That is Matthew 7:21–23, one of the most sobering warnings in the Sermon on the Mount:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven…
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?…
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
The key phrase is “I never knew you.” Jesus does not say, “I knew you once, but lost you.” He says never. These are people who had religious activity, religious language, and possibly impressive outward works, but they were never truly His.
What They Had
They had a profession:
“Lord, Lord.”
They had religious works:
“Have we not prophesied in thy name?”
They had spiritual-looking power:
“In thy name have cast out devils?”
They had impressive service:
“In thy name done many wonderful works?”
But they lacked the one necessary thing: a true saving relationship with Christ.
What They Trusted In
Their defense before Christ is not:
“Lord, I trusted Thy blood.”
“Lord, I believed on Thee.”
“Lord, I came as a guilty sinner and received Thy mercy.”
Instead, their plea is:
“Have we not done…?”
That is the language of self-righteousness. They are pointing to their works as evidence that Christ should receive them.
That does not mean good works are bad. True salvation produces good works. But good works cannot purchase salvation, replace the new birth, or cover sin.
Why Jesus Calls Them Workers of Iniquity
He says:
“Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
That means their religion did not come from a heart submitted to God. They may have used Christ’s name, but they did not belong to Christ. Their works were not the fruit of obedience from a redeemed heart; they were religious activity mixed with rebellion, pride, false doctrine, hypocrisy, or self-glory.
A man can preach, sing, teach, serve, build ministries, and be known by men — and still be unknown by Christ.
The Difference Between Profession and Possession
A profession says, “I know the Lord.”
Possession means, “The Lord knows me.”
Paul wrote:
“The Lord knoweth them that are his.”
— 2 Timothy 2:19
Jesus is not warning against sincere believers who struggle, fail, repent, and keep looking to Him. He is warning against false professors who have religion without regeneration.
The Context Matters
Right before this, Jesus warns about false prophets:
“Ye shall know them by their fruits.”
— Matthew 7:16
Right after this, He gives the wise and foolish builders. Both men hear His sayings, but only one obeys. The wise man builds on the rock; the foolish man builds on sand.
So Matthew 7:21–23 is aimed at people who hear truth, speak religious words, and do religious things, but never truly submit to Christ.
Conservative Baptist Summary
This passage teaches:
Salvation is not by works.
Religious activity does not prove conversion by itself.
Calling Jesus “Lord” with the mouth is not enough if the heart is unchanged.
True faith receives Christ personally and produces obedience.
Christ knows His sheep, and His sheep follow Him.
The most frightening thing in the passage is that these people are surprised. They expected entrance. That means self-deception is possible when someone rests in religion instead of Christ.
The safest question is not, “Have I done impressive things for God?”
The safest question is, “Am I truly trusting Jesus Christ alone, and has He changed my heart?”
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