Matt 7:21 “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.

The parable begins with ‘therefore’. Hence, it is important to read the preceeding verses to understand the context. Everyone who says Lord, Lord is a believer. But not every believer can enter His kingdom. Only those who does the will of the Father in Heaven can enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Sinful Believers

Matt 7:22 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?

In the last days, many will come to Christ and claim they know Him well.

Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the LORD Shall be saved.’

We called you Lord, Lord. Aren’t we saved Lord?

2 Pet 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

We prophesied in Your name. Aren’t we holy men of God?

Mark 3:23 So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan?

We cast out demons in Your name.

Mark 9:39 But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me.

Didn’t You Youself said that no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of You.

Matt 7:23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Unfortunately, God doesn’t know beleivers based on whether they called Him Lord, Lord, or prophesied, or cast out demons or did wonders and miracles.He knew them only if they did the will of the Father in Heaven which is by departing iniquity and practicing righteousness.

Firm & Fallen Believers

Matt 7:24-27 Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.

There are two groups of believers who hear the sayings of Jesus Christ. Only one group did what Christ said.

The group of believers who did what Christ said are compared to have built their houses on the rock. The group of believers who didn’t do what Christ said are like those faith only group who call upon Him as Lord, prophesy, do miracles and wonders, yet reject His teachings and the requirement to be righteous and holy as works. These are the groups who had build their house on sand.

The Rock

The only difference between the two groups of believers are doing what Christ said. The rock is the teachings of Christ. The house represents our life. If we live our lives based on the teachings of Christ, we will stand. However, if we didn’t live our lives based on His teachings, Christ will reject and deny even knowing us.

Blessings, Terror & False Doctrines

Heb 6:7-8 For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.

Job 27:16-20 Though he heaps up silver like dust, And piles up clothing like clay– He may pile it up, but the just will wear it, And the innocent will divide the silver. He builds his house like a moth, Like a booth which a watchman makes. The rich man will lie down, But not be gathered up; He opens his eyes, And he is no more. Terrors overtake him like a flood; A tempest steals him away in the night.

Eph 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting

The Bible compares rain to blessings, terror of the rich to flood and false doctrines to wind. All these things will cause a believer to ruin their life by not doing the will of God and commit iniquity. Christ will deny them to have even known them.

Conclusion

If you live by not doing what Jesus Christ said, you will not be able to stand firm on righteousness and holiness, on the day when you are rained with blessings or flooded with terror because of your gathered wealth or carried away by false doctrines. Christ will reject you by even denying to have known you. Therefore, build your life on the teachings of Jesus Christ and you will live.