Daily Devotional For Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Well today is Tuesday and you have a whole new week in the Lord to focus on being Thankful for all the Lord has done and continues to do for you. Focusing on your blessings rather than what you are thankless for helps keeps your mind set on things above. If you have been reading these devotionals, you know that we are making our way through the most famous and best sermon ever – Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount. You can read this in its entirety in Matthew chapters 5, 6, & 7. We have finished looking at Matthew chapters 5 & 6. We are slowly getting our way to the end of chapter 7. Today, we come to some of the most fearful words of Jesus in the Gospels. They are found in Matthew 7:21-29:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (22) Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ (23) And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’ (24) “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and [b]acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. (25) And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. (26) Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (27) The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” (28) When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; (29) for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes” (NASB).

I plan to repeat some from yesterday only to set the context for our passage from yesterday and for today. Yes, this is a final lengthy passage and we will break it down into smaller bites for us to digest. In these words of Jesus, He is still calling people from following false prophets, from taking the broad road or gate to go through the narrow gate. First, Jesus says that salvation has to be sought and found.  Why? No one stumbles into salvation. Second, Jesus reminds us that that the narrow gate is not the path the world prefers. The world’s way is to be indulgent, broad and easy. Third, going through the narrow gate means we go through it alone – naked – exposed before God with nothing to attempt to hide. We take no possessions, no works, no pride and especially no self-righteousness. Fourth, In Luke’s version of this in Luke 13:24, Luke lets us know that we must enter the narrow gate with penitence, remorse, and brokenness of heart. And fifth, false prophets must be identified and avoided at all costs to escape destruction. 

And then as we enter this passage in Matthew, Jesus tells us why many people choose the broad gate and not the narrow gate of salvation. It is due to self-deception. New Testament scholar J. C. Ryle writes this:

“The Lord Jesus winds up the Sermon on the Mount by a passage of heart-piercing application. He turns from false prophets to false professors, from unsound teachers to unsound hearers” (Source: J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospel: St. Matthew, pp. 69-70).

We can be deceived by false prophets about salvation and also by ourselves. As sinners, we have sinful motives, biases, pride, and we want the Gospel on our terms. Pastor and author John MacArthur says Jesus refers to two types of self-deception: 

“Verbal (Matthew 7:21-23) – those who say but do not do and intellectual (Matthew 7:24-27) – those who hear but do not do” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament  Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 474).

In Matthew 7:21-29, Jesus is not speaking to heretics, apostates, pagans, atheists, agnostics or irreligious people. He is speaking to people who are devoutly religious – people who are deluded thinking they are on the way to heaven but in reality, on the way to hell. Depending on which poll you read and trust, it is estimated in surveys that over 50% of Americans claim they are born-again Christians. Based on what Jesus says here, it is doubtful they are. It is doubtful if 50% of the people who attend church are genuine born-again disciples of Jesus Christ. Discipleship is not based on church attendance, not on serving in the church, not on how much you tithe, but on how much your life and character mirrors Jesus Christ. 

So why are so many people deceived into taking the broad gate rather than the narrow gate (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 475-477).

