Contrast Mark 9 with Matthew 7

[Socialite]

Mark 9

38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.”
39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us. 41 Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.

Matthew 7

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 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?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

I want to be careful not to encourage these two scriptures to be used out of context. I understand the subject and audience were different -- but I'd be interested in commentary on the contrast between the two statements.

[missourimary]

In Mk 9, the disciples' focus is on the works and that the man wasn't one of them. In Mt 7, the people in the parable are lifting up themselves, attempting to gain their assurance and reward through works, not Jesus.

Are those who are part of Mt 7 really for Jesus? Did they do anything for Jesus or because of Him, or was it for vainglory?

[mfblume]

I have recently been ministering about Matthew 16 and Matthew 7, so I have some thoughts that may apply.

Matthew 7 is speaking of people who knew Jesus is Lord, but appealed to gifts of the Spirit in order to enter the Kingdom. Jesus informed them that operation of the gifts is not the prerequisite for the Kingdom entrance. He rather seeks to KNOW them. As it turns out, they knew Him, but He did not know them.

This is where Matt 16 came into view for me. Peter received revelation of Jesus' identity from the Father. Jesus called him blessed! Then Jesus said, "AND I SAY ALSO UNTO THEE." IN other words, once Jesus recognized Peter received revelation from the Father, He proceeded to inform them of FURTHER REVELATION that involved the keys of the KINGDOM (sound familiar? ...from Mat 7's and entering the kingdom?), putting the church on the rock (also in Matt 7, Jesus said a wise man who hears HIS sayings (beyond hearing from the Father about His identity) and does them builds his house on a ROCK and it cannot fall).

And when you read what Jesus went on to talk about in Matt 16, it was THE CROSS. When Peter did not want to hear of the cross and suffering, Jesus called him satan and told him to get behind Him. Sounds like "Depart from me ye workers of iniquity."

Without the cross, no matter how many gifts a person has, there is nothing to hinder iniquity from working in our lives. So those who worked miracles were workers of iniquity since they did not take their crosses and actually follow Him. Jesus said He never knew them. He KNOWS HIS SHEEP, and HIS SHEEP FOLLOW HIM and HEAR HIS VOICE. HIS VOICE refers to the HIS teachings on the cross, that go beyond knowing who Jesus is.

So the people in Mark 9 who operated in His name were not necessarily in the Kingdom, either, but should not be told to stop working in His name, any more than the Lord, Lord criers should be told to stop prophesying in His name. It's just that a crossless life with gifts of the Spirit does not bring you in to the kingdom!