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Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Mtt. [[7:21-23|bible.61.7.21-61.7.23]]) [emphasis added]
Our blessing does not derive from merely knowing the things of God, but from doing them (John [[13:15|bible.64.13.15]] cf. Rev. [[12:17|bible.87.12.17]]+; [[14:12|bible.87.14.12]]+). Jesus said that if we love Him, then we will keep His commandments (John [[14:15|bible.64.14.15]], [[21-23|bible.64.14.21-64.14.23]]). When we neglect to keep His commandments, we demonstrate our lack of love for Him. Our motivation to keep His commandments is also found in our desire to purify ourselves in preparation for His appearing (1Jn. [[3:2-3|bible.83.3.2-83.3.3]]). The power to keep His commandments is derived from the indwelling Holy Spirit (1Jn. [[3:24|bible.83.3.24]]). If we call him "Lord," but do not keep His commandments, we are schizophrenic. How can He be Lord when we will not obey Him (Luke [[6:46|bible.63.6.46]])? Worse than that, we are found to be liars concerning our relationship with Him:Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1Jn. [[2:3-4|bible.83.2.3-83.2.4]])
Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. (Jas. [[1:21-24|bible.80.1.21-80.1.24]])
This is one of seven blessings given within the book of Revelation. See commentary on Revelation 1:3.that they may have the right to the tree of lifeNotes
1 "The [TR] reading appears to be a scribal emendation, for elsewhere the author uses the expression τηρεῖν τὰς ἐντολάς [tērein tas entolas] (Rev. [[12:17|bible.87.12.17]]+; [[14:12|bible.87.14.12]]+)." -- Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1994), Rev. 22:14.
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