Know or Known

Matthew 7:22-23

“Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

The Danger of False Security

Is it better to name drop or be name dropped?

So many people feel that they are in good standing because, in their words, they know Jesus. Many have given themselves a false sense of security simply because they say they believe in Jesus or know who He is and consider themselves “Christians,” so they think they are now safe.

The problem with this—and why it is a dangerous place to be—is clearly stated by Jesus Himself in Matthew chapter 7.

What Jesus Said

As we can see above, Jesus states that many people, who by all outward appearances seemed to be saved, will be lost. He will turn them away even though they claim to have known Him and even performed works in His name.

Jesus clearly calls them evildoers and tells them that He never knew them. The issue was not whether or not they knew Jesus but the clear fact that Jesus never knew them.

A Two-Sided Relationship

I am not saying that it is not important for us to know who Jesus is—we need to know Him—but it cannot be one-sided. There has to be a relationship.

James 2:19 says:
“You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!”

So, as we can see, simply believing in who Jesus is does not save. It needs to be two-sided; we need to have a relationship with Him.

Scriptural Evidence of Relationship

Jesus said:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. He who hears My voice and opens the door to Me, I will come in and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20)

In John 10:27-28, Jesus says:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.”

These verses—and many more—illustrate how Jesus wants a relationship, not just a name drop.

The Wake-Up Call

We can go on all day claiming we know Jesus, but without a personal relationship that goes both ways, we are fooling ourselves and need to wake up.

I can name-drop Jesus all day long—and I will—but when I stand before God on the Day of Judgment, I have complete faith and assurance that because of my relationship with Christ, on that day, Jesus will drop my name and claim me as one of His.

Conclusion

Praise the name of Jesus, the only one who saves!