Will Christ Know You?

In Matthew, Chapter 7, Jesus describes how many will be surprised on the day of judgment. Many who were sure they would be received into heaven with honor an accolades will be turned away to spend eternity in hell.

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 practiced lawlessness!"

Every Christian must ask the question, "Will Jesus know me when I appear before the judgment throne?" Then, of course, one must ask, "How will He know me?" Jesus will recognize you to the extent that He can see Himself in you.

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Rom 8:29)

But we all, with unveiled face, behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the same Spirit of the Lord. (2 Cor 3:18)


My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you. (Gal 4:19)


If one lives a life of worldliness, self-indulgence, pridefullness, and deceit, his soul bears the image of those characteristics. The difficulty is that our natural inclination in mankind's fallen state is toward that lifestyle. Our inclination to sin results in a soul that resembles the demons rather than Christ. There is no conflict as long as one has not encountered Christ. It is only when we attempt to replace our worldliness with the image of Christ that the struggle begins. As Jesus said:

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (Lk 16:13)

James warns of this dichotomy and tendency to be torn between God and the world:

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (Jas 4:8)

Christianity involves a process whereby we move from being double-minded, torn between the pleasures of the world and single-mindedness focused completely on God. This process is call theosis.  It was an integral part of the lives of early-church Christians and largely the reason for the growth of the Church and the remarkable witnessing of the martyrs. For the early Christian, each day was a step closer to becoming more like Christ: giving up the world for Jesus. Theosis is a concept that, for the most part has been lost in Western Christianity, much to the danger of many souls.
Much of modern Protestantism bypasses the process by claiming that a one-time encounter with Christ assures one's salvation and our shortcomings are covered by grace. However, the scriptures do not agree with that theological position. Consider the tense used in the verses cited above.
to be conformed to the image of His Son
are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory
until Christ is formed in you

And then consider the following: Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (Phil 2:12, 13).

These are the continuous forms of the verbs used in the verses. They imply conclusion of the act in the future, a process, theosis. It is this process that modern Christians should be committed to and practice every moment of every day. How committed are you to the world, to God?

*The early Christians fasted every Wednesday and Friday. How often do you fast?

*Praying always will all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (Eph 6:18). The early Christians took this verse seriously and continually prayed the "Jesus Prayer": Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me. How often do you pray?

*What percent of you day is thinking about godly things?

*Is church a routine, a habit, an obligation or is it something you look forward to?

*How concerned are you with finances, politics, epidemics, social status?

*Would you wear a cross to work if the boss or coworkers made negative comments? (Matt 10:32, 33)