For those who don’t know Jesus: Today is the day of salvation! Not only is your eternity secure, but you can know God, your Father, as you become the “something” He created you to be. Commit to following Jesus today. You will be eternally grateful. (2 Corinthians 6:2)

This Post is a Followup to my Post: The Strength is in His Grip from November 7, 2023. This material is also found in my book, The Wigglesworth Dilemma. There, I stated my firm opinion that nothing can pull us from God’s Saving Grip. Nothing! Done!

However, The Question Remains: Can We Choose to Depart from God’s Grasp?

There are several scriptures, particularly in the book of Hebrews, which seem unambiguous in their assertions that a person can depart from their salvation.

• Hebrews 2:1-3 – “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,”
• Hebrews 3:12 – “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall awayfrom the living God.”
• Hebrews 4:1 – Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it.
• Hebrews 6:4-6 – “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”
• Hebrews 10:26 & 29 – “For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, . . . 29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?”

My humble opinion is that those scriptures are referring to followers who willingly commit the Unpardonable Sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, identified in Matthew 12:31-32, “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” The sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit is essentially the sin of rejecting Christ.

By shaking their fist at God with the self-righteous conviction that they are more perfect than God, those who depart have decided to reject God’s free gift of salvation in Jesus. A sinner sears their conscience and resists the voice of the Holy Spirit to stiffen their neck. Eventually, they get to the place where genuine repentance is no longer possible. This stubborn and unrepentant attitude and persistent self-hardening are the chief marks of true blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

How Do I Reconcile These 2 Teachings?

My opinion is this: We cannot lose our salvation. Just as our gracious God is the eternal gentleman who gives us free will and does not force us into a relationship with Him, He also allows us the freedom to depart from His love.

The key words in the book of Hebrews scriptures are to those who “drift away”, “depart”, “come short of it”, “fall away/apostatize/abandon beliefs”, and “deliberately sin”. These indicate to me that if anyone makes a deliberate choice to walk away from God, God graciously allows us to go our own way. True love does not force one to stay. If we choose to depart from God, He lets us go.

2 Timothy 2:11-13 gives us a window into this seeming dichotomy of thought, “This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, We shall also live with Him. If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

If we stridently deny him, he will deny us. He lets us go our own way. Yet, if we are true to our commitment to follow Jesus, but our faith wavers, he is the one who remains faithful. God does not relent in his absolute commitment to save those who desire to be saved.

The difference between the two concepts is “we can’t lose something we desire to keep” versus “we can walk away from something we desire to depart from.”

These scriptures also give some indication that those who depart may have never given their whole-hearted belief in and commitment to following Jesus.

In Luke 8, Jesus tells the Parable of the Sower, saying, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

For those who have heard the Good News but let it wither away or be choked out, they may depart from His love. But, I frankly don’t believe that there are any for whom the Gospel has fallen on good soil, and it answered the desire of their heart to then fully believe in Jesus, who will ever fall away.

To reiterate, “departing” does not include continued sin as Christ-followers. As we strive to grow to be more like Jesus, even in our failures, we cannot be pulled from His grip. Our salvation is not earned, and it cannot be lost. Romans 8:39 says, “nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God still loves us even if we were to walk away from His love.

How can you know you have not committed the unpardonable sin? You can’t possibly be guilty of this sin if you’re concerned that you may have offended God without realizing it, your heart is in the right place, and you’re securely in His grip.

Can We Judge Another’s Salvation?

How do we know about another’s salvation? We know them by the fruit they bear (Matt 7:20). Other than that, we don’t know what only God can know –  the true desires of a person’s heart.

Yet, even when someone walks away from their faith, our God continues to pursue them to draw them back into a loving relationship. Even in our faithlessness, God still calls out to us. It is a call to turn back to Him.

