Lessons for Living from the Bible in Everyday English by Dennis Magee

When we meet Jesus face to face at the end of our lives the Book of Matthew Chapter 7 tells us not everybody who says “Lord, Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Only those who do the will of God will enter heaven; they already have membership in God’s kingdom as evidenced by obedience to his commands. However, no one can perfectly do the will of God and live in obedience; but part of obedience is to admit and confess sin and make every attempt to turn from sin. Jesus is the only person to ever do the will of God perfectly and live in perfect obedience to him, and we can claim his obedience as our own and rest in the security of membership in God’s kingdom, a present reality for anyone with faith in Jesus as his savior. But we need to always be ready to confess sins and repent, because even though we are considered perfect in God’s sight through faith in Jesus (positionally dead to sin), we are expected to make very effort, in all good conscience, to live a life of obedience. This means trying not to sin and repenting when we do on an ongoing basis. When receive Jesus by faith we are given the Holy Spirit to help us live this kind of life. By living this way, we bear the fruit of the action of the Holy Spirit within us and being members of God’s kingdom. Those comfortable in their sins, who see no wrong in doing them and feel no need to confess them and repent, are not bearing fruit of any indwelling of the Holy Spirit or membership in God’s kingdom. They will be told by Jesus to depart, that He never knew them, which will consign them to an eternity in hell.