"Many will say to Me on Judgment day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’" Matthew 7:22-23

Those words of Jesus are sobering indeed, but they are a reality. It is difficult to accept that people who were busy prophesying, casting out demons and performing miracles would be cast into hell. Where did this power come from? Did it come from God or the devil? Whatever the answer, the real problem was, though they seemed busy doing the work of God, they practiced lawlessness.

What does this mean? It must mean that they did not subject themselves to the Commandments of God. Jesus said that those who love Him will keep His Commandments, and the John wrote that the one who says that he has come to know God, yet does not keep His Commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him.

1 John 3:4 gives the Bible definition of sin as "the transgression of the Law." Jesus prophesied that many would find themselves in this terrible condition at the Judgment. Many will have been deceived into believing that they had lived faithful lives only to learn that they never really knew God because they did not keep His Commandments.

The famous preacher, Tozer once said, -"I say that a Christian congregation can survive and often appear to prosper in the community by the exercise of human talent and without any touch from the Holy Spirit! All that religious activity and the dear people will not know anything better until the great and terrible Day when our self-employed talents are burned with fire and only that which was wrought by the Holy Ghost will stand forever!"

There always has been, and always will be those who preach a weak, watered-down message which places little emphasis on repentance and holiness. But the Bible says that God is holy and those who come to Him must live holy lives. Let us not be numbered with the many who will perish but stand with the few who hold our faith in Jesus for salvation and walk obediently in His Commandments.