Quotes & Notes on:     Matthew 7:21   

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven..”  Matthew 7:21

• John Wesley's Notes:
   Not every one-That is, no one that saith, Lord, Lord-That makes a mere profession of me and my religion, shall enter-Whatever their false teachers may assure them to the contrary:
  
  He that doth the will of my Father-as I have now declared it. Observe: every thing short of this is only saying, Lord, Lord. Lu 6:46.
   

• Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

  * saith. Mt 25:11,12; Ho 8:2,3; Lu 6:46; 13:25; Ac 19:13-20; Ro 2:13; Tit 1:16 Jas 1:22; 2:20-26
  * shall. Mt 18:3; 19:24; 21:31; 25:11,12,21; Isa 48:1,2; Mr 9:47; 10:23,24 Lu 18:25; Joh 3:5; Ac 14:22; Heb 4:6
  * that. Mt 12:50; 21:29-31; Mr 3:35; Lu 11:28; Joh 6:40; 7:17; Ro 12:2; Eph 6:6 Col 4:12; 1Th 4:3; 5:18; Heb 13:21; 1Pe 2:15; 4:2; 1Jo 3:21-24 Re 22:14
  * my. Mt 10:32; 16:17; 18:10,19; 26:39,42; Joh 5:17; 10:29; 14:7 Joh 15:23; Re 2:27; 3:5
   

• Adam Clarke's Commentary:

  Not every one] , a Hebraism, say some, for no person. It is a Graecism and a Latinism too: , not ALL of the gods, i.e. not ANY of the gods, HOM. Odyss. Z. 240. So TERENCE Sine omni periclo, without ALL danger, i.e. without ANY danger. And JUVENAL: Sine omni labe, without ALL imperfection, i.e. without ANY. See more in Mr. Wakefield. The sense of this verse seems to be this: No person, by merely acknowledging my authority, believing in the Divinity of my nature, professing faith in the perfection of my righteousness, and infinite merit of my atonement, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven-shall have any part with God in glory; but he who doeth the will of my Father-he who gets the bad tree rooted up, the good tree planted, and continues to bring forth fruit to the glory and praise of God. There is a good saying among the rabbins on this subject. "A man should be as vigorous as a panther, as swift as an eagle, as fleet as a stag, and as strong as a lion, to do the will of his Creator."
   

• Family Bible Notes:

   Not every one; men are to be judged of, not by their words only, but by their principles and conduct. They must obey the revealed will of God, and to be accepted of him, must do it with the heart. The only sure test of true religion, is the doing of the known will of God.
   

• 1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
   Even the best gifts that exist are nothing without godliness.
   

• People's New Testament Commentary:

    Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom. The Lord has shown that the entrance into the kingdom is through the "strait gate." He now shows more particularly what is needed to enter. Certain ones are described who cannot enter in. "Not every one" implies that some who say, "Lord, Lord," etc., shall enter in. Those enter
  
  who do the will of my Father. No one can be a citizen of the kingdom who does not obey the King.
   

• Robertson's Word Pictures:
   Not--but (ou--all'). Sharp contrast between the mere talker and the doer of God's will.
   

• Albert Barnes' Commentary:

     Not every one that saith, etc. He goes on to say that many, on the ground of that profession, will claim admittance into his kingdom. Many will plead that they had done miracles, and preached or prophesied much, and will demand an entrance into heaven. The power of working miracles had no necessary connexion with piety. God may as well, if he chooses, give the power of raising the dead to a wicked man, as the skill of healing to a wicked physician. A miracle is a display of his own power through the medium of another. An act of healing the sick is also a display of his power through the agency of another. In neither of these cases is there any necessary connexion with moral character. So of preaching, or prophesying. God may use the agency of a man of talents, though not pious, to carry forward his purposes. Saving power on the mind is the work of God; and he may convey it by any agency which he may choose. Accordingly, many may be found in the day of judgment who may have been endowed with powers of prophecy, or miracle, as Balaam, or the magicians of Egypt; in the same way as many men of distinguished talents may be found yet destitute of piety, and shut out of his kingdom. See Mr 9:38; Lu 9:49; 1Co 13:1-3. In this last place, Paul says, that though he spoke with the tongue of angels, and had the gift of prophecy, and could remove mountains, and had not charity or love, all would be of no avail. See Barnes for 1Co 13:1.
  