1. Many people who claim to be born-again and even some who are born-again accept a false doctrine about salvation. You can read all the subpoints to this point from yesterday. Because this devotional ended up being longer than I thought or wished, I cut it in half. Today we come to reasons 2-6 as to why people fall for self-deception. 
2. A second cause of self-deception is the failure of self-examination. Genuine born again believers are acutely aware of their sins and its effects on themselves, others and their relationship to Jesus Christ. 
• The Lord reminds us to do this when we take communion in 1 Corinthians 11:28, “But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (NASB). 
• The Apostle Paul reminds us again to do self-examination in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (NASB). 
• Even the weakest Christian has pure longings in his heart for righteousness—even though he lets his flesh hinder their fulfillment. Take your Bible and read Romans 7:14-25 on this.
• John reminds us that being aware and convicted about one’s sin is one proof you are saved. No brokenness over sin probably means no belonging to Christ. Look at 1 John 1:8-9, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. (9) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (NASB). 
• A person who is not concerned about having his present sins cleansed has good reason to doubt that his past sin has been forgiven. A person who has no desire to come to the Lord for continued cleansing has reason to doubt that he ever came to the Lord to receive salvation.
• When a couple lives together without being married, when a person practices homosexuality, is deceptive and dishonest in business, is hateful and vengeful, or habitually practices any sin without remorse or repentance, such persons cannot be Christian—no matter what sort of experience they claim to have had or what sort of testimony they now make. God’s Word is explicit in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, (10) nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (NASB).
• The Apostle Paul warns us again in Ephesians 5:5-6, For this you know with certainty, that no [a]immoral or impure person or covetous man, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. (6) Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
• The person who professes to be a Christian but who habitually and unrepentantly continues in known sin makes out God to be a liar, because His Word expressly denies that any such person belongs to Him. That is the point of 1 John 3:6-10, “No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has seen Him or knows Him. (7) Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; (8) the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. (9) No one who is born of God practices sin, because His seed abides in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (10) By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother” (NASB).
3. A third reason for self-deception about salvation is an immersion into church activity such as Bible studies, church and worship attendance, taking sermon notes, serving, etc. All of these are good things but many do them thinking they are being obedient and faithful to Jesus Christ when in reality they are substituting such activity with genuine salvation.
• New Testament scholar Bruce B. Barton writes this: “Because people’s “fruit” reveal who they really are (7:20), then it follows that simply calling Jesus “Lord” is not enough. It is not wrong to call Jesus “Lord”—Jesus was distinguishing between lip service and real discipleship. It is much easer to profess Christianity than to possess it. Those who will enter the kingdom of heaven are only those who do the will of my Father in heaven. To do God’s will implies a relationship with God—the ability to communicate with him, know his will, and then be able to perform it. Such “fruit” reveals one who will enter the kingdom of heaven” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 141).
• What Jesus is doing is moving – He has moved from unsound doctrine in Matthew 7:15-20 to now unsound hearers. Many “believers” have the verbal assent about Jesus externally but they lack the substance internally to back it up. Just because they quack like a duck, does not make them a duck. Verbal assent about Jesus is nothing more than just that only – verbal assent. Even the demons who fear and tremble do that (see James 2:19)
• Those who are part of a denomination or church that recites creeds and prayers with the title “Lord” for Jesus in them does not mean you’re on your way to heaven. Just because over 50% of Americans claim to be “born-again” does not mean they are. Read Matthew 7:22 again. Notice something very concerning here that pastor and author Chuck Swindoll points out: “These people claimed to have done these things. At no point does Jesus acknowledge and say these people did the things they claim they did.. BIG difference. The false followers only claim to have done these things. However, all these things can be faked; they can also be claimed falsely” (Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Bible Commentary, “Matthew 1-15,” Vol 1A, p. 137).
4. A fourth reason for self-deception about salvation is the belief that if my good outweighs my bad, I get into heaven. Instead of confessing and repenting of sin, one rationalizes their salvation by thinking that on the balance scale that if one’s good outweighs one’s bad, you are saved. 
• The Bible says this in Romans 3:12, “All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one” (NASB).
• Whatever good we might somehow accomplish would not cancel those consequences of sin, any more than eating right and exercising will save the life of a person infected with a deadly disease. His only hope is in receiving a cure for the disease, not in trying to balance off its deadly effect by keeping his body otherwise healthy. 
5. A fifth reason for self-deception involves the superficial “believer.” This is the person who has no discipleship or teaching in righteousness, but because they attended Sunday School as a child or a youth group as a teen or a D-Now weekend and getting baptized as a teen, or they just come on Easter and Christmas, they are going to heaven. 
• To quote New Testament scholar Bruce B, Barton again, he writes this: “Jesus is not impressed by thoughtless and heartless piety. Superficial religion might satisfy the casual observer, but Jesus demands obedience from the inside out. Saying “Lord, Lord” without really obeying Christ simply breaks the third commandment: “You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God” (Exodus 20:7 NIV). Many are tempted toward pretense and dishonesty. A shell of spirituality may preserve our reputation with others, but it undermines real growth. We are deluded if we think that God might be fooled by fake holiness. God desires “truth in the inner parts” (Psalm 51:6 NIV). What does God find under the surface of your life? Do your actions live up to your words?” (Source: Bruce B. Barton, The Life Application Bible Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 141).
• British New Testament scholar William Barclay writes there are two tests here to prove one is “born-again.” “First, being “born-again” is seen in obedience. I remind you of Jesus’ words in John 15:21, Those people who obey my commands are the ones who really love me. They accept my words and they do what I say” (ESY). And second, faith without practice is a contradiction in terms, and love without obedience is an impossibility” (Source: William Barclay, The Daily Bible Study Series, “The Gospel of Matthew,” p. 334).
6. A sixth reason for self-deception involves the person who is very biblically knowledgeable. 
• They may be very involved in church but they have no intent to turn from their sinfulness. They have no desire to confess their sin, repent from their sin and seek righteousness. 
• Instead, they turn to various sorts of books, activities, experiences, material possessions and a list of many external proofs to think they are saved. He is not concerned about God’s commands, God’s standards, or God’s glory, but only what he can get out of God for himself. As New Testament scholar Martyn Lloyd-Jones suggests, “He is more concerned about the by-products of the faith than the fruit itself” (Source: Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, Vol. 2, p. 285).
• They are more about the denomination or their Christian organization rather than to the Word of God. They are interested in theology, but not obedience. They are interested in knowledge about the Bible, not in knowing Jesus Christ. 
• Jesus warns us about the deception, both self and by satan on this issue. The path to salvation is only through the narrow gate. Any other path is broad and leads to hell.

Questions To Consider

1. It is time to do some self-examination. Do you just give lip service to Jesus or is there substance to prove you are “born-again?” 
2. Read through the six reasons again and which one impacts you the most and why?
3. Many people go to church every week on Sunday. They are only a "Sunday child,"  but during their Monday-Saturday, “a saint they ain’t.” What warning and fear of God do these words of Jesus put in you and why? 
4. How can the church do a better job at helping people realize this danger and warning from Jesus>

Scripture To Meditate On: James 1:22, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (NASB).

Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I don’t want to give You lip service only. I do not want to hear from You say to me, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” I want my life to bring You glory and to lead people to Christ who are possessed by self-deception. Use me to do this Lord. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”

I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly