We Can’t Have Paradise if Jesus Doesn’t Know Who We Are

I’m not perfect, and I don’t claim to be. As a matter of fact, I drop to my knees every day and I thank God for what He’s done for me, because I know who I can be, how bad I have been, and the things, even in my heart, that I am guilty of. And Jesus died for all of it. He died for my sin, He died to give me new life. But He didn’t die so that I could continue on as I was. If I am truly His follower, I’m going to walk that straight and narrow path, to try, as best as I am able, to imitate Him, His walk, His talk, and His ways. I’m going to do everything I can to get to Jesus, because He did everything, including gave His own life to be brutally tortured and murdered, to get me to come to Him.

I say this, Church (not the little “c” local congregation, but all of the brothers and sisters in Christ), because we need to have this serious conversation. Too often we want to be whoever we want to be, and still claim the title of “Christian.” It doesn’t work that way. We need to follow Jesus. He didn’t die to make us a better version of ourselves, He died to make us NEW, to return us to the plans that God had for us from before the foundation of the world, and from when we deviated in to rebellion. We cannot have God on our terms. We can’t have Paradise if Jesus doesn’t know who we are. And we know this from the Word of God that even some who “cast out demons, performed miracles, and prophesied in His name” are not known by Him. He is the source of True Life and Eternity. I need to stick by Him. I want to know and be known by Him. I pray you’ll do the same.

Matthew 7:15-27

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Revelation 20:11-15

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.