  {h} "Lord, Lord" Isa 48:1,2; Mt 25:11,12; Lu 6:46; 13:25; Ro 2:13
   

• Jamieson-Faussett Brown:

  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord--the reduplication of the title "Lord" denoting zeal in according it to Christ (see Mr 14:45). Yet our Lord claims and expects this of all His disciples, as when He washed their feet: "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am" (Joh 13:13).
  
  shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven--that will which it had been the great object of this discourse to set forth. Yet our Lord says warily, not "the will of your Father," but "of My Father"; thus claiming a relationship to His Father with which His disciples might not intermeddle, and which He never lets down. And He so speaks here to give authority to His asseverations. But now He rises higher still--not formally announcing Himself as the Judge, but intimating what men will say to Him, and He to them, when He sits as their final judge.
   

• Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:

  Religion must be practical, or it will prove worthless at the last.

   

• Spurgeon Commentary on Matthew:
  No verbal homage will suffice: “Not every one that saith.” We may believe in our Lord’s Deity, and we may take great pains to affirm it over and over again with our “Lord, Lord”; but unless we carry out the commands of the Father, we pay no true homage to the Son. We may own our obligations to Jesus, and so call him “Lord, Lord”; but if we never practically carry out those obligations, what is the value of our admissions? Our King receives not into his kingdom those whose religion lies in words and ceremonies;  but only those whose lives display the obedience of true discipleship.
   

• William Burkitt's Notes:

   Not every one; that is, Not any one that saith Lord, Lord, that is, that owneth me by way of profession, by way of prayer, and by way of appeal, shall be saved; But he that doeth the will of my Father sincerely and universally.
  
  Learn hence, 1. That multitude at the great day shall be really disowned by Christ, as none of his servants, that did nominately own him for their Lord and Master: many that have now prophesied in his name, shall then perish in his wrath: many that have cast out devils now, shall be cast out to devils then: such as have now done many wonderful works, shall then perish for evil workers.
  
  Note, 2. That a bare name and profession of Christianity, without the practice of it, is a very insufficient ground to build our hopes of heaven and salvation upon. A profession of faith and purposes of obedience, without actual obedience to the commands of God, will avail no person to salvation.
  
  3. That gifts, eminent gifts, yea extraordinary and miraculous gifts, are not to be rested in or depended upon as sufficient evidences for heaven and salvation. Gifts are as the gold which adorns the temple, but grace is like the temple that sanctifies the gold.
   

• Matthew Henry's  Commentary on the Whole Bible:

    We have here the conclusion of this long and excellent sermon, the scope of which is to show the indispensable necessity of obedience to the commands of Christ; this is designed to clench the nail, that it might fix in a sure place: he speaks this to his disciples, that sat at his feet wherever he preached, and followed him wherever he went. Had he sought his own praise among men, he would have said, that was enough; but the religion he came to establish is in power, not in word only (1Co 4:20), and therefore something more is necessary.
  
