There is an unsettling truth found within the pages of the Bible which has troubled me for many years, one which most people are completely unaware of. This truth is known as “the many and the few,” and represents a ratio between those who will enter eternal life with Christ (the few) and those who will not (the many).

 

We know this is true because Jesus Himself explained this ratio multiple times, and also used Old Testament examples to make His point.

 

This is a terrible ratio to think about for humanity. Certainly there are groups within the total of all humanity who blatantly reject the only One who can and does make a way to secure eternal life. Or those who could care less about others, and will steal or even kill to gain for their own purposes. Or those who abuse their positions of power and leadership and use their influence to accumulate riches for themselves and their families. Or those who will kidnap children or young women for the purposes of sex trafficking or organ harvesting. 

 

Our broken and sin-filled world abounds with evil, and has for many hundreds of years. But there exists, within the ranks of all humanity, a sub-population within religious circles who believe they are doing, or have already done what is necessary to secure eternal life. They attend church, they are charitable to others, they are good neighbors, and they are likely nice people. In many cases, they are in the ministry. However, according to Jesus Himself, they will be very surprised on the day of judgment:  

 

“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.”(Matthew 7:21-23)

 

Church folks who are “workers of lawlessness” (which also means wickedness)? How can that be?

 

There are three issues here in these verses that will help us understand what Jesus is declaring. 

 

First, what is the will of the Father? God’s will is for everyone to accept His gift of salvation and restore fellowship with Him, which was lost due to sin and disobedience. 

 

• “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

 

• “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

 

• “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)

 

• “This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

 

Second, who are the many who Jesus will say He never knew, who will call Him “Lord, Lord,” who prophesied, cast out demons, and did many wonderful works IN HIS NAME? 

 

• They are the millions upon millions of religious people who have never placed their faith in, or trusted Jesus Christ ALONE for salvation, ignoring the will of the Father, ignoring the clear Bible teachings of salvation, yet figured “I’m a good person, etc.,” or have trusted in a false system of beliefs, embraced the teachings of a cult, preached or accepted another gospel, or simply chose some path other than God’s way. How can this happen?

 

• “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?”(Matthew 7:15-16)

 

• “For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.” (Matthew 24:24)

 

• (from Paul’s exhortation to elders at Ephesus): “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29-30)

 

• (from Paul to the church at Galatia): “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9

 

• “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

(2 Peter 2:1-3)

 

Third and finally, how can doing good works in Jesus’ name be lawlessness? (or wickedness or iniquity).

What is lawlessness or iniquity? Stubbornness, rebellion, refusing to do things God’s way, like Aaron’s sons in the Old testament, who were put to death for their foolishness. Or King Saul, who did something that he knew wasn’t his to do, and God took the kingdom away from him.

 

The only possible way that “good works in Jesus name” could ever be considered as wicked or lawless, is if the person doing the works has never placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior. This explains the statement from Jesus “I never knew you.”

 

Jesus knows His own, and they know Him. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

 

Sadly, this religious sub-population is a small part of the many who will perish without Christ. Most of them, unlike true doers of evil, won’t deserve to perish, but they will. Why? Because the only way to the Father, and to heaven, is through Christ. The last thing any religious person wants to hear on judgment day is: “I never knew you.”

 

The question of why more people don’t choose heaven, despite having free will, is due to various factors, including spiritual blindness, pride, love of sin, fear of persecution, deception by false teachings, and a refusal to submit to God’s authority. In fact, there are many reasons, which we’ll investigate as we move through these pages. 

 

I hope this book will help you understand how critically important it is that all of us repent and place our faith in Christ as Savior before it’s too late.  

 

May our Lord Jesus Christ be praised and honored and glorified by all that we say, all that we think, and all that we do.

 

H.K. Holevinsky