21 Not every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that
doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name
have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I
profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.[1]
Jesus tells us only those who have authority may act in His
name. Not everyone who says they believe in Him can enter into His kingdom.
Paul wrote to Titus, warning him about those who claim to act in the Lord’s
name. “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate [GR unfit,
worthless]” (Titus 1:16). Only those who have the authority will be doing the
will of the Father.
These people will claim to have prophesied in His name. They
will claim they have cast out devils and done wonderful works in His name. He
will deny them. “A froward [HEB perverse] heart shall depart from me: I will
not know a wicked person” (Psalm 101:4).
He will command them to depart. They “work iniquity.” “Depart
from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God” (Psalm
119:115).
“Who then will enter the kingdom of heaven? Not those who
merely do wonderful works using the name of the Lord, Jesus taught, but only ‘he
that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.’”[2]
“Religion is more than the confession and profession of the
lips. Jesus averred that in the day of judgment many would pretend allegiance
to Him, saying: ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy
name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work
iniquity.’ Only by doing the will of the Father is the saving grace of the Son
obtainable. To assume to speak and act in the name of the Lord without the
bestowal of authority, such as the Lord alone can give, is to add sacrilege to
hypocrisy. Even miracles wrought will be no vindication of the claims of those
who pretend to minister in the ordinances of the gospel while devoid of the
authority of the Holy Priesthood.”[3]
24 Therefore whosoever
heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto [GR he
will resemble] a wise man, which built his house upon a rock [GR the rock]:
25 And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that
heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27 And the rain
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house;
and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
28
And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were
astonished at his doctrine:[4]
29 For he taught them
as one having authority, and not as the scribes [GR their scribes].[5]
Jesus closes with the parable of the house built upon rocks
and the house built upon sand.
He likens those who hear and do His sayings to a man who
built his house upon rocks. When rain, floods, and wind blew, his house stood.
It was built upon the firm foundation of rocks.
Speaking to his sons, Helaman2 likened Christ to
a rock. “And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our
Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation;
that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the
whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it
shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless
wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a
foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall” (Helaman 5:12).
Next, he likens those who hear and don’t do His sayings to a
man who built his house upon sand. When rain, floods, and wind blew, his house
fell, “and great was the fall of it.” Being built on sand, there was no
foundation to protect the house. “The house of the wicked shall be overthrown:
but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish” (Proverbs 14:11).
Having heard His words, the people were astonished by His
doctrine. Later in His ministry, the people would have the same astonished
reaction. “And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their
synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man
this wisdom, and these mighty works” (Matthew 13:54).
He would later describe His doctrine. “Jesus answered them,
and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me” (John 7:16).
Nephi would also describe His doctrine. “And now, behold, my
beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given
under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold,
this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end”
(2 Nephi 31:21).
“Brothers and sisters, none of us would knowingly construct
our homes, places of work, or sacred houses of worship on sand or rubble or
without appropriate plans and materials. Let us accept the Savior’s invitation
to come unto Him. Let us build our lives upon a safe and a sure foundation.”[6]
[1] “And then will I say,
Ye never knew me: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (JST Matthew
7:33).
[2] Teachings
of Jesus, President Dallin H. Oaks, October 2011 General Conference.
[3] Jesus the Christ, Elder James E. Talmage, Chapter 17.
[4] “And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these
sayings with His disciples, the
people were astonished at his doctrine” (JST Matthew 7:36).
[5] “For he taught them as one having authority from God, and not as having authority from the scribes” (JST Matthew 7:37).
[6] A
Sure Foundation, Bishop Dean M. Davies, April 2013 General Conference.
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