What does it mean when Christ says that in the last days many will come to him saying Lord Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, heal the sick, preach to the poor? He responds with, "depart from me you evildoer, I never knew you."
Interesting observation and this could just be semantics...let's take another example of something where someone may or may not have knowledge of another person.
When Peter denies Christ, he says that he doesn't know the man. Now this is common language, if someone purports to know us, or place an association on us, we would likely say, I don't know that guy...but why would Christ say I never knew you?
Lets remember that Christ is talking about the biblical "knowing" as friends know each other, or as a married couple knows each other. Intimate relationship. Since Christ really does know everyone, how then can he say that he never knew them? Furthermore, wouldn't it be more appropriate for him to say, you never knew me, since he does know everyone, and at that, have a more exacting response to someone who clearly is lying?
I think there is a reason. They DID know him. They knew his name, they knew the buzz words, they practiced religiosity and tradition, probably better than you or I. But these people seek the goodness of God and his family but they do not seek God. This is why Christ says this. They did know him, they knew his name, and at that even the demons know God's name. But they are not saved, neither can they be.
Knowing God is far more than reading the Bible, attending church, praying, abstaining from wrongdoing. To know God, is to love him, to love him is to submit to him, to submit to him is to follow and all of this begins with the Holy Spirit. If you follow this chain in reverse, you'll find God and he will know you.
Pray that the spirit give you repentance that you might be able to turn to God and follow him.
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