MIRACULOUS RELIGION?
On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast our demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers." Matt. 7:22, 23, R.S.V.
How impressed we are with the miraculous! We give our full attention to that which makes our heart pound and our breath quicken. We remember the spectacular and often drop our power of discrimination just for the sheer enjoyment of the event.
Is it any wonder then, that when people come face-to-face with their personal readiness to meet God, they should look to the miraculous to provide the basis for their standing? Jesus spoke of people who could attest to rather impressive acts: prophetic utterances, demonic deliverances, even miracle working.
Most of us may not be able to boast as impressive a "missionary report" as theirs. But we can recall what we might claim as minor miracles. We think of the flood of feeling we had during a Week of Prayer altar call; it even produced tears. We think of the time we prayed for God to help us find our glasses, and we found them (in our pocket). And what about the time we led someone through Bible studies until he was baptized? Don't all these constitute proof that we are among the elect?
But Jesus warns us that all this just doesn't deal with the problem. Miraculous power may impress us; but we are changed only by a deep personal acquaintance with a miraculous Person. We may put off some bad habits; we may preach some pretty potent sermons; we may even lead people to church, where they may find Jesus Christ. The only one who will be impressed, however, will be ourselves. What we really need is to be impressed with God. Otherwise we will still be working on that old myth that salvation is rooted in performance rather than in relationship.
But Jesus says it produces workers of iniquity. For even good, miraculous, God-tagged works done apart from a personal relationship with Christ are iniquitous works. Not because the works are sinister, but because they are done by persons who are alienated from God and who, by that fact, are sinners.
Won't it be infinitely better to hear Jesus say on that great day, "Come! We have been intimately acquainted. Let's continue that friendship forever"?
On that day many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast our demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?" And then will I declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers." Matt. 7:22, 23, R.S.V.
How impressed we are with the miraculous! We give our full attention to that which makes our heart pound and our breath quicken. We remember the spectacular and often drop our power of discrimination just for the sheer enjoyment of the event.
Is it any wonder then, that when people come face-to-face with their personal readiness to meet God, they should look to the miraculous to provide the basis for their standing? Jesus spoke of people who could attest to rather impressive acts: prophetic utterances, demonic deliverances, even miracle working.
Most of us may not be able to boast as impressive a "missionary report" as theirs. But we can recall what we might claim as minor miracles. We think of the flood of feeling we had during a Week of Prayer altar call; it even produced tears. We think of the time we prayed for God to help us find our glasses, and we found them (in our pocket). And what about the time we led someone through Bible studies until he was baptized? Don't all these constitute proof that we are among the elect?
But Jesus warns us that all this just doesn't deal with the problem. Miraculous power may impress us; but we are changed only by a deep personal acquaintance with a miraculous Person. We may put off some bad habits; we may preach some pretty potent sermons; we may even lead people to church, where they may find Jesus Christ. The only one who will be impressed, however, will be ourselves. What we really need is to be impressed with God. Otherwise we will still be working on that old myth that salvation is rooted in performance rather than in relationship.
But Jesus says it produces workers of iniquity. For even good, miraculous, God-tagged works done apart from a personal relationship with Christ are iniquitous works. Not because the works are sinister, but because they are done by persons who are alienated from God and who, by that fact, are sinners.
Won't it be infinitely better to hear Jesus say on that great day, "Come! We have been intimately acquainted. Let's continue that friendship forever"?
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