May 25

Doing the Father’s Will

Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. — Matt 7:21 BSB

It’s not enough to believe in Christ intellectually, or to hold to a perfectly orthodox creed. It’s not enough to seem to honor Christ before others, praying to Him and acknowledging His power. The sad truth that Jesus shares here is that some people who seemed to be His friends on earth, and who publicly confessed Him, will ultimately fail to enter heaven.

These words from our Lord are startling. We must stop and ask ourselves, “Are we certain that we will be admitted to heaven? Why are some who confess Christ kept out? What are the conditions for entrance?” The answer is clear and unmistakable if we read Jesus’ words with honest care. Only those who do the will of the Father on earth will enter heaven. Therefore, no confession of faith is genuine unless it is accompanied by a life of obedience and holiness. Saying, “I cling to the cross” is only half the gospel. No one is truly clinging to the cross if they are not also faithfully following Christ and doing what He commands. No one can enter heaven if heaven has not already entered their heart while on earth. We will do God’s will in heaven if we get there, but we must do it here, or we will never do it there.

Some believe that salvation frees them from the law; it does free them from the law as a means of salvation, but not as a rule of life. We pray, “Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven,” and if we pray sincerely, this must lead us to live in loving obedience to the divine will. Our confession of Christ must be backed by earnest obedience to the Father’s will. Otherwise, it is merely an empty pretense.