Who Will Enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

1. Read: Matthew 7:21-23

2. About the Text:

1) We are approaching the conclusion of the sermon on the mount.

2) This is Jesus’ invitation.

3) He is making a point about professing allegiance to Him in word only.

4) He supports this point with the illustration of the wise and foolish builders.

5) It is a call to action.

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. “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” (Matthew 7:21).

2. James said.

1) James 1:22-25

2) James 2:14-26

3. But Paul said!

1) “Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:27-28).

2) “Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law” (Romans 9:32).

3) “Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified” (Galatians 2:16).

4. Both are true!

1) We are not saved by “faith only.”

2) We are not saved by the “works of the law.”

3) What kind of faith saves?

4) “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6).

5. If you think you were saved by faith only, then you must convince Jesus!

1. “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 7:22-23).

2. Jesus describes these people as “lawless.”

1) This is the Greek word ??????.

2) It means that one has no law or that a person is a law unto themselves.

3) They do not really recognize any law higher than themselves.

3. There are two categories of people whose behavior is lawless.

1) The Sanctimonious – who use religion for egocentrism.

a. Luke 18:9-14

b. Matthew 23:1-12

2) The Libertine – who seeks to ignore teaching that Jesus has given to do their own thing.

a. “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself” (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

b. “knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers” (1 Timothy 1:9).

1. To do the will of the Father, our motives must be pure/clean.

1) We cannot follow Jesus out of egocentrism.

2) We cannot follow Jesus out of feigned allegiance.

2. We must be obedient—sincerely allegiant.

1) “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17).

2) “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

3) Matthew 28:18-20 – “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

4) “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:2-3).

3. We must also have the right attitude.

1) “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:3-4).

2) “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Peter 1:22).

1. What does it take to enter the kingdom of heaven?

1) Faith Only isn’t enough.

2) A Semblance of Sanctimony isn’t enough.

3) Doing the Will of the Father is What it Takes.

2. Invitation