Let's examine why some believers are driven to be law keepers.
Matthew 7:[SUP]
23 [/SUP]And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands]. Amplified Bible
Matthew 7:[SUP]
23 [/SUP]And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ New American Standard Bible
Matthew 7:[SUP]
23 [/SUP]Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’ Holman Christian Standard Bible
Matthew 7:[SUP]
23 [/SUP]Then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.” New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition
Well. We can see why some believers think they are working for their salvation.
Although not all modern Bibles interpret verse 23 in that way, let's go to the King James Bible for His actual message starting from verse 13 and ending in verse 27 provided at this link below.
Matthew 7:13-27 KJV - Enter ye in at the strait gate: for - Bible Gateway
The KJV uses the term iniquity in verse 23. Jesus identifies this iniquity by stating I never knew ye. Look at verses 13 & 14 about how the way is broadened as many go in thereat, but the actual way is narrow & only a few find it. This is leading into that iniquity that Jesus was talking about. May God help you to see this.
So what is the way?
John 14:[SUP]
6 [/SUP]Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [SUP]
7 [/SUP]If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
Note verse 7 above as tying in with how we know Him and thus the inqiuity Jesus was identifying by saying I never knew ye is really about believers climbing up another way in relating to God the Father other than by way of the Son as described in Matthew 7:13-14.
Jesus was not talking about believers practising lawlessness or being evil doers in the general sense that those modern Bibles seem to imply, but this iniquity for not heeding the commandment of His invitation when believers gives out an invitation to the Holy Spirit as if He is another means to come to God the Father by.
The proof is seeing the end result of this iniquity when Jesus explains in Matthew 7:24-27 about how those that heed the His words, (which I have applied it to the commandment of His invitation), are building their houses on the rock and those that do not heed His words, are building His House on sand when they disregard the plainness of John 14:6-7 in how we are to relate to God the Father through the Son in exchange for seeking to relate to the Father by way of the "Spirit".
Do not many houses fall in these slain in the spirit movement? Do they not fall in the holy laughter movement? The Toronoto Blessing? The Pensacola Outpouring? Any movement of what they claim to be the Holy Spirit coming with signs and believers fall down in is the result of believers climbing up another way in coming to God the Father by way of the Spirit which is not really the indwelling Holy Spirit that we know of personally.
John 14:[SUP]
16 [/SUP]And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [SUP]
17 [/SUP]Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
If we are going to be His disciples in continuing in His words, then we need to have His actual message that is being lost in translation in these modern Bibles. Jesus was not talking about just any iniquity. He was talking about this one below.
John 10:1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber....[SUP]
7 [/SUP]Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. [SUP]
8 [/SUP]All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. [SUP]
9 [/SUP]I am the door:....
If God is going to call sinners away from seeking after spirits and worshipping spirits to come to Him, then the way has to be narrow wherein this is the reason why the Son, Jesus Christ is called the Bridegroom. We are to live that reconciled relationship with God through the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way for sinners in the world to repent from.
Jesus had prophesied that faith will be hard to find in the latter days. Paul prophesied that there will be a falling away from the faith in giving heed to seducing spirits & doctrines of devils so there can be no partiality in this will of God the Father in coming to Him by way of the Son.
Believers that give out invitation to believers to seek after the Holy Spirit for a sign are being an adulterous generation. Do note that although some believers will see the error of these movements of the "Spirit" as not being of Him, they refuse to see that rudiment which is found in the world of seeking after spirits when they seek the Spirit for a sign of tongues that comes with no interpretation.
Antichrist as applied in scripture means "instead of Christ" as in "instead of the Son". The real indwelling Holy Spirit will always keep the spotlight on the Son so no matter what good feeling experience you had, that is the work of a seducing spirit taking your eyes off of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, which the real indwelling Holy Spirit would never do.
There is no other invitation. There is no other calling. There is not another receiving of the Holy Spirit after a sign, because that is the iniquity that Jesus was exposing in Matthew 7:23 by saying I never knew ye for which many houses are falling in Matthew 7:24-27 for ignoring the commandment of His invitation in John 14:6-7 in how we can know God the Father by knowing the Son. The Son is the only way we can relate to God the Father by. There is no other way.
This is why Luke's account provides the solution in verse 24 for those that have gone astray and yet hear now to repent.
Luke 13:[SUP]
24 [/SUP]Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. [SUP]
25 [/SUP]When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: [SUP]
26 [/SUP]Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. [SUP]
27 [/SUP]But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. [SUP]
28 [/SUP]There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. [SUP]
29 [/SUP]And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. [SUP]
30 [/SUP]And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
As you compare Matthew 7:13-27 with Luke 13:24-30, may the Lord help you to see that the iniquity He was talking about was the climbing up another way in relating to God the Father by way of the "Spirit" instead of the Son. May God be peradventuring to recover some from the snare of the devil by returning them to their first love and stay there to abide in Him and thus have fellowship in knowing Him & He, you. Return to the Bridegroom today by going before that throne of grace in prayer in your native tongue so that you know what you had prayed for to give thanks when God answers them.