• Acts 8:22 – “Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.”
• 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 – “As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”
• Hebrews 3:13-15 – “but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
• Revelation 3:19-20 – “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

The Spirit Continues Faithfully Calling You to the Father

• John 14:26 – “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
• 1 Corinthians 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
• 2 Thessalonians 3:3 – “But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.”
• 1 Peter 1:3-5 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Does God Give Some Over to Their Depravity?

• Romans 1:28 – “Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.”
• 2 Timothy 3:8 – “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.”

Our Charge is to Pursue and Restore

We are tasked with restoring fellow believers from ongoing sin that does not change their eternal salvation but damages their lives and those around them. And, we are also called to be used by God to bring those who have walked away back into a loving relationship with God. Galatians 6:1 – “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

Jesus highlights the relentless pursuit of God in Matthew 12:11, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out?” and in Matthew 18:12, “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?”

What About Jesus Declaring, “I Never Knew You”

The challenging words of Matthew 7:21-23 speak to His people abiding in a relationship with God. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

You can do great works using God’s name, but those works are of no eternal value to you if you have never entered into a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

Build Your House on The Rock

The scriptures above are followed by Matthew 7:24: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” This speaks of a trusting relationship with God as the solid foundation for our security in Him.

If you have never put your faith in Jesus to know the peace and comfort of His eternal security, you can do that at any moment – even right now!

Romans 10:9-10 says, “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Jesus is calling to you, “Follow me.” From there it starts with a simple prayer where you call out to God and invite Him into your life…

Pray:

If you prayed that prayer, you have been saved by God’s grace and entered into an amazing journey of knowing God. I’d love to hear from you and help you on your great journey.

 

“Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Acts 2:37

This Post was first published on 05/07/2025. It is revised with additional words describing how Jesus spoke and identifying a second time that Jesus was described as being angry.

A major aspect of Jesus’ character that I love is His capacity to breathe life into the people He spoke with. Even with those whom He provided physical healing, there were often more powerful words that provided deeper spiritual and emotional healing. His speech was a demonstration of God’s Spirit and power, displaying God’s loving goodness, righteousness, and truth. And that is why I had to take a closer look at some Gospel episodes that seemed to show another side of how Jesus spoke.

Many of the words Jesus used to attack the Pharisees come across as insulting and filled with venom. How was this speech justified?

The Gospels mention over twenty occasions when the Pharisees conspired against Jesus and treated Him very poorly. In response, Jesus strikes back with a vengeance, yelling at them, embarrassing them in front of the crowds, and calling them “fools” and other names. He seems justified. Isn’t Jesus giving us an example of righteously defending yourself while exposing religious falsehoods, bigotry, and injustice?

On one occasion, Jesus’ words were described as being offensive, even scandalous (Matt 15:12). In another episode, his words were described as reproachful, even as hubris (Luke 11:45). Was Jesus’ speech used to embarrass, shame, and hurt others? That does not seem very nice or Christ-like. Yet, was that Jesus’ intention?

If Jesus was always displaying the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23), we know that this fruit rests upon the foundation of three things: goodness, righteousness, and truth (Ephesians 5:9). On these two occasions, Jesus is highlighting things that are good and right and true by contrasting it with things practiced by the Pharisees that are bad, wrong, and false. The fact that they were offended by the truth does not mean that Jesus was intending to be hurtful and mean.

What Were the Words Used to Describe HOW Jesus Spoke?

I firmly believe that in God’s sight, how we do things is as important as what we do. There is no indication in the descriptive language that Jesus was saying these things in any demeaning way.

For instance, in Luke 11:39, the Greek word used to describe how Jesus spoke to the Pharisees was epo, indicating that Jesus was simply speaking to them. One of the lawyers was described as responding using the word lego, which may indicate a little stronger language, that the lawyer was instructing Jesus, pointing out something, or trying to correct Jesus when he said in verse 45, “Then one of the lawyers answered and said (lego) to Him, ‘Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also.’”

When Jesus responded, it simply used the word epo again, indicating that Jesus was likely conversing calmly as he spoke. Then the description of Jesus’s language, just as the lawyer’s language, switched to lego as he began instructing the Pharisees and lawyers. But while Jesus was instructing, what were they doing? The language shows a marked difference. In verses 53-54, it says, “And as He said (lego) these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him.”

