Matthew 7:21
Bible verses · Also called: Matt. 7:21, Mt 7:21, Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, He that doeth the will of my Father
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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.
The text is the New Korean Revised Version (1998), shown under a licence from the Korean Bible Society. Wording may differ slightly from the Korean Revised Version and the Revised New Korean Standard Version. Read in the Korean Revised Version
Jesus' warning, "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." The verse figures prominently in discussions of faith and works and of the assurance of salvation.
Context
The verse appears in the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount, immediately after the teaching that false prophets are known by their fruits (7:15-20). In verse 22, Jesus says that in that day many will claim to have prophesied in his name, cast out devils, and done many wonderful works, but he will tell them, "I never knew you," and command them to depart. He then compares the one who hears his sayings and does them to a man who built his house upon a rock (7:24-27).
Interpretation
- True faith and its fruit: Reformed and Lutheran traditions hold that salvation is not by works, but that those who truly believe will inevitably bear fruit by doing the Father's will. On this reading, the verse warns that a faith consisting of confession without a corresponding life is not true faith. It is linked with James 2:17, which declares that faith, "if it hath not works, is dead."
- Grace and cooperation: The Catholic Church teaches that righteousness, begun by grace, grows and is brought to completion through works of love, and cites this verse as one of its grounds.
- A call to holiness: Methodists and Holiness churches in the Wesleyan tradition read the verse as a call to sanctification, in which those justified by faith must attain a holy life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
- Spiritual gifts are not evidence: The view that verse 22 warns against treating gifts such as prophecy and miracles as evidence of salvation is widely accepted across denominations.
Controversies and Issues
The verse is frequently cited against the teaching that once a person believes, salvation is secured regardless of conduct. Korean churches often appeal to it when criticizing the soteriology of the Salvation Sect. Conversely, some worry that overemphasizing the verse may cause believers to lose their assurance of salvation and become bound to works, so the question of where to ground assurance of salvation is discussed alongside it. In American evangelicalism, the "lordship salvation" controversy centered on whether believing in Jesus as Savior can be separated from following him as Lord.
Related Passages
- Matthew 7:22-27
- James 2:14-26
- Luke 6:46
- Ephesians 2:8-10
See also 6
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