This week I have been considering a passage in Matthew’s gospel that follows the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus offers a series of four scenes which accent the importance of a real-world response to what has been heard in the Sermon – and then warns of the consequences of failing to respond. This post addresses the third of the scenes – the True Disciple.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name? Did we not drive out demons in your name? Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’ Then I will declare to them solemnly, ‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’” (Mt 7:21-23)

The moniker “True Disciple” is the heading in the New American Bible. The biblical scholar R.T. France labels it “Insiders and Outsiders – Things may not be as they seem”

Where the previous scene warned the insiders against interlopers, those who would pretend to belong to the group, here we meet people who are part of the group and claim to achieve “fruit” explicitly “in his name” (v.22).  Yet the fruit is rotten and they are surprised to be rejected from the kingdom (similar to the scene in Matthew 25).  Their rejection is not expressed in terms of what they have done or not done as in Mt 25, but rather in the words “I never knew you” (v.23).

In v.21, the one who enters heaven is “the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.”  Contrasted with v.23, one would not necessarily compare “doing” and “being known.”  Those ultimately rejected, rest their claim to entrance into the kingdom on “doing” – listing a series of charismatic events in v.22 – all done in Jesus’ name and seemingly appropriate marks of those who belong to the kingdom. These events are even characteristics of Jesus’ own ministry and those expected of his disciples (10:7-8).  Yet their works are said to be no more than evil.

It seems as though a new dimension is added to “fruits.”  While prophecy, exorcism and miracles can hardly be called “bad fruit,” even these activities can be carried out by those who lack righteousness – the right relationship with Jesus and with the community of Christ.  They are people who cry out “Lord, Lord” and yet are really on the broad road.  A professed allegiance alone, falls short; alone, works “in his name” fall short.  This should raise an uneasiness among all believers about the assurance of salvation – but such a reaction is not new.  The 1st Letter of John was written with the recognition of the need for assurance when “our hearts condemn us” (1 John 3:19-22) and its painstaking examination of the grounds for assurance: “by this we know….”

• The way we may be sure that we know him is to keep his commandments.  (1 John 2:3)

• But whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him. This is the way we may know that we are in union with him: 6 whoever claims to abide in him ought to live (just) as he lived. (1 John 2:5-6)

• The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? 18 Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. 19 (Now) this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him. (1 John 3:16-19)

• Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know that he remains in us is from the Spirit that he gave us. (1 John 3:24)

• This is how you can know the Spirit of God: every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh belongs to God, (1 John 4:2)

• We belong to God, and anyone who knows God listens to us, while anyone who does not belong to God refuses to hear us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of deceit. (1 John 4:6)

• This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us, that he has given us of his Spirit. (1 John 4:13)

• In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments. (1 John 5:2)

Maybe simply put: “What do you believe?” is a far different question from  “What difference does it make that you believe?”