The Greek phrase for “assail Him vehemently” suggests that they likely jumped up and yelled very animatedly over one another at Jesus. Nowhere do we find this kind of descriptive language used to describe how Jesus spoke.

The Word’s Words

Let’s look more closely at the Greek words used to describe how Jesus spoke. As I see it, there are three categories of “harsh” language Jesus uses when addressing the issues with the Pharisees:

• Descriptive language, i.e. “Whitewashed tombs full of dead men’s bones”
• Plainly speaking, i.e. “They say, and do not do—they bind heavy burdens”
• Name-Calling, i.e. “Fools”; “Blind leaders of the blind”; “Sons of hell”; “Serpents—brood of vipers”; “Hypocrites”

If what was being spoken holds to the foundation of the Fruit of the Spirit, then what Jesus said represents what is good and right and true. Then we ask, how is he saying it? Is it being expressed with anger and intended as insults to exact revenge?

The third category of name-calling warrants a more in-depth study, so I will reserve that for another time. But, suffice it to say that the above question remains: what was being communicated, and just as importantly, how was it communicated?

Earlier, I touched on a few words in the Greek used to describe how people spoke in the Gospels. Below is a list of the Greek words I found that are used to describe their speech. (Certainly not exhaustive)

• Epo: Say—to speak, say, bid
• Lego: I Tell You—to say, to speak, affirm over, maintain, to teach, to exhort, advise, to command, direct, to point out with words
• Apanggello: Declare—to bring tidings (from a person or a thing), bring word, report, to proclaim, to make known openly, declare
• Keleuo: Command—to command, to order
• Diastellomai: Charge—to order, to set forth distinctly, to admonish
• Boao/Eboēsen: Cry Out—to raise a cry of joy or pain
• Keleuma/Keleusmati: To shout an order—an order, command, or a stimulating cry
• Erizo: Quarrel—to wrangle, engage in strife
• Anakrazo: Raise a cry—from the depth of the throat, with an element of fear
• Krazo: Or Kraxas, Kraugazo, Ekraxen – Cry aloud, call out, speak with a loud voice
• Enecho: Assail—to be held, entangled, to be engaged, quarrel
• Deinos: Vehemently—terribly, grievously, vehemently
• Prosphoneo: Called out—to call to, to address by calling out, to summon
• Epiphoneo: Shouted—to call out to
• Stenazo: a sigh—to groan (with grief, grudge)
• Didaskōn – To teach, direct, admonish
• Epēren – To raise, lift up
• Phōnēn – voice. disclosure; a tone; by implication, an address, saying or language.
• Akousate – To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing
• Exon eipein – It is permitted for me to speak or say
• Parrēsias – Confidence, frankness, bluntness, assurance
• Ekraxen – Primary verb. To ‘croak’ or scream, i.e. to call aloud
• Ekraugasen – To cry aloud, shout, exclaim

For Jesus, the words used to describe his language indicate that he said, spoke, taught, declared, warned, told, called, exhorted, advised, directed, commanded/instructed, and occasionally called out with a loud voice.

There is no record of Jesus doing any of the following – angrily shouting, yelling, cursing, swearing, screaming, quarreling, or assailing vehemently, but with these exceptions:

• Only once did Jesus shout or cry out—eboēsen (from boao) meaning to raise a cry of joy or pain. This was recorded in Mark 15:34 when Jesus cried out in agony from the cross. He involuntarily cried out in excruciating pain, not in deliberate anger. Also, in Luke 23:46, Jesus cried out with a loud voice from the cross at the moment of His death (I think we can give Him a pass on these).
• Jesus was described as raising his voice (Ekraxen) on several occasions while teaching in order to be heard by the people, to emphasize His identity as the Messiah, and when he “yielded up the ghost” at his death in Matthew 27:50. (Let’s give him a pass on these, too.)
• Jesus did cry aloud (Ekraugasen) in John 11:43 when He called Lazarus out of the tomb. Perhaps not just for Lazarus to hear, but for the benefit of the crowd around Him.
• In addition, the writer of Hebrews acknowledges that Jesus in Gethsemane offered up loud/strong cries/prayers to God the Father as he faced the wrath to come. (I’ll give Him a pass on this one, too.)
• Jesus is never described as shouting (keleuma) an order, command, or a stimulating cry, but he will, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout (keleuma), with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” (Can’t wait to hear that one!)

