Luke 13 v 27. “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’”
The question raised in v 23 concerned the number of people who were going to be saved. The answer is, as many as enter through the narrow door. We discover through Jesus’ words in v 27 that merely having social contact with Jesus is not enough. Even being somewhat sympathetic with what he said and taught does not guarantee entry into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Something more is needed. What is it? It is nothing less than a personal relationship with Christ. We must know him personally. Notice his words in the parable in v 27, “I didn’t know you….” There was no direct relationship with Christ. Notice how intimate this relationship is in John 10 vs 14-15. A true relationship with Christ will affect all of life – our thoughts, actions, values and also the way we see things. But look again at v 27. The Master of the house says to those who came when the door was closed, “Away from me, all you evil doers.” The people who said, “We ate and drank with you” (v 26), were still what they always had been – evildoers. There was no change in them.
While they were on earth Christ came to them with the words of life. But they never repented of their sin and unbelief, they never sought and obtained forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. They never became one of the Lord’s flock; they are still what they have always been – “workers of iniquity”.
How sad to think of the multitudes who live under the privilege of having the gospel so readily available to them, yet they ignore, dismiss or despise it. They see no need to appropriate the message for themselves. They are blinded by some other religion, or by pride and self-righteousness. At best they treat the Gospel of the Son of God patronisingly.
One day they too will knock at Heaven’s door. But having never received Christ, they must then depart from him, forever.