Question about Matthew 7:22-23?

Question

22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'

my question is this - if these people who were driving out the demons and performing miracles were not doing it in God's name - how were they doing it

the only thing I could think of was that they were all faking it - like a healthy man making believe to be cripple then getting up to walk when one of these guys prays over them
other then that -
if not that then where would the "power" come from

Answer 1

Good question...have a star!!

The answer is that the Lord Jesus was emphesising the point that the true meaning of christianity is a building a personal relationship with Him, not doing miracles or claiming to be christian for worldly purposes or even just knowing him ONLY so he can "bless me with worldly posessions"

He emphesises this by saying (paraphrased)... "even if you claim to do miracles in my name, I will allow it for the sake of those that are benefiting from it and for their needs I will accomodate and grant the power to help my children...but because you have focused more on your pride and selfish desire to build a name for yourself on my expense and on the back of the power I destow, you have not built a relationship with me, and therefore I do not know you."

I hope this makes sense...God Bless!

Answer 2

This is a hard concept for many to understand or accept. Basically it is stating that unless you do the will of God and what he commands, you will not go to heaven. There are alot of good people out there, such as these that "performed miracles and drove out demons" but they did not follow the commandments of God.

The verse prior to this is "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."

Just by saying you believe in Jesus is not enough, you have to do the will of the Father.

Most likely the miracles were not true miracles at all, only Jesus and the Apostles and those the Apostles gave the gift to had the power to perform miracles. The others were probably tricks and illusions.

Answer 3

It rains on the unjust the same as it does on the just, But at the end the tares will be seperated from the wheat. The samething about the spirit of God, He pours out his blessings, & both the unjust & the Just gets the benefits from it, Only one thing that the Just gets more of then the unjust & that is the truth, Therefore in the last days many will run to & fro, seeking knowledge, but never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth, & what I call these tares is False annointed ones at the endtime, many may say then how can we tell what is truth, Our spirit will bear wittness with his spirit that we are sons & daughters of God & the only way that can be done is by Truth, so these that are cast out never taught the truth, they only display a sign of praying for people, but when it came down to preaching God's word, They all went every directions. In Isa. 52:8 Isaiah says that at the endtime Thy Watchmen( Preachers) will see eye to eye.

Answer 4

Peace be with you, Who are my brothers, sisters, and mother, it is these that hear the Word of God and do it.

Why are some of the commandments of God kept while other are thrown by the wayside. Do not set aside the doctrine of God for the tradition of Men.

The Holy Ghost will bring to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. Build your house on a rock.

Those who come in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophets reward.

For all that came before me were thieves and robbers. O' fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Moses gave you not that bread from heaven. What is the BREAD.

Answer 5

They were performing miracles by the power of God..His word will not return to Him,void....That being said...they did not have a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ...The bible states that even the demons believe and tremble.

Answer 6

Bunch of fakes, they are "playing church." Putting on "sideshows", begging for $.

Eze 13:2 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD;

Eze 13:3 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!

they follow traditions of men

Eze 13:6 They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.

Eze 13:7 Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The LORD saith it; albeit I have not spoken?

Eze 13:8 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD.

Answer 7

That's a great question.

The power of God can only be controlled through righteousness. If people aren't righteous, but display power, that power must come from some other source -- either through illusion or the power of the devil.

These verses are referring to members of the Church that show outward signs of righteousness, but their hearts are not consistent with that appearance. One example would be someone who goes to church each Sunday, but treats his wife badly.

Answer 8

He's not saying they didn't do it. He's saying that, in spite of those things they did, they didn't have the personal relationship with Him that ensures them Heaven. In other words, they may have done all those things but, they didn't know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Answer 9

blessings and curses... but both come from above. God's name can be glorified, even in the event that it is coming from the mouth of a heathen. That's my summation.

Answer 10

They were doing it in Jesus' Name.

Just the mention of His Name makes satan and demons tremble.