We find that the Gospel description of how Jesus spoke is consistent with the prophecy in Isaiah 42:1-4 that Jesus quoted in Matthew 12:18-19: “Behold! My Servant (child) whom I have chosen, my Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He will declare (apaggello) justice to the Gentiles. He will not quarrel (erizo) nor cry out (kraugazo), nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.” In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus was never described as having quarreled (erizo) or as having cried out in anger.

Furthermore, in perhaps the most famous prophetic scriptures about Jesus, it says in Isaiah 53:7, “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.” It goes on in verse 9 to say, “And they made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.”

If these prophetic words are true, then Jesus never spoke just to defend himself; He never acted or spoke with the intention of being harsh or violent, nor did He ever say anything to bully or deceive anyone. Now, lest we all become depressed at how far we fall from Jesus, I am happy to report that according to the Gospel, Jesus did get angry. Whew! But, only twice that I could find.

Angry Jesus?

In and of itself, we know that anger is not wrong or a sin. “Be ye angry and sin not” (Ephesians 4:26). Anger is an important part of our emotional makeup. There is certainly a time and place for anger. One of the two occasions when Jesus is described as being angry is found in Mark 3:5, where it states that he looked at the Pharisees “with anger, being grieved.”

But wait you say, I thought you said Jesus never yelled or argued with anyone? That still holds true in this instance. The full description of the episode is Mark 3:1-5: “And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So, they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Step forward.’ Then He said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?’ But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.”

The Greek word here translated as anger is Orgēs, which comes from the word Oregomai, meaning desire, or justifiable violent passion, abhorrence; by implication, punishment.

In this scene, the Pharisees sought to trap Jesus, intending to accuse him of sinning. However, Mark shows that Jesus turned the tables on the Pharisees by asking a question to which everyone in the synagogue knew the good and righteous and true answer: yes, it is lawful to do good, even on the Sabbath.

Here was a man with a painful deformity that, in all likelihood, came to the synagogue where Jesus was teaching hoping to be healed. Jesus called him forward. He was excited that his faith would be rewarded and his hand would be restored. There he stood, anxiously awaiting the Pharisees response so he could be healed and they said nothing, condemning him to this affliction by their silence.

It is interesting to me that of all the difficult and harsh words and those spoken to entrap and destroy Jesus by the Pharisees, it is at this time when they refused to speak that actually angered Jesus. The truth was so painfully evident that the Pharisees could not admit it, but just stayed silent.

The account also says that Jesus was angry and grieved. For me, this describes painful disappointment by Jesus. Much like parents whose children they have taught and tried to instill their values in, but then see them morally fail. The emotions are a mix of anger, disappointment and grief. We taught them better! Where did it all go so wrong?

The Greek word for grieved is sullupeo, meaning to be affected with grief together. It means a shared grief, like when people gather at a memorial to share their grief over the loss of a loved one. So, with whom is Jesus sharing his grief? Likely, everyone in the synagogue knows the right answer, but their leaders won’t say so. But more than likely, the poor man with the withered hand, standing there this whole time anxiously wondering if he would be healed. Now, fearing that he may never be healed because of the Pharisees’ hard-heartedness.

I love this particular episode in the Gospels for several reasons. Firstly, that it clearly identifies Jesus in his humanity as experiencing anger. Secondly, it only describes him as being angry this one time with the Pharisees, although they had given Jesus much reason to be angry. Thirdly, I appreciate the example He set for managing anger.

