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 practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:21-23)

The Other Side Of Jesus

When Jesus gathered disciples around Him they recognized their teacher as one that spoke with authority and power unlike the scribes of their day. The teaching of Jesus was like a breath of fresh air with its clarity, illustrative stories, and purity of doctrine. Often the Jewish leaders would spar with Jesus attempting to trap Him in His speech but fail on every occasion. Everything the man from Nazareth said was without challenge because it was the word of the Father. The teaching of Jesus was controversial and reactionary. Through the wisdom of man trying to paint a picture of Jesus being a man full of love and compassion, a false impression of the Son of God has unfolded through the centuries denying the other side of Jesus. Most people see Jesus as a kind man who never said a stern word or offended anyone with His teaching. This is clearly evident in the manner the religious world portrays Jesus in their teaching. Sin is never spoken of, condemnation of character is unacceptable and the idea of eternal perdition is vehemently opposed. Clearly, the story of Jesus is full of grace and love but the other side of Jesus reveals the complete will of the Father. The Son of God came to save men from their sins but He also came to tell men the consequence of their unrepentant hearts.

The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most familiar passages in scripture. Filled with strong words of love, mercy, grace and a benevolent Father, Jesus unfolded to His disciples the preamble of the spiritual constitution that would make up His new covenant. What must not be lost in the study of the sermon is the message of the harsh reality of rejecting the teachings of God. Not everyone who claims allegiance to God will enjoy eternal life. The Son of God clearly tells His disciples that many will claim to be very religious in their lives and seek to follow Him but if they are not doing the will of the Father, they will be eternally lost. Saying, “Lord, Lord” does not imply a man is saved. Proclaiming they have prophesied in the name of Jesus, casting out demons in the name of Jesus and doing many wonders in the name of Jesus will not save a person. Jesus said He will tell many people that He did not know who they were and demand they depart from Him. What He means by this is that in the final day of judgment when individuals stand before Him that He will condemn them to Hell because they have not done the will of the Father. This is a side of Jesus most folk refuse to acknowledge. The Sermon on the Mount reveals that most men will be lost in destruction while only a few will find eternal life. God does not desire any man to be lost and has given a man everything he needs to find salvation but if a man does not do the will of the Father they will be lost in a lake that burns with fire and brimstone.

Jesus taught the whole pattern of God’s grace when He reminded men of their obligation to follow the teachings of the Father. When telling Nicodemus what a man must do to be saved, the Son of God said that God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son so that those who believed would not perish. What else could Jesus mean by those who perish than teaching that men who refuse to obey the will of the Father will perish in eternal fire? Jesus taught there was a place called everlasting punishment. The Son of God taught there was a place of outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Jesus taught the whole counsel of the Father including teaching men their obligation to obey the love of God and if they refused to do the will of the Father they would go to Hell. This may be unpopular in the modern soft-peddling gospel of the social message of plastic grace but teaching the whole counsel of Jesus Christ demands recognition of the other side of His teaching. There is a place of eternal rest and thank God for that. Understand the message of Jesus Christ received from the Father there is a place of eternal torment reserved for those who do not do the will of the Father. Jesus said it was so because God said it was so.