Lord, Lord

Matt 7:21 – 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.

I grew up thinking and believing that this verse says that we can be shut out of heaven if we are not doing the will of God.

Of course, those that claim to be a child of God with their mouths, but have never accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour, will not go to heaven.

But there are a lot of people who have accepted Jesus as their saviour, and they are not doing the will of God, either. Some of them have forgotten that they are Christians, and their lives are not a testimony to God. They will still go to heaven, because they have been saved. But what about what this verse says then?

I also know church-going folk who profess Jesus openly, who is not overly concerned with God’s will for their lives. They live their lives the way they want to, and God is a big part of their lives, but not exactly one with an opinion or authority. They do not question God’s will for their lives, neither have they ever asked for it. What about them?

The kingdom of heaven and heaven is not the same thing. Just like we are battling against a kingdom of darkness here on earth, the kingdom of heaven is also here. Jesus prayed: Let Your Kingdom come… God’s kingdom is in our hearts and in our minds. Just being saved and walking in kingdom, are two very different things.

Walking in kingdom is walking in God’s word, living it, breathing it. It’s not just a book you read from every day to keep your conscience quiet. It’s not “a verse a day to keep the devil away”… It’s a conviction and a choice. A surrender of your life to Him.

So while you may go to heaven, if your life isn’t His in totality, wholly surrendered, you will not walk here on earth in the fullness of Him, of His power, or even of His love. You will not live in His kingdom. Because you won’t be allowed to enter in.

How do you enter in?

By being obedient. By seeking His kingdom first. By searching for the narrow way. By asking, and knocking. By laying down your life, your wants, your needs, your desires, in exchange for the cross of Jesus. By dying to yourself, so you can find His life for you.