Jesus did not explode into a righteous rant to justify himself or to explicitly confront the Pharisees. He didn’t try to defend himself or fight back, but simply acted to do the right thing —to be a source of God’s healing. He said nothing but simply did the right thing. This Orgē’s anger indicates an exertion of justifiable passion leading to the infliction of some kind of punishment. How did this occur? The man was healed, but the Pharisees, rather than rejoicing, were scorned and exposed as despicable frauds. They were then only more driven to destroy Jesus.

Jesus’ Indignation

Now, in Jesus’ full humanity, there are two other occasions in the Gospels and in certain translations that describe Jesus as being Indignant; In Mark 1:41 and Mark 10:14. In Mark 1:41, it says, “Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” But the Greek word here is splanchnistheis, which means to feel compassion, have pity on, be moved. It is not that He was angry.

However, the other use in Mark 10:14 says, “When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” Here, the Greek word is ēganaktēsen, which means to be angry, incensed, or to be greatly afflicted. Here, Jesus was likely very angry. Why? Because the Disciples were keeping the children from Jesus, and the children were the perfect example of who would be received by Jesus into His kingdom.

So, the two occasions when Jesus is described as angry using the words orgēs & ēganaktēsen are instances when people desire to come to Jesus for the goodness He offers, but someone is restricting them. Jesus was angry at those who would inhibit access to Him – the Pharisees and even His Disciples.

Jesus Perfectly Displayed the Fruit of the Spirit in All He Said and Did

How Jesus spoke is not only important in addressing his enemies, but it is just as critical in how he spoke to his followers. When Jesus taught his followers, he had no need to coerce and convince by yelling or theatrical histrionics. He is the living Word of God, and all He said and did was by God’s Spirit and Power.

Paul follows Jesus’ lead acknowledging this in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 saying, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

Speaking the word of God is more powerful than anything we could add to it. In fact, anything that is of us may detract from its raw power. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

What Kind of Sword is This We Wield – Swashbuckler or Surgeon?

Ephesians 6:17 confirms that the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. The question is, What kind of sword is this we wield? We can wield it as a Swashbuckler or as a Surgeon.

The idea of the Swashbuckler is so appealing. Imagery of Errol Flynn moving with swagger and daring – striking and parrying with bold and dramatic acrobatics to inflict pain and win the duel. The Surgeon, though, is slow, methodical, studied, cutting with precision and with the purpose to heal and restore.

Based on Hebrews 4:12 mentioned above, I am certain that any way we choose to wield this sword, if our heart is in the right place, it will prove to be powerful and effective. However, if we desire to be imitators of Jesus and let God’s word do the battle, I would argue that it is the Surgeon who is the more accurate imitation of the Jesus I see described in Scripture.

Jesus declares in Matthew 10:34, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.” Aha! Sounds like a bit of the Swashbuckler! But, in the Greek, this is the same sword referred to as the Sword of the Spirit – the Machairan. It is more of a longer knife. The kind of knife that could have been used in the crude surgery of the day. Jesus didn’t just come to sprinkle peacenik niceties or to inflict pain, but to lovingly cut to the heart of the matter. It is the Word of God that does the cutting to heal and restore. We are merely the mouthpiece as imitators of Jesus.

We find further instruction on how to wield this Sword in 2 Timothy 2:24-25. “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition,” and in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” Certainly, what is described in these scriptures is not the image of the Swashbuckler but that of the skilled Surgeon who has been trained to cut to the heart of the matter.

In Acts 2, the fisherman, Peter, preached his first sermon. The Greek indicates that he simply lifted his voice and spoke out, calling to the crowd and asking them to listen to what he shared with great confidence. No histrionics. The response is recorded in Acts 2:37. “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?” With that, thousands gladly stepped forward, received his word, and were baptized.

Sometimes we desire the to be the daring Swashbuckler but what may be more effective is the skilled Surgeon rightly dividing the word of truth – striving to do what Jesus did.