Many — Everyone Who Is Not A Doer Of The Word

God clearly tells us in His Word that many people who are in the ministry will not be able to enter Heaven because they do not do God's will. Even though their external lives may produce good fruit in Jesus' Name, their private and internal lives are full of evil and produce bad fruit.

"Many will say to Me on that day,

'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your Name

and in Your Name drive out demons

and in Your Name perform many miracles?'

Then I will tell them plainly,

'I never knew you.

Away from Me you evildoers!'"

Matthew 7:22-23 (NIV)

Further in the same chapter of Matthew, God then refers to church-goers — those who hear His words but do not put them into practise. He calls these people foolish, because their lives will one day shatter with a great crash!

"But everyone who hears

 these words of Mine

and does not put them into practise

is like a foolish man

 who built His house on sand.

The rain came down,

the streams rose,

and the winds blew

and beat against that house,

and it fell with a great crash."

Matthew 7:26-27 (NIV)

This is evident in the news today. The lives of many pastors, elders, and church-goers are coming down with a great crash. These people are being made into fools as their private evil lives are exposed. All of them portrayed a totally different image in public, particularly in church. Other church people once thought these fools were god-fearing, living in obedience to God, and, for certain, sexually pure. (In reality, this is the one area where they are almost always the most immoral.)

Why are we shocked when this happens? Why do we not look beyond outward appearances and words spoken and see people's private lives before we give our allegiance to them? We need to ask ourselves these questions: Does the person love and respect all people? Does he/she tell the truth even on seemingly insignificant matters? If married, does he/she truly love and respect his/her wife/husband? If a father/mother, does he/she give the necessary time and sacrifice to raise his/her children?

The Bible says that many — everyone who is not a doer of the Word — are nothing more than fools, because they will be rejected by God for their hypocrisy and evil doings. Their perfect public self-image will one day come crashing down and their lives will lay in ruins before a holy and just God. However, those whose evil doings are exposed before their deaths or the second coming of Jesus are better off, because they could still be saved if, in their wrecked state, they finally turn to God, repent, and sincerely give their hearts to Him. In other words, the great crash could lead to their great salvation.