  I. He shows, by a plain remonstrance, that an outward profession of religion, however remarkable, will not bring us to heaven, unless there be a correspondent conversation, Mt 7:21-23. All judgment is committed to our Lord Jesus; the keys are put into his hand; he has power to prescribe new terms of life and death, and to judge men according to them: now this is a solemn declaration pursuant to that power. Observe here,
  
  1. Christ's law laid down, Mt 7:21. Not everyone that saith, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, into the kingdom of grace and glory. It is an answer to that question, Ps 15:1. Who shall sojourn in thy tabernacle?--the church militant; and who shall dwell in thy holy hill?--the church triumphant. Christ here shows,
  
  (1.) That it will not suffice to say, Lord, Lord; in word and tongue to own Christ for our Master, and to make addresses to him, and professions of him accordingly: in prayer to God, in discourse with men, we must call Christ, Lord, Lord; we say well, for so he is (Joh 13:13); but can we imagine that this is enough to bring us to heaven, that such a piece of formality as this should be so recompensed, or that he who knows and requires the heart should be so put off with shows for substance? Compliments among men are pieces of civility that are returned with compliments, but they are never paid as real services; and can they then be of an account with Christ? There may be a seeming importunity in prayer, Lord, Lord: but if inward impressions be not answerable to outward expressions, we are but as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. This is not to take us off from saying, Lord, Lord; from praying, and being earnest in prayer, from professing Christ's name, and being bold in professing it, but from resting in these, in the form of godliness, without the power.
  
  (2.) That it is necessary to our happiness that we do the will of Christ, which is indeed the will of his Father in heaven. The will of God, as Christ's Father, is his will in the gospel, for there he is made known, as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ: and in him our Father. Now this is his will, that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. If we comply not with the will of God, we mock Christ in calling him Lord, as those did who put on him a gorgeous robe, and said, Hail, King of the Jews. Saying and doing are two things, often parted in conversation of men: he that said, I go, sir, stirred never a step (Mt 21:30); but these two things God has joined in his command, and let no man that puts them asunder think to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
   

   

• Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:

  Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another. This is his will, even our sanctification. Let us take heed of resting in outward privileges and doings, lest we deceive ourselves, and perish eternally, as multitudes do, with a lie in our right hand. Let every one that names the name of Christ, depart from all sin. There are others, whose religion rests in bare hearing, and it goes no further; their heads are filled with empty notions. These two sorts of hearers are represented as two builders. This parable teaches us to hear and do the sayings of the Lord Jesus: some may seem hard to flesh and blood, but they must be done. Christ is laid for a foundation, and every thing besides Christ is sand. Some build their hopes upon worldly prosperity; others upon an outward profession of religion. Upon these they venture; but they are all sand, too weak to bear such a fabric as our hopes of heaven. There is a storm coming that will try every man's work. When God takes away the soul, where is the hope of the hypocrite? The house fell in the storm, when the builder had most need of it, and expected it would be a shelter to him. It fell when it was too late to build another. May the Lord make us wise builders for eternity. Then nothing shall separate us from the love of Christ Jesus. The multitudes were astonished at the wisdom and power of Christ's doctrine. And this sermon, ever so often read over, is always new. Every word proves its Author to be Divine. Let us be more and more decided and earnest, making some one or other of these blessednesses and Christian graces the main subject of our thoughts, even for weeks together. Let us not rest in general and confused desires after them, whereby we grasp at all, but catch nothing.
   

• The Fourfold Gospel:
  
  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. To say, "Lord, Lord," is to call on the Lord in prayer. While it is almost impossible to overestimate the value of prayer when associated with a consistent life, it has been too common to attribute to it a virtue which it does not possess. The Pharisees were excessively devoted to prayer, and they led the people to believe that every prayerful man would be saved. The Mohammedans and Romanists are subject to the same delusion, as may be seen in their punctilious observance of the forms of prayer, while habitually neglecting many of the common rules of morality. It is here taught that prayer, unattended by doing the will of the Father in heaven, can not save us. Doing the will of God must be understood, not in the sense of sinless obedience, but as including a compliance with the conditions on which sins are forgiven. Whether under the old covenant or the new, sinless obedience is an impossibility; but obedience to the extent of our possibility amid the weaknesses of the flesh, accompanied by daily compliance with the conditions of pardon for our daily sin, has ever secured the